Rocha moves up WATG ladder

Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo recently named Lawrence M. Rocha the chairman of destination design. Rocha was originally elected to WATG's board of directors in 2002, serving as corporate secretary the last three years. Rocha also will be the firm's senior v.p. and chief information officer.

Rocha has led many technology-driven projects for WATG, working with such hotels as the Disneyland Paris Hotel, Acapulco Marriott in Mexico, the Pacific Islands Club in Guam, and the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He has authored several articles on technology in architecture and is a frequent speaker on the subject.

Mayse & Associates add designers

Corina Diaz

Architectural firm Mayse & Associates is adding to its design stable. The Dallas-based firm hired Corina Diaz as senior interior designer and Shannon Klingele as senior interior design project manager.

Shannon Klingele

Diaz and Klingele graduated from Texas State University and Oklahoma State University, respectively, and both bring more than a decade of experience to Mayse & Associates. Diaz is the third licensed interior designer hired by the firm.

PYR expands into Chicago

French interior design firm Pierre-Yves Rochon opened its Chicago office in March. This marks the design firm's first expansion into the United States.

The firm's expansion was not merely limited to space as PYR brought in new senior designers, project managers and technical directors who will be stationed in the Chicago location.

The long-distance move will not affect Rochon's role as he will retain personal involvement in each project as PYR's worldwide design principal.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Liz Leary

Liz Leary
ForrestPerkins
ForrestPerkins added Liz Leary as a senior associate. Leary has 15 years of experience in commercial design and a background managing large-scale hospitality design projects, recently overseeing the Choice Hotels brand redesign. She will be in charge of project management in the Washington, D.C., offices.