What is the Client Thinking?
Ken Fox and his staff know the answer because they ask the question. Constant communication with a client, asking the questions that may seem obvious and listening for signs of anxiety are the techniques they use to help them validate their clients' thoughts and words. The company’s focus on “what is the client thinking” is a natural extension of the impetus for the start-up of Fox Architectural Design in 1987. Ken started his own firm because he wanted more control of client relationships and the direction of design services to them.
Finding a former high school building in Wharton to house the company allowed Ken to concentrate on expanding the size of his business without concerns about outgrowing the space. He attributes the company’s growth from a single-architect firm to a staff of ten to networking and a solid reputation for quality work. He is always working on new ways to get business.
The company takes on residential and commercial projects that range in size from single room additions to shopping malls. Ken enjoys projects that require him to solve technical problems in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
Of his TAB affiliation, Ken says, “Instead of shooting from the hip running the business, I have learned to focus on things I like to do and things that will make the business more profitable.” Advice from his TAB board has given him the focus to set short-term goals that will lead to fulfillment of long-term goals. Ken says, “I want an office that runs itself with me to keep excitement high to spur economic growth and the acquisition of even more challenging design projects."
Of his Rotary Club membership, Ken says, “I am blessed to be involved.” The opportunity to personally participate in local and international philanthropic acts is extremely rewarding for Ken. His Rotary district sponsored open-heart surgery for a young patient from Iraq and he was able to witness the life-changing results.
Closer to home, Ken and his staff are volunteering their time to design a handicapped accessible residence for Army Specialist James Benoit who was injured in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad. The town of Wharton donated property for the project.