Kurt Neubek: Nominated for National Award

A Page principal has been honored with a nomination for a national award given annually to an individual or organization that has made a significant impact on the healthcare industry. Kurt Neubek, FAIA, EDAC, was submitted for a Changemaker award, given annually by The Center for Health Design. Kurt is Page’s firmwide Healthcare Practice Leader.

Nominees come from a wide range of healthcare industry roles from design professionals, product manufacturers, healthcare practitioners, facility owners, researchers, educators, authors, association leaders, etc. The winner will be announced at the annual Healthcare Design Expo & Conference, which will be held November 10-13 this year in Phoenix.

A leading member of the Health Care Institute (HCI), an alliance partner of the International Facility Management Association, submitted Kurt for consideration. The nomination was a joint collaboration with another industry leader from Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute which designs and delivers educational content.

Kurt has an extensive global resume, having programmed, planned and led the design of tens of millions of square feet of space for a diverse array of building types. A recent notable achievement was helping client Texas Children’s Hospital meet a time-sensitive challenge to create a pediatric special isolation unit during the global Ebola outbreak that reached Texas in 2014.

Michael Wood, MD, CHC, MSM, ARRT, Immediate Past President of the Health Care Institute of IFMA, who initiated Kurt’s nomination, referenced that project in his submission, “Not only did Kurt provide a steady hand in the entire process, from the initial request of “can we do this?” to the ultimate construction and occupancy of the unit 14 months later. One of the key indicators of the success of this design effort have been the continuous requests and constructs of this design in many acute care centers across the US and world.”  

Another significant accomplishment was the effort to help the non-profit Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston build out a single-user facility designed to meet their unique needs. Their budget was limited so Kurt rallied third-party team members, vendors and local A/E/C industry members who donated furnishings, construction materials and services. The result is a project that makes lives better.

He also has been commended for his generosity in sharing lessons learned and expertise at national conferences and local industry chapters alike. Jill Pearsall, Vice President Facilities Planning & Development and Real Estate Services for Texas Children’s Hospital says, “Kurt’s public speaking is informative and typically eye-opening, bringing innovative thoughts and approaches to nagging industry challenges.” His interest in processes and traits that cross industries are evident in presentations like Getting Decisions That Stick and Beyond Programming.

Kurt also has previously achieved another unparalleled level of professional prestige, elevation to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) which only three percent of AIA members achieve. He was certified EDAC in 2010 and encourages Page and industry colleagues to follow suit. He is also a Fellow of the Healthcare Facility Institute, LEED Accredited Professional, a Lean specialist, and Six Sigma Black Belt.

The organization granting the award, The Center for Health Design, is a non-profit that works with a diverse healthcare community to advance best practices and empower leaders with quality research that demonstrates the value of design for a safer, healthier tomorrow.

To learn more about the award and past winners, click here: https://www.healthdesign.org/certification-outreach/awards-recognition/changemaker-award

To learn more about Kurt, read his staff profile here: https://www.pagethink.com/v/people-detail/Kurt-Neubek/au/