LEADERSHIP TEAM
Jeffrey Abel, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP - Principal
Beth Abel, Assoc. AIA, MBA - Principal
Dare Lovett, AIA, IIDA, LED AP - Principal
JEFFREY ABEL, ASSOC. AIA, LEED AP
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Abel has more than 17 years of experience in architecture and design. As a Principal of Abel Design Group, he takes an active approach to design and collaborates with his designers on the majority of projects in his firm. He also serves as the primary client interface, striving to provide the highest level of customer service. Mr. Abel is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the firm and its personnel, and provides the strategic vision for Abel Design Group. His goal is not to be the biggest design firm, but the best design firm in Houston, providing a superior product for his clients and a work environment where employees can grow and prosper.
Mr. Abel founded Abel Design Group in 2001. Since then, he has expanded the business from primarily building representation to a combination of building representation, tenant representation, and ground-up architecture. Mr. Abel has increased his staff significantly since founding the company, recruiting only the best industry talent. The firm provides a boutique approach, which enables principal-led design and senior management on every project.
Prior to starting Abel Design Group, Mr. Abel spent eight years at Lamoureux Associates, where he was a Portfolio Manager and specialized in space planning and interiors. During his tenure there, he managed an average of 30 buildings as part of his building representation portfolio, and started a tenant representation group. He spearheaded the growth of the company from three to twenty employees, by taking on more creative and challenging projects.
Mr. Abel earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas. He is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a LEED® Accredited Professional, a member of the United States Green Building Council, and a member of the Rice Design Alliance.
BETH ABEL, ASSOC. AIA, MBA
PRINCIPAL
Ms. Abel has 12 years of experience in real estate investments. As a Principal of Abel Design Group, she is directly involved in strategic decisions, company profitability, and management of personnel.
Prior to joining Abel Design Group, Ms. Abel spent nine years at BelmontCorp, a developer and operator of assisted living communities across the nation. In her role as Vice President of Underwriting, Ms. Abel evaluated the financial feasibility of all of the Company’s real estate investments, totaling more than $500 million. As a key member of the development team, she created initial capital and operating budgets, assessed risk of new investments, and determined the appropriate product offering and pricing in various markets.
Prior to joining BelmontCorp, Ms. Abel worked as a project manager for Mischer Healthcare Services, where she was responsible for the development of a $45 million hospital expansion for Memorial-Hermann in The Woodlands. In her role as project manager, she acted as the Owner’s Representative, and directed all aspects of the design and construction of the project. The project included a 100,000 square foot multi-tenant Medical Office Building, a 100,000 square foot hospital addition, 25,000 square feet of hospital renovation, and a new central plant. The project was completed in phases to ensure that the existing hospital remained fully-operational throughout the construction period.
Ms. Abel received a full academic scholarship from Rice University, where she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with concentrations in finance and marketing. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas. She is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a member of the Rice Design Alliance.
DARE LOVETT, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Lovett brings 15 years of experience in both commercial base building and interior architecture projects. He has played an integral role in the design of more than 7.6 million square feet of space for clients such as Continental Airlines, Texas A&M University, Wells Fargo Bank, Hines Development Corporation, South Texas College of Law, Exxon, and more than 300 projects for AT&T. Mr. Lovett provides management support to the team and also performs in the role of client advocate, challenging the project team to explore all options and to ensure all solutions are thoroughly developed.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from Baylor University in 1991, Mr. Lovett went on to complete his Master of Architecture degree at the Texas A&M University in 1994. Much of his work has been cited in Texas Architect, The Houston Chronicle, and American School and University magazine and his projects have earned awards from the AIA Houston Chapter (AIA), the IIDA Texas/Oklahoma Chapter (IIDA), and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Houston Chapter.
Mr. Lovett also contributes to the profession through active volunteer service, participating extensively in the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Texas/ Oklahoma Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Mr. Lovett has been a guest lecturer in the University of Houston's Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture Center for Historic Architecture's Mexico Program since 1999, teaching architectural preservation, history, site planning and design. He has also participated as a guest lecture for Texas A&M College of Architecture annual summer study program in Houston, Texas.