Michael Toolis

Michael Toolis has spent the past 40 years practicing architecture with specific expertise in hospitality and workplace design. During his career, he built and managed VOA Associates, a 350-person international design firm headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York; Washington, DC; Orlando; Beijing; Shanghai; and São Paulo. The firm’s expertise included health care, defense industry, residential, hospitality, workplace, and higher education settings and received over 300 awards for design excellence. He believed in continuous improvement and strove to have the best design firm in the world before it was acquired by Stantec.

As vice president and regional business leader for Stantec Architecture, Toolis provides direction and support to ensure the alignment of topline strategy and bottom-line performance of Stantec regional business centers. In this capacity he provides leadership in driving net revenue growth, strategic account leadership, market diversification strategy, new acquisition integration, design excellence, and innovation in professional practice. As project executive Toolis has 40 years of experience leading significant architecture and design projects, including the 1060 Project Wrigley Field Ballpark Renovation, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Navy Pier waterfront renovation and reconstruction, and, on the Illinois campus, the renovation and expansion of the two campus recreation buildings.

Toolis is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Board, is a member of the American Institute of Architects, and is a LEED accredited professional.