Building Ideas

Nestor Melnyk joined MSA Design in 1995 and is integral leading many of MSA’s key institutional projects including civic, religious, and is the Director of Higher Education Academic Projects firm-wide. Clients and colleagues recognize Nestor for his thoroughness and attention to detail in all aspects of the architectural process as well as being a leader in quality control and detailing, as evidenced by a 2000 CSI award.

Nestor received a B. Arch. from the University of Cincinnati in 1990 and, as valedictorian, was awarded the AIA’s Henry Adams Medal and Certificate. He continued studying at UC, completing an M.A. in geography in 1991. He also studied planning abroad with the University of the Aegean in Greece and completed liberal arts coursework at St. Clement Ukrainian Catholic University in Rome. Nestor became a licensed architect after only one year of professional employment, is NCARB certified, and became a LEED Accredited Professional in 2007.

Beyond his work in the firm, Nestor is a passionate advocate for children’s healthcare and disabilities issues. He is a member of the Hamilton County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services and served on the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. He also provides extensive service to initiatives at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center as well as other healthcare and developmental disabilities service organizations.

He and his family have founded multiple community initiatives, including Troy Gives a Duck - an organization committed to ending loneliness and eliminating isolation by setting up social opportunities for friendship building and changing the stigma of those with developmental disabilities.

Troy Gives a Duck shows how a single person with a positive message can build community and create a chain reaction of kindness among others, providing them with a physical reminder that they are valued and that there is goodness to be found.

www.msaarch.com

www.troygivesaduck.org

Tony Costello has been an educator / practitioner for his entire 54+ year career as an architect. He holds the title, Irving Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Architecture at Ball State University, retiring as a full-time faculty member in 2005 after 38 years. He has continued for the last 16 years in an adjunct capacity and teaches one elective course a year and is involved in the Department of Architecture Professional Advisory Board.

He is also the founding principal of C+A, COSTELLO + ASSOCIATES, a limited-practice, award-winning, firm he founded in 1976 in Muncie, Indiana. The focus of his practice since 2010 has been on pro bono projects in Haiti that include a completed library and an orphanage campus consisting of 5 buildings to date.

Tony is a native New Yorker (Life-long METS fan) having been born in Corona, Queens, until 9 years of age when his family moved north of Peekskill, New York, on the Hudson River which he considers his “hometown.” He attended Pratt Institute from 1961 to 1964 when he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Turkey. As a Fulbright Scholar he attended the Middle East Teknik University (METU), Ankara, for the ’64-’65 academic year and was awarded a B. ARCH degree in 1965, thus being one of the first three Americans to earn this honor. He returned to Pratt and graduated in 1966 with a B. ARCH degree with Honors and was awarded the school’s Dean’s Medal.

He attended Columbia University and received an M.S. Degree in Urban Design in June 1967, and was awarded a William Kinne Fellows Traveling Fellowship for the summer of 1967. After teaching for ten years, he was awarded a Lilly Endowment Open Faculty Fellowship and did a year of post-graduate work in Planning Law and Public Policy at Harvard and MIT.

Tony has built an international-recognized career as one of the “pioneers” of the community-based, urban design movement founded in the late 1960’s. His founding of the Urban Design Studio at Ball State (1969) which became the Community-Based Projects (CBP) Program (1979) as well as the Muncie Urban Design Studio and Small Town Assistance Program (both in 1980). Largely due to his pioneering efforts, Ball State’s Community Based Projects (CBP) Program was honored in 2000 with the ACSA-Fannie Mae Community Design Award as one of the three, oldest, continuous community design programs in North America. Combined, these programs have won over 40 national and state awards from the AIA, APA, ACSA and U.S. Dept. of HUD in urban planning design, neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, and affordable housing.

Tony has been a corporate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) since 1971. He served a three-year term (2005-2008) on a board of directors of the national AIA as a regional representative from the AIA Ohio Valley (IN, KY and OH) and served on the institute’s Community Committee. He also served as the national chairman of the AIA 150 - Blueprint for America subgroup, which was one of three components of the institute’s sesquicentennial celebration. For his leadership of this program, he was awarded a Presidential Citation in 2006. He was the major author of the AIA Guidelines on Pro Bono Services (2009); Tony was inducted into the AIA’s prestigious College of Fellows in 2001 and was named an AIA Richard Upjohn Fellow in 2008. He currently serves (2021-2023) as the Ohio Valley Regional Representative of the College of Fellows.

Dan Montgomery is an Associate and Senior Project Architect at MSA Design.

Dan is a native of Lisbon, Ohio - a "small town in the woods" in Northeast Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP).

Dan's career began with institutional and civic work, and he joined MSA over 12 years ago where he has risen into Senior Leadership and is a key Project Architect on many of the firms' Civic, Educational, and Sport projects.

Dan shares his passion for architecture through teaching those newer to the profession by sharing his experiences and implementations that made him successful. Dan believes that “when it comes to design, the best designs are often the simplest. Every design move is done with reason and purpose to support the overarching concept.”

Dan is a Member of the Planning and Zoning Committee, a Member of the Pedestrian Safety Committee, and holds a Director position as a Board Member of the Northside Community Council. Outside of work, you can find Dan tending to his small garden, using fresh herbs to create Italian-inspired dishes, eagerly anticipating the next time he can travel through the streets of Italy.

Dan and his husband Brett reside in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Northside.

For more than two decades Harry Snyder, President and CEO (Superintendent) of Great Oaks Career Campuses, has been committed to ensuring that youth and adults are prepared with the competitive skills necessary for economic growth. Because he understands that this means business and education working together, he has become a major voice in workforce training.

In 2014, the Great Oaks Board of Directors named Harry its fifth President and CEO. He is responsible for four campuses and career technical training for over 20,000 youth and 15,000 adults from 36 partnering school districts. Great Oaks is one of the largest career-technical school districts in the country, covering over 2,100 square miles in southwest Ohio.

Great Oaks has been named a Cincinnati Enquirer Top Workplace for 7+ years. Harry has been acknowledged multiple times as a Cincy Magazine Power 100 recipient.

He continues to hold many leadership roles in both professional and community organizations. He presently serves on Boards of Learn 21, High Aims, Christian Benevolent Association, Ohio Association of Career Tech Superintendents, Clermont County Chamber of Commerce, Clermont UC Advisory, and the FFA Agriculture Education Foundation.

Harry holds a Master’s Degree in Vocational Education from Wright State University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from the University of Cincinnati.

Harry has resided in Southwest Ohio his entire life. Presently he resides outside of Batavia with his wife Janet; he has two daughters and one son.

www.greatoaks.com

Troy Bonte serves as Executive Director of Facilities Management & Planning for Otterbein University, located in Westerville, Ohio. Troy oversees the Office of Facilities Services, and other business operations including the University Bookstore, Mailroom, and Print/Copy Center. Troy and his staff handle daily service, energy management, campus construction, maintenance and repair, and special events, as well as capital project planning.

Prior to joining Otterbein University, Bonte served as the Director of Facilities at Washington & Jefferson College located in Washington, Pennsylvania, and as the Director of Facilities Management at Capital University, located in Columbus, Ohio.

Bonte holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Leadership from Otterbein University and a Masters of Business Administration from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He is a member of APPA and has more than 25 years of construction and facilities management experience as a contractor, consultant, and owner’s representative.

In his career in facilities services, Troy has managed many projects that have improved accessibility, safety, and sustainability. One major achievement was the development and construction of The Point, a 60,000-sf S.T.E.A. M. facility, designed to create partnerships between the University, private enterprise, and various governmental agencies, which provide experiential learning opportunities for the Otterbein student. In speaking with staff and administration, the University President, recently stated that, “We start every tour and end it at The Point.”

Working through the pandemic, he was a key member of a designated team, providing leadership and oversight of the University’s endeavors to stop the spread of COVID-19. The result was a very low rate of transmission among students, and no recorded transmission from employee to employee.

www.otterbein.edu

Haven Fields is the Deputy Athletics Director at Ball State University, an NCAA Division 1 Institution competing in the Mid American Conference. Haven oversees external operations and assists in supervising the Cardinals’ 19 teams and 400-plus student-athletes.

Prior to coming to Ball State, Fields spent the previous five years working at the University of Illinois Office of Athletics Development. He quickly rose up the ranks to Associate Athletics Director, Development – Chicago Operations in 2018. Fields was helping to drive the university’s $2.25 billion “With Illinois” campaign, $300 million of which is earmarked for athletics. To date, the athletics portion of the campaign has already raised $215 million.

Prior to his stint at Illinois, Fields worked at the University of South Alabama for five years as the Assistant Athletics Director for Administration and Major Gifts. He served as a member of the USA senior administration leadership staff and supervised the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field teams. He was also involved in the day-to-day oversight of the Jaguar Athletic Fund Leadership Circle and facilitated the overall operations of a start-up Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program, including budget management and football contracts.

Fields began his career in intercollegiate athletics at his alma mater, Auburn University. He originally served as a graduate assistant for compliance and event management before sliding over to the role of Associate Director of Athletics Development. During his time at Auburn, Fields assisted in the $170 million “Legends Campaign for Athletics,” which was part of Auburn University’s “It All Begins at Auburn” capital campaign.

Fields played collegiate football for Auburn where he earned the Zeke Smith Award (Auburn’s Defensive Player of the Year). He was an honorable mention to the All-SEC team as a linebacker and also earned a spot on the All-SEC Football Allstate “Good Works” Team. Following college, Fields went on to play two seasons of professional football in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tigercats and British Columbia Lions.

Fields earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Auburn in 2001 and later earned a master’s in higher education administration/sports management. He and his wife Mya have two sons, Haven Jr. and Hendrix.

www.ballstatesports.com

J. Marshall Hyzdu is the second president of Archbishop Moeller High School. As president and a Moeller alumnus, he is dedicated to deepening Moeller’s tradition of academic excellence, commitment to its Catholic and Marianist identity, and its engagement with the alumni and Moeller family.

A 1996 graduate of Moeller, Marshall was the school vice president and finished in the top 10 of his class and played linebacker and served as captain of the football team.

In his years at Moeller Marshall learned a lot that he values and continues to carry with him throughout his career and life. “Moeller taught me to be a leader and a teammate. My best friends are from Moeller because we formed a bond of brotherhood, rooted in faith and family, that I cherish and will continue to carry with me for life.”

After graduating from Moeller, Marshall attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he earned a double major in history and psychology, while playing four years of football. To further enhance his career, he went on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan Ross Business School.

Beyond bringing his strong educational background to Moeller, Marshall brings significant leadership, management and marketing experience. His professional background includes investment banking, as well as over 12 years of brand- management experience, during which he established a track record of success in building well-known brands, while also delivering strong business results.

Marshall and his wife, Sara, are the proud parents of three sons: James (Moeller Class of 2032), Teddy (Moeller Class of 2033), and AJ (Moeller Class of 2035).

www.moeller.org

Amy Benetti joins us as an Associate Principal and Project Manager at MSA Design.

Amy is a native of Speedway, Indiana - home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A childhood influenced by family home improvement projects and "tinkering" ultimately led her to attend the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University. After graduation, she came to MSA Design where she has risen into Senior leadership within the firm and has led many of the firms' key projects in the Education, Religious, Sport and Civic markets. Her skills at community engagement and consensus building have earned her great acclaim within the profession. For a period of time she left private practice to become an "in house" project leader within the City of Cincinnati.

In addition to her work at the firm, Amy is a graduate of AIA Cincinnati's VISION program for emerging leaders, a leader of MSA's Madeira City Schools Senior professional mentor program, and has become a leading voice in the mentorship of young women in the design and construction profession in Greater Cincinnati.

Amy, her husband Jon and their daughter reside in the small town of Madeira in Greater Cincinnati.

www.msaarch.com

Jerry Dendinger is the Chief Operating Officer of Athletes In Action, a worldwide sports ministry headquartered near Dayton. In addition to the retreats, camps, and team building opportunities at their HQ campus (the former Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home in Xenia, Ohio) AIA provides athletic teams and mission opportunities throughout amateur, collegiate, and professional sports organizations across the globe.

Jerry is a native of Bush, Louisiana and was a successful long-distance running athlete at the University of Southern Mississippi. After a post-collegiate running career and brief stint as a chemist, he and his wife came on staff with Athletes in Action. Over his 30+ years at AIA, Jerry has served as a Chaplain, mentor, leader, and now senior executive. He and Mallory have been married for 31 years and have four adult children.

www.athletesinaction.org

www.woodenfamilyfieldhouse.com

Andre Seoldo is Associate Athletic Director for Facilities & Operations at the University of Cincinnati.

At UC, Seoldo directs all event management, facility rentals and assists in the planning of capital projects. During his 8 year tenure at UC, Andre has been instrumental in the operations and planning of significant capital investments in Athletic Facilities including the expansion and renovation of historic Nippert Stadium, renovation of Fifth Third Arena, and ongoing upgrades and improvements to the American Conference member's athletic facilities on the 40,000+ student urban campus in Clifton.

Prior to coming to Cincinnati, Andre spent nearly three years at the University of Northern Iowa. He began his tenure at UNI as the assistant athletic director for facilities and operations in October 2010 and was promoted to associate athletic director in July 2012.

During his tenure at UNI, Seoldo provided leadership and budget oversight to the facilities and operations staff and supervised over 55 personnel. He was also responsible for securing, implementing and marketing external facility rentals, including concerts, trade shows, commencements and other non-University athletic events.

Prior to his arrival at UNI, Seoldo spent 10 years at Kent State University where he advanced from field house and sports camp assistant in 2000 to associate athletic director for facilities and operations in 2005. He was the director for conference championships hosted by KSU, including 2006 baseball, 2008 field hockey, 2009 indoor track and field and women's golf and 2010 men's golf. Seoldo completed various large-scale projects during his time at KSU, including the Schoonover Baseball Stadium, Golf Training and Learning Center, Dix Stadium renovations and turf replacement for baseball, football and field hockey.

Seoldo worked at the University of Florida from 1999-2000 as the operations and facilities assistant.

He earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Northeastern University and his master's in sports administration from Wichita State University. He recently graduated from IAVM Venue Management School at Oglebay (Wheeling, W.Va.).

Seoldo and his wife Tiffany have two sons, Antonio and Sonny.

www.gobearcats.com