Pfluger Architects, a premier Texas-based architecture firm with extensive experience in educational facility planning, design, and construction administration, strategically adds business leader Lauren Paver as Chief Operating Officer (COO). She brings over 15 years of experience and will play a critical role in leading operational strategies across the firm’s five Texas locations and 130 employees. In collaboration with the Pfluger leadership team, her work supports CEO Terry Hoyle’s vision of creating engaging learning environments by advancing the firm’s purpose of inspiring people to create a meaningful human experience.
As Pfluger COO, Paver will focus on business performance and operations by developing strategy and optimizing the firm for operational effectiveness. An integral leadership team member, she serves as brand ambassador and culture designer by seeking opportunities to integrate the firm’s purpose and core values into its operating system. Paver, an ardent champion of education, human-centered design, and collaboration, brings a fresh perspective to help create clarity and inspire engagement. She has a track record of helping organizations undergoing exponential growth, like Pfluger, achieve their goals of recruiting and retaining top talent while scaling processes, technology, and teams.
“Lauren is engaged, thoughtful, and constantly curious about illuminating Pfluger’s distinctness while integrating components of our history and legacy into our future. She’s dialed in on our vision and her value-driven leadership will guide Pfluger’s day-to-day operating rhythm,” said Terry Hoyle, Pfluger’s CEO. “Lauren’s energy and compassion will undoubtedly provide us with the strategies and structure to support our growth as we strive to inspire our clients and the communities we serve to create meaningful human experiences.”
A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where she was recognized as a Distinguished Young Alumna, Paver comes to Pfluger from Higher Order Consulting. As founder and principal consultant, she developed a proprietary methodology to help teams grow and scale their business by defining an organization’s purpose, designing revenue strategies and goals, and developing strategic operating plans to deliver results. Previously, as COO at CLS Partners (acquired by Alliant Insurance Services), she was responsible for leading the implementation of the strategic operating plan and ensuring the right people, processes, and products were in place to effectively grow the organization and ensure operational effectiveness.
“I’m deeply passionate about education and delighted to contribute my skills and experiences to level up the strong foundation that has been built over the firm’s 50-year history,” said Paver. “It’s inspiring to see how smart design plays a crucial role in creating an environment for students to achieve their full potential. Pfluger-designed spaces spark creativity and focus on the importance of social-emotional learning and commitment to educational excellence. I’m honored to have the opportunity to support our incredible work in shaping the future of education design, and ultimately shaping our communities’ future leaders.”
Recognized by the Austin Business Journal as a Woman of Distinction, Paver has built a career delivering strategic and successful programs and leading the operational transformation of for-profit, non-profit, and governmental organizations. An active volunteer in her community, she was recognized by the E3 Alliance as an Architect of Change for her leadership as co-chair for the Missing School Matters campaign. Paver was recruited by the United States Department of State to serve as a mentor with the German Marshall Fund Young Transatlantic Innovative Leadership Initiative. She has served her local community as an assistant scoutmaster with Scouts of America and as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for youth in foster care. A long-time board member of Impact Austin and ardent supporter of education, Paver has also served on the Advisory Board, Capital Campaign Committee, and Annual Fund Chair for St. Austin Catholic School.
Paver succeeds retiring Principal and COO Mark Lam who navigated strategic growth and transformation at Pfluger over the last 10 years.
