BHDP Architecture (BHDP) is now 100% employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), marking a significant milestone for the Cincinnati-based architecture and design firm and reinforcing its long-term commitment to its people and future growth.
Lazear Capital Partners (Lazear) served as the exclusive financial advisor on the ESOP transaction, which was designed to create broad-based employee ownership while supporting BHDP’s continued expansion and preserving the culture, leadership, and values that have defined the firm since 1937.
Steve Deis and Troy Starr, Managing Directors at Lazear Capital Partners, led the engagement with support from Managing Director Scott Wilkie. “BHDP’s transition to 100% employee ownership reflects both the strength of the firm and the leadership team’s long-term commitment to its people,” said Starr. “The company has built an outstanding culture and reputation over nearly nine decades, and the ESOP structure positions BHDP to continue attracting top talent, driving growth, and creating meaningful ownership opportunities for all employees.”
“We made this decision to support and invest in our nearly 200 employees,” said Drew Suszko, BHDP’s CEO. “The ESOP enables our people to benefit directly from our growth. This is a testament to the legacy of success at BHDP and the upward trajectory we’re on as a nationally recognized design firm.”
BHDP is a nationally recognized architecture and design firm with offices in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, as well as Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm employs nearly 200 people and provides architecture, interior design, and planning services to clients across several markets, including workplace, higher education, industrial, healthcare, government, retail and community. In 2025, BHDP was recognized as Cincinnati’s largest architecture firm by the Cincinnati Business Courier.
“An ESOP aligns incentives and performance, and gives us more firepower for growth, because we believe when we grow together, we win together,” added Suszko. “We’re creating an environment where employees can think, act, and benefit like owners. This transition reflects our long-term commitment to our people and the future of BHDP.”
Employee ownership continues to gain momentum among architecture, engineering, and design firms seeking long-term continuity, workforce engagement, and sustainable leadership. Through this transition, BHDP joins a growing number of employee-owned companies leveraging the ESOP structure to protect their legacy, strengthen competitiveness, and invest in the people at the core of their success.
About Lazear
Lazear is a premier middle-market advisory firm specializing in business ownership transitions nationwide. Headquartered in Columbus, OH, with a growing presence, the firm is dedicated to helping business owners maximize wealth and preserve legacies through customized exit strategies, including ESOPs and 1042, M&A, and capital formation.
To learn more, visit www.lazearcapital.com and follow Lazear on LinkedIn.
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