CMBA Architects
CMBA Architects is a privately held, full-service Midwestern architecture firm operating seven offices across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, providing architecture, interior design, master planning, and bond promotion services to K-12, higher education, healthcare, and municipal clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSioux City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CMBA Architects does
CMBA Architects is a privately held, full-service architectural firm headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, with seven offices across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota and a stated intent to serve clients nationwide. The firm provides architecture and design, interior design, master planning, and bond promotion services, organized around four verticals: K-12 education (primary), higher education, healthcare, and municipal/institutional work. Its client base is predominantly public-sector — school districts, colleges, hospitals, and municipalities — with engagements driven by capital improvement programs and bond-funded construction projects.
Revenue is generated through project-based professional service fees tied to scope and complexity. CMBA pursues a consultative, sales-led go-to-market: initial consultations with school boards, administrators, and community stakeholders; RFP responses; and, distinctively, bond campaign support that positions the firm upstream of design commissions. Documented technology relies on industry-standard tools including Revit for BIM modeling and 3D visualization for client design simulation — there is no evidence of proprietary or AI-driven technology platforms.
The firm is led by three principal architects serving as CEO (Brian Crichton), CFO (Kent Lutz), and COO (Jim Brisnehan), with a fourth principal (Courtney Koch) focused on K-12. Marketing channels include the 'Laying the Foundation' podcast, a corporate blog, social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and an architecture student internship program that doubles as a recruiting pipeline. No funding rounds, acquisitions, subsidiaries, or parent company are disclosed.
CMBA Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CMBA Architects
- Legal name
- CMBA Architects
- Website
- https://cmbaarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CMBA Architects is a privately held, full-service Midwestern architecture firm operating seven offices across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, providing architecture, interior design, master planning, and bond promotion services to K-12, higher education, healthcare, and municipal clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CMBA Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (541410)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)
Keywords
Where CMBA Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sioux City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
CMBA Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Professional architectural services including schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration for building projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees tied to project scope and complexity.
- Interior Design Services: Interior design services transforming spaces into bespoke environments. Project-based professional service fees.
- Master Planning Services: Comprehensive planning services for campus and community development, generating revenue through long-term planning engagements.
- Bond Promotion Services: Strategic consulting services to guide projects through funding processes, including communication campaigns for community support to secure bond approval.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CMBA Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CMBA Architects is a full-service architectural firm providing architecture and design, interior design, master planning, and bond promotion services. The firm serves K-12, higher education, healthcare, and municipal clients across the Midwest, delivering projects from concept and schematic design through design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Revenue is generated through project-based professional service fees tied to scope and complexity.
Product overview
CMBA Architects is an architecture and design firm offering a comprehensive suite of services organized around four core offerings: Architecture & Design, Interior Design, Master Planning, and Bond Promotion. These services are applied across four key expertise areas—K12 Education, Higher Education, Healthcare, and Municipal—serving clients primarily in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The firm positions itself as delivering 'upward thinking' architecture with a client-centric approach, blending innovative design with functional precision. Their work spans from initial concept through master planning to bond campaign support for community-funded projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Laying the Foundation: A podcast by CMBA Architects providing insight into architecture and design topics, covering various sectors they serve.
Products and services
- Architecture & Design
Quantifiable outcome
- Chamberlain Schools bond passed with 84% approval after previously failing for 50+ years
Companies that use CMBA Architects
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CMBA Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
CMBA Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CMBA Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DLR Group: DLR Group is a large integrated architecture, engineering, and planning firm with strong K-12, higher education, healthcare, and civic practices. It competes with CMBA in similar public-sector verticals but at significantly larger scale and national footprint.
- CannonDesign: CannonDesign is a national architecture firm with deep K-12, higher education, and healthcare practices. It overlaps directly with CMBA's primary verticals but operates at a much larger scale across North America.
- Stantec: Stantec is a global architecture and engineering firm with substantial education, healthcare, and community development practices. It overlaps with CMBA across all four verticals but operates with far greater scale and resources.
- Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a major architecture firm with leading K-12, higher education, and healthcare studios. It competes with CMBA in the same verticals but at a much larger scale and global footprint.
- HDR Architects: HDR is a large architecture and engineering firm with significant education, healthcare, and civic practices. Its healthcare and municipal work overlap with CMBA's segments, though HDR operates nationally and globally.
- Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB): SCB is an architecture firm with education, healthcare, and civic practices. While more urban-focused, it competes for institutional and higher education projects similar to CMBA's portfolio.
Direct peers
- Legat Architects: Legat Architects is a Midwest-based architecture firm with a comparable focus on K-12 education and community-oriented projects. It serves a similar client base of school districts and municipalities in Illinois and surrounding states, making it a strong direct competitor.
- BWBR Architects: BWBR is a Midwest architecture firm with strong practices in education and healthcare. Like CMBA, it serves institutional clients in the upper Midwest and competes for similar school, university, and hospital projects.
- Wold Architects and Engineers: Wold Architects and Engineers is a Midwest architecture and engineering firm with a strong K-12 and public-sector focus. It serves similar school districts and municipalities and is a regional competitor to CMBA in the education market.
- TMP Architecture: TMP Architecture is a Midwest architecture firm specializing in K-12 education and public-sector projects. It serves similar clients as CMBA across Michigan and surrounding states, making it a directly comparable regional peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CMBA Architects social profiles
Digital presenceCMBA Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CMBA Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CMBA Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CMBA Architects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CMBA Architects
What does CMBA Architects do?
CMBA Architects is a full-service architectural firm providing architecture and design, interior design, master planning, and bond promotion services. The firm serves K-12, higher education, healthcare, and municipal clients across the Midwest, delivering projects from concept and schematic design through design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Revenue is generated through project-based professional service fees tied to scope and complexity.
Is CMBA Architects a public or private company?
CMBA Architects is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was CMBA Architects founded?
CMBA Architects was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CMBA Architects based?
CMBA Architects is headquartered in Sioux City, United States, in the North America region.
How does CMBA Architects make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Architecture and Design Services are the primary driver. The others are interior Design Services, master Planning Services and bond Promotion Services.
Who are CMBA Architects's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DLR Group, CannonDesign, Stantec, Perkins&Will, HDR Architects and Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB). Direct peers are Legat Architects, BWBR Architects, Wold Architects and Engineers and TMP Architecture.
Does CMBA Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for CMBA Architects.
What industry is CMBA Architects in?
CMBA Architects's product category is Architectural Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAK, Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services, with a secondary code of IMAFAAAD, Design-Build / EPC General Contracting. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 8711.