KMA Design
KMA Design is a privately held environmental graphic design firm founded in 1996 that provides signage, wayfinding, ADA-compliant sign design, and branding services to architectural firms, healthcare networks, universities, government entities, and entertainment operators across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersCarnegie, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What KMA Design does
KMA Design is a privately held environmental graphic design firm founded in 1996 by Barbara J. Martin and headquartered in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area (Canonsburg, PA). The firm provides project-based professional services focused on architectural signage design, wayfinding system planning, ADA-compliant sign design, donor recognition installations, and branding/rebranding for built environments. It operates as a specialist sub-consultant to architectural firms (including Populous, DLA+Architecture, IKM, H2M, HuntonBrady, and Astorino) and engages directly with building owners, healthcare networks, universities, government entities, and entertainment operators. Its client roster spans PNC Park, PPG Paints Arena, Allegheny Health Network, WVU Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, St. John's University, and Southwest Florida International Airport, with projects delivered across 29 US states plus Paris and Rome.
The firm monetizes through professional services engagements rather than product or licensing revenue. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured on a project-by-project basis, with individual project budgets documented at over $6 million and signage program scope ranging from 300,000 to over 7,000,000 building square feet. The go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct relationships with architectural firms, institutional procurement, and earned credibility through AGDA awards, trade press coverage, and procurement fair participation. The firm holds Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certification, which supports government and institutional procurement positioning.
KMA Design operates from three offices (Pittsburgh/Canonsburg, Tampa, Philadelphia), is led by a founder-CEO with 30+ years of experience alongside a President and Design Director, and is registered as a Women's Business Enterprise. Management team comprises CEO Barbara J. Martin, President David W. Kosick, VP/Design Director Michael R. Martin, Fabrication Specialist Frank A. Speney, and Graphic Designer Marianna E. Mohney. The firm has no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or external funding.
KMA Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KMA Design
- Legal name
- KMA Design
- Website
- https://thekmagroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KMA Design is a privately held environmental graphic design firm founded in 1996 that provides signage, wayfinding, ADA-compliant sign design, and branding services to architectural firms, healthcare networks, universities, government entities, and entertainment operators across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KMA Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Graphic Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430), Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wayfinding, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design (BPAHAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where KMA Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carnegie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
KMA Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Environmental Graphic Design Services: Project-based professional services engagements with architectural firms, building owners, and construction companies for the design, programming, and implementation of signage and wayfinding systems.
- Signage Master Planning: Strategic signage master planning engagements including programming through construction administration services for large-scale signage programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
KMA Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KMA Design is a professional environmental graphic design firm that plans, designs, and implements signage programs, wayfinding systems, donor recognition installations, and branding/rebranding services for buildings, campuses, and venues. The firm delivers project-based services primarily to architectural firms, building owners, and construction companies across sectors including healthcare, education, sports, entertainment, government, and transportation.
Product overview
KMA Design is an environmental graphic design firm offering a unified suite of services centered on architectural signage design, wayfinding systems, and environmental graphic design. The core offering consists of environmental graphic design services and architectural signage design, which are delivered together as integrated wayfinding systems for various facility types. Supplementary offerings include donor recognition systems (sculptures, walls, plaques), branding and rebranding services, and ADA compliance signage. The firm works primarily with architectural firms, building owners, and construction companies across segments including sporting venues, entertainment and recreational environs, governmental facilities, healthcare institutions, educational campuses, and donor recognition projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Environmental Graphic Design Services
- Architectural Signage Design
- Wayfinding Systems
- Donor Recognition
- Branding and Rebranding Services
- ADA Compliance Signage Design
Quantifiable outcome
- AGDA 'Best of Category' award for Gateway Clipper Fleet environmental graphic design (2015)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use KMA Design
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KMA Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
KMA Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered key and secondary.
- Cherokee Nation EntertainmentkeyKMA Design has worked with Cherokee Nation Entertainment on multiple casino signage projects including Cherokee Casino Fort Gibson and Cherokee Casino Ramona, developing custom signage systems incorporating Cherokee Nation Entertainment logo standards and Cherokee traditions and theming.
- DLA + Architecture & Interior DesignkeyKMA Design was sub-contracted by DLA Architects for the Monongalia County Ballpark signage project, working as part of a design-build team with Mascaro construction. Also served as sub-consultant to DLA and Populous for the Monongalia County Ballpark.
- H2M Architects + EngineerssecondaryKMA Design was sub-contracted by H2M architects + engineers to develop a new exterior wayfinding system for Farmingdale State College (SUNY) in New York.
- IKM ArchitectssecondaryKMA Design worked with IKM Architects on the Allegheny Health Network rebranding project, providing project management and design development services for exterior signage across seven hospitals.
- HuntonBrady ArchitectssecondaryPart of the HuntonBrady Architect design team for Florida Hospital Tampa Women's Health Pavilion, providing interior and exterior signage and donor recognition.
- PopulouskeyServed as sub-consultant to Populous for PNC Park (with Astorino) and Monongalia County Ballpark (with DLA), providing signage design for major sports venues.
- Mascaro Construction GroupsecondaryPart of the design-build team with Mascaro for the Monongalia County Ballpark project.
- AstorinosecondaryWorked alongside Astorino on PNC Park signage design as sub-consultant to Populous and Astorino.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KMA Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- C&G Partners: NYC-based environmental graphic design firm specializing in signage, wayfinding, donor recognition, and branded environments for museums, healthcare, and corporate clients — a close peer on program scale and scope.
- Selbert Perkins Design: Playa Vista, CA-based wayfinding and environmental graphic design firm serving airports, healthcare, higher education, and entertainment venues — directly overlapping KMA's customer segments and service mix.
- Infinite Scale Design: Salt Lake City-based environmental graphic design and signage firm with analogous service offerings to KMA across healthcare, sports, and higher-education markets.
- Two Twelve: New York-based wayfinding and signage design studio serving cultural, transportation, and institutional clients with a comparable master-planning approach to KMA.
- Entro Communications: Toronto-based environmental graphic design and wayfinding firm with comparable offerings to KMA across signage master planning, wayfinding, and donor recognition for transit, healthcare, and institutional clients.
- Mijksenaar: Amsterdam-based wayfinding design firm with international airport and transit-hub expertise, comparable to KMA's work at Southwest Florida International and Colorado Springs airports.
Broad incumbents
- Pentagram: Large multi-disciplinary design firm whose environmental graphic design and branding practices overlap with KMA's scope, particularly on identity, signage, and institutional engagements.
- Landor & Fitch: Global brand consulting and design firm whose environmental branding and signage capabilities overlap with KMA's work on rebranding and donor recognition programs.
- Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with a significant environmental graphic design practice that competes for and delivers wayfinding and signage work comparable to KMA's portfolio.
Others
- Populous: Premier sports architecture firm and an existing KMA client/partner (PNC Park, Monongalia County Ballpark). Represents both an overlapping competitor for venue signage work and the most strategic channel partner feeding KMA's sports pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KMA Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KMA Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KMA Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
KMA Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KMA Design 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 KMA Design
What does KMA Design do?
KMA Design is a professional environmental graphic design firm that plans, designs, and implements signage programs, wayfinding systems, donor recognition installations, and branding/rebranding services for buildings, campuses, and venues. The firm delivers project-based services primarily to architectural firms, building owners, and construction companies across sectors including healthcare, education, sports, entertainment, government, and transportation.
Is KMA Design a public or private company?
KMA Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KMA Design founded?
KMA Design was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KMA Design based?
KMA Design is headquartered in Carnegie, United States, in the North America region.
How does KMA Design make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Environmental Graphic Design Services are the primary driver. The others are signage Master Planning.
Who are KMA Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are C&G Partners, Selbert Perkins Design, Infinite Scale Design, Two Twelve, Entro Communications and Mijksenaar. Broad incumbents are Pentagram, Landor & Fitch and Gensler. Populous is listed as an others.
Does KMA Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for KMA Design.
What industry is KMA Design in?
KMA Design's product category is Environmental Graphic Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAN, Wayfinding, Signage & Environmental Graphic Design, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 2531.