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Suenn Ho鈥檚 appreciation for art, design and architecture is rooted in her upbringing and family influence. 鈥淢y parents immersed me in the discipline of fine art at a very young age and I developed a passion for the fun of blending architecture and sculptural art,鈥� she said.Ho began her career with architecture firms in New York, France and Hong Kong, working on creative design projects and buildings. In 1993, a teaching offer from the University of Oregon brought her and her husband, John Flynn, to Oregon. After teaching architecture, she joined Flynn in Portland, working for large firms and focusing on neighborhood-based design and planning.

鈥淎s I started to follow that passion, academic opportunities further piqued my interest in how society can integrate with structure and art,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned about the importance of people鈥檚 stories and how they shape a sense of place. Therefore, I always enjoy integrating research on history and culture into the design process.鈥�

Ho established SUENN HO Design in 1994. As principal and urban designer of the MWDBE, she focuses on public art, interpretive installations, urban design and community engagement. In 2013, she and Flynn co-founded RESOLVE Architecture + Planning, which focuses on architectural and planning-oriented projects.

鈥淏eing the owners of our own design firms allows us to fully flex our creativity and provides the opportunity to think outside of the box and break away from the status quo. Subsequently, we can provide the highest quality of service and design creativity to our clients and their projects,鈥� she said.

鈥淭here is tremendous joy working with clients and designing their projects through a hands-on, collaborative approach,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t is delightful and reassuring when we receive new projects from repeat clients!鈥�

Over the years, Ho has learned that building a small business can be a 鈥渢reacherous path,鈥� especially for sole proprietors. She noted that NAMC-Oregon has exposed her to expanded collaborative opportunities with underrepresented talents in the small business field. She also credited Flynn with being a reliable business partner who is trustworthy, creative and a respectful critic to brainstorm with and provide support in critical thinking.

鈥淎dditionally, looking back, our diversified portfolio has been able to help our small businesses stay afloat and thrive through the ups and downs of the market since 1994,鈥� she said. 鈥淏y maintaining a broad specialty and being flexible to different types of projects needing an architect, we are less dependent on the rise and fall of individual markets.鈥�