Frevert-Ramsey-Kobes Architects-Engineers was founded in 1923 as Dougher, Rich, and Woodburn, an architecture firm targeting civic and public buildings in Iowa. This timeline traces the evolution of the firm and the careers of the principals who have led it.
James A. Dougher:
1909-1913, Albert Held Architecture, Spokane
1912-1916, Cornell University Architecture & Architectural Engineering course
1916-1917, Cecil Bayles Chapman Architect, Minneapolis
1917-1919 U.S. Army Service
1919-1920, H.L. Stevens and Company, Chicago
1920-1923 Proudfoot Bird and Rawson, Des Moines
Herbert E. Rich:
Art Studies at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Architectural Design at the University of Pennsylvania
Cumming School of Art, Des Moines
1906-1910, worked with J.T. Windrim, Kelsey and Cret, W.L. Plack Architects in Philadelphia
1911-1923, Proudfoot Bird and Rawson, Des Moines, ten of fourteen years as Chief Designer
Chester C. Woodburn:
1913-1917, Cornell School of Architecture
1914-1915, Worked with Boone City Engineer
1916, Keffer and Jones Architects, Des Moines
1917-1918 U.S. Military Service
1919, Henry Clark Construction, Los Angeles, USC courses in Reinforced Concrete
1919-1922, Structural Engineer, Keffer and Jones Architects
1922-1923, Private Architectural Practice
Dougher, Rich and Woodburn is established, targeting civic, public, and semi-public buildings throughout Iowa.
Herbert Rich passes away. He was seen as the glue between Dougher and Woodburn.
Woodburn departs to pursue other opportunities.
Firm name changes to James A. Dougher and Associates.
W. David Frevert graduates from Iowa State University and begins employment with James Dougher.
W. Robert Ramsey graduates from Kansas State University, begins employment in the city of Des Moines, and meets Dave Frevert.
Frank Pulley, a mechanical engineer, is employed.
John E. Drey joins the firm.
Frank Pulley leaves and establishes Frank Pulley Associates Consulting Engineers. He is the consultant of choice until his retirement in the early 1990s.
Frevert and Ramsey purchase Dougher's stock in the firm. The firm names changes to Frevert-Ramsey Architects-Engineers.
Dougher offers Dave Frevert a partnership in the firm, and he wants to add another partner as well. Frevert suggests his friend Bob Ramsey. The firm becomes known as Dougher-Frevert-Ramsey.
Joe Kobes graduates from the University of Nebraska and begins employment with Frevert-Ramsey.
John E. Drey is offered a partnership in the firm, and the firm name changes to Frevert-Ramsey-Drey.
Joe Kobes is offered a partnership in the firm.
Kenneth Gantz joins the firm.
Firm name changes to Frevert-Ramsey-Drey-Kobes, or FRDK for short.
John Drey steps down as partner. Remains at the firm as the chief specifications writer until about 1993. The firm name changes to Frevert-Ramsey-Kobes.
Steven Zbylicki joins FRK as an intern architect.
James Egger joines FRK as a structural engineer.
David Briden joins FRK as an intern architect.
James Egger, Kenneth Gantz, and Steven Zbylicki become partners in the firm. Frevert and Ramsey reduce involvement in the firm and retire.
Dave Briden is named FRK's fifth principal.
The firm currently employs 19 people.
