Hirsch Bedner Associates

The partnership of Howard Hirsch and Michael Bedner began when Howard hired Michael as an entry-level blueprint drafter.[2] They soon founded the company in 1965, becoming one of the first companies to market themselves as a hospitality design firm.[3] Initially focusing their work on projects local to the United States, HBA began work on the Beverly Rodeo Hotel in Beverly Hills and Chez Voltaire, a restaurant in Florida. Over time, HBA expanded its work internationally, establishing an office in Hong Kong and later an office in London.[4] After a decrease in revenue between 2008 and 2010, newly appointed co-CEOs Ian Carr and René Kærskov expanded HBA's services by establishing HBA Studio (design services for mid-tier and limited-service hotel projects), HBA Architecture (architectural design services), Illuminate (lighting design consultancy), and HBA Canvas (art budgeting, concept planning, and procurement/installation). By the end of 2012, HBA's sales increased 65 percent and hit an all time high for the company.[5] Today, the company employs over 1,300 designers and has 21 offices in various cities around the globe, including Atlanta, Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Clark, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jakarta, London, Santa Monica, Manila, Melbourne, Miami, Mumbai, New Delhi, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.[6]