On a wintery day in 1989, Gary Johnson and Lonnie Laffen put pen to paper and drew thousands of people to the Grand Forks County Historical Society. On blueprint, it looked like a pavilion. But in person, it was a catalyst for growth and connectivity: a landmark for the county to gather for ice cream socials, band concerts, weddings and, of course, to be a part of history.
Over the next three decades, JLG also grew: from a start-up to a legacy ESOP to one of MSN Money’s 50 Most Admired Companies in the U.S. Today, JLG’s 160 employee-owners across our 11 offices approach architecture in the same way we do the design of our company – to stand the test of time. As one the country’s Architecture Giants (Building Design+Construction) and Top 50 Best Places to Work (Inc. Magazine), JLG is driven by the belief that what we do is more than just a job; it’s about making life better for our clients and communities. We do that by elevating what it means to provide value by creating collaborative solutions that increase our clients’ well-being, brands, and bottom lines without ever missing a budget.
We believe good DESIGN makes life better.
We believe in more than just buildings; we believe in COMMUNITY.
We don’t build projects; we build RELATIONSHIPS.
We plan for the STEWARDSHIP of our clients’ and our Earth’s resources.
We live our values; INTEGRITY and authenticity are our guideposts.
