FHA Architects

Our People

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”

– Aristotle

Harlan Faust, AIA FCSI

hfaust@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x273

Harlan’s 45 years of experience in the food service industry and keen business sense make him one of the most discerning and purposeful foodservice designers in the country.

His training began at the University of Nebraska Lincoln where he received his Bachelor of Architecture degree. In 1979, he became a registered architect in the state of Nebraska. He has since become registered all across the country.

In that same year, Harlan accepted his first job as an Architect for Godfather’s Pizza Inc. It was this opportunity that afforded him a firm foundation in the foodservice industry. While working for Godfather’s, Harlan also became a franchisee and owned/operated multiple restaurants. This experience gave him deep insight into the relationship between owner and architect as well as creating a functional, cost-effective facility.

Harlan decided in 1984 to venture out and flex his entrepreneurial muscles. Along with his partner, he opened an architectural firm (FHA) and a manufacturing plant. As a partner of Midwest Cabinets, Harlan was responsible for the development and growth of the company as well as customer relations. Midwest secured national companies and retailers as it specialized in restaurant and retail sales interiors.

In 1994 Harlan took over sole ownership of Faust Howell Associates (FHA) while his partner took over Midwest Cabinets. Since taking sole ownership, Harlan has been able to focus solely on franchise development and food service design. As Principal and President of FHA, Harlan is responsible for marketing, client relations, project management, and construction administration.

In recent years, Harlan has expanded the company’s professional staff and continues to increase the firm’s services to encompass a broader scope of the hospitality sector. As a member of Food Service Consultants International, Harlan continues to expand his knowledge and understanding of the industry.

Scott Tieken, RA NCARB

stieken@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x278

Scott Tieken has been with FHA Architects since October of 1987. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Nebraska. A registered Architect since 1993, Scott is in responsible charge of many diverse types of projects ranging from restaurants, office buildings, medical offices, shopping centers, and automotive sales/service facilities. Scott has been the lead contact for several corporate clients as they develop their brand. He has completed multiple projects for these clients across the United States, working with each local jurisdiction to make sure the project meets all local and national regulations.

As a Project Architect in the company, Scott is involved in all aspects of a project from site selection through final completion of the project. In the office, Scott oversees the production of construction documents, assists with permitting and performs construction observation. Scott is an integral part of creating a team approach for everyone involved in the project. The team approach assures that everyone is working toward the goal of creating a successful project for everyone involved.

Benjamin Fiedler, RA NCARB

bfiedler@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x389

Benjamin has a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been with FHA Architects since October 2011. Since then, he has managed the site assessment, design, construction documentation, specification, and construction phase services for various clients. Benjamin is a registered Architect and is pursuing additional registrations.

Benjamin was integral in bringing Building Information Modeling (BIM) into the office, in the form of Autodesk Revit. His experience in the BIM environment includes modeling, drafting, scheduling, family creation and manipulation, and rendering. Benjamin has also created and maintained prototypical construction document files for clients and enjoys developing colleagues’ design and documentation skills.

Kevin Edgerton, FCSI

kedgerton@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x277

Kevin Edgerton joined the FHA team with over 20 years of experience in food service design and consulting. He has a strong background in space planning, equipment selection, specification, budgeting, project management, project production using CAD and coordination with mechanical and electrical systems. He also has extensive knowledge of food service equipment, equipment manufacturers, industry trends and the ever-changing technologies. Kevin has strong communication skills and abilities in 3D rendering and graphic presentation.

In 1991, Kevin earned his Associates Degree in Applied Science in Architectural Drafting from Southeast Community College at Milford. He is a professional member of Food Service Consultants International (FCSI).

Andrew Hicks

ahicks@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x290

Andrew is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design and a Master’s degree in Architectural Design. An education in both disciplines of a building and interiors project affords him a unique perspective and skill set. Andrew also brings to the office diverse computer skills with knowledge in Revit, Rhino Modeling, Adobe Suite, and Sketch-up, with experience dating back to 2010. Each of these programs offers the ability to communicate the design to our clients and the intent of the construction drawings to the General Contractors responsible for the construction of the concept.

Outside the office, Andrew is an amateur historian, former professional gamer, as well as an avid cross-country skier. He takes great pride in his winter-time hobby, following in the footsteps (or ski-tracks) of his grandfather. He is currently planning and training for a future trip to Norway, the birthplace of modern-day skiing.

Carlos Servan-Alvarez

cservan@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x385

Carlos earned his Bachelor of Science in Design degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 2016 and continued on to attain a Master of Architecture in 2018. Currently, Carlos is working to complete the final step to architectural licensure by completing AXP hours (experience) and passing the Architect Registration Examination.

Carlos came to the office in 2021 after working for a design build firm in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company was involved in the design and construction of senior care facilities around the country. With FHA Architects, Carlos is responsible for code research, documentation, design development, and contract documents for the sweetgreen team.

Carlos is bilingual and has a strong connection to his family’s heritage. His parents are naturalized citizens from Peru. Carlos and his siblings have spent time in Peru staying in close touch to their heritage.

Ben Wilson

bwilson@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x286

Ben joined FHA Architects shortly after graduating with his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University in the Spring of 2018. Ben has a great appreciation for the great outdoors and environment. After earning his Eagle Scout award, he has given back to the community and spent summers as a camp counselor at the local scout camp, where he taught youth a variety of outdoor skills from first aid to wilderness survival.

Ben became interested in architecture while working at his father’s plumbing, heating, and electrical business. With firsthand experience in the construction industry, he uses that knowledge when working on various projects. Ben has proficiency using Revit, AutoCAD, and other software. He is eager to learn and gain experience from a wide range of projects.

Eugene Taylor, Assoc. FCSI

etaylor@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x295

Eugene Taylor has been on staff since August of 2015. Prior to his position with FHA, he worked as a restaurant manager for a busy Omaha area business. His time there has given him insight into the unique needs and design challenges inherent in the operation of a successful restaurant.

Eugene attended classes at the University of Nebraska Omaha campus before transferring to MCC Elkhorn, where he went on to study architectural design technology.

Currently, Eugene is engaged with several projects within the firm and looks forward to taking on new challenges. His hobbies include being the resident expert on automobile repair

Ryan Poppert

rpoppert@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x274

Ryan is a recent graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He joins FHA Architects as a junior member of the firm and will be involved in projects from the initial inception through construction administration.

Ryan expressed his long time interest in food and hospitality design for pursuing a position with the firm.  His first tasks will be immersing himself into the due diligence aspect of our projects contacting and working with governing agencies to learn about their respective procedures and requirements to meet prevailing codes and for obtaining permits for construction.

Jeffery Allen

jallen@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x271

Jeff is an Architectural Technician with an Associates Degree from Southeast Community College, Milford, Nebraska. He provides a high-level understanding of Revit and AutoCAD, specializing in construction documents for the restaurant industry. Jeff is a long time member of the firm having begun his tenure in 2008.

Proud grandparent of five, enjoying as many of their extracurricular pursuits as time will allow. His other activities include the outdoors, visiting his favorite fishing hole, and collecting tropical fish in his spare time.

Andrew Turner

aturner@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878

Andrew joined FHA in 2006, after moving from California, where he had a background in drafting in the Banking and Restaurant Industries. He earned his degree from ITT Technical Institute in 1998. Andrew also has previous experience working with structural precast in the Omaha area.

Since joining the team, Andrew has worked with a variety of clients. Most projects he works on are related to restaurants. Starting with AutoCAD, he has learned to use Revit as our company evolved with new technology.

Rob Grebl

rgrebl@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x283

After earning his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Robert joined FHA Architects in 2019. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of projects, assisting in the development of design concepts and construction documents using Revit, collaborating with clients and other design professionals, and keeping a close eye on projects during the construction process. He is currently working toward completing his Architectural Registration Exams (ARE) and gaining well-rounded professional experience along the way.

In addition to his architectural work, Robert supports the team with design research, technical documentation, and digital tools that enhance project efficiency. Outside of the office, he enjoys coding, game design, and exploring new places through travel.

Katelyn Allen

kallen@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895.0878

Kate recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and she is currently undergoing the Master’s program in Architecture.   After graduation with a Master’s degree, she plans to continue working on the ARE requirements for architectural licensure.  Kate joined FHA in the summer of 2023, this being her first internship position.

She had an interest in both the arts and sciences throughout her childhood, but it wasn’t until she took an architecture and civil engineering elective in high school that she realized this is the career path for
her.

Bobbi Curtis

rcurtis@fhaarchitects.com

(402) 895-0878 x296

Bobbi came to FHA Architects in 2014 after several years in the accounting field. Her primary role is “Gatekeeper”.  She also maintains the flow of shipments to and from clients/cities so the firm can obtain timely approval for projects.

In her ‘spare time’ she assists with coordination of lunch & learns for the team of architects so they can remain up to date on their education requirements and knowledge of new products for possible use on upcoming projects. She also helps with numerous other tasks so the architectural team can maximize their time for use in project administration.