Alumni
Grad Catherine McCullough is President and CEO of Landscape Architecture Firm McCullough
Since graduating from FIDM in 1992 with a degree in Merchandising & Marketing Catherine McCullough has gone on to become President and CEO of McCullough, a leading San Diego-based landscape architecture, environmental planning, and urban design firm. For the last 16 years, Catherine has volunteered her time as the San Diego Chapter President of FIDM's Alumni Association as a way of giving back to the college she credits for her own success.
Where were you born and raised? I was born in Spokane, Washington, lived a short time in Boise, Idaho, and grew up in Orange County, California since the age of nine.
How did you come to attend FIDM? My cousin Stephanie first introduced me to FIDM as she was considering attending. I started two weeks after high school graduation at the Orange County campus, which was in Costa Mesa at the time. I attended my second year at the Downtown LA campus.
What were some highlights of your time at FIDM? Any lessons you use today? Participating in DECA and traveling to compete in extemporaneous events. Those experiences gave me confidence to speak in front of people, under pressure, and to think on my feet. I still use these skills today as I present to clients, or make presentations to large groups of people.
What do you enjoy most about being President and CEO of McCullough? I get to tell the world about the talent of our team, led by my passionate husband, who all strive to make a difference every day in the built environment around us.
What is a typical day like for you? First, I see my high school kids off to school, then I get myself ready to meet with potential clients or industry colleagues for coffee or project meetings. One day can be quiet and spent answering emails and managing marketing and business development efforts, financials and operations, or HR issues. Another day may be full of committee or board meetings, or perhaps I’m traveling for a national board position I sit on for an industry organization, the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).
What are some of the standout projects your firm has worked on? A couple pinnacle projects for us are the redevelopment plans for Seaport San Diego on San Diego’s Downtown waterfront, and another similar waterfront project but in grander scale for a city outside Shanghai, China, Zizhu Purple Bay. Both projects have our firm working with the same client, Gafcon.
You're the longtime San Diego Chapter President of the FIDM Alumni Association. Why has it been important to you to stay involved with the college? I have always believed people should stay true to their first love. Even though I’ve found myself working in a parallel design world in architecture, and sometimes find the crossover, I find it’s important to stay connected to my passion for fashion. I enjoy meeting and curating relationships with fellow alumni who share the same passion.
I also strongly believe FIDM has a lot to do with where I am today, and the success of our firm, based on the knowledge base I started from in my education. This knowledge gave me the tools I needed to make proper decisions and to better understand our business and our customer. Also, the connections I made through the support of the Career Center over the years helped me take the steps I needed to lead me to where I am today. I guess my volunteering as Chapter President is my way of giving back.
What do you love most about living/working in your community in San Diego? San Diego is truly a small town. We’ve lived here for over 25 years now and find the degree of separation is minimal. It really does feel small, but it also has its cultural and cosmopolitan vibe, and you can’t beat the awesome sunsets and beaches. I think because of this small-town feel, our firm is able to make a greater impact, and in some way, help propel the city to its next level.
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Categories: Merchandising & Marketing Alumni
