2026 Ones to Watch - Industry Leaders: Craig Hargrove, AIA, RRC, LEED AP, Hoffmann Architects + Engineers

“As president of Hoffmann, Craig Hargrove oversees all design professional staff, not only in NYC but firm-wide. With expertise in high-performance enclosure design and rehabilitation, he guides clients in collaborative solutions to improve efficiency, lifespan, and functionality. An RRC and LEED AP, he designed the Hoffmann Scholarship intern program and taught for ACE Mentor Program and NYU SPS.” 

What recent accomplishment or initiative are you most proud of, and what impact did it have on your firm, clients, or community? 

Our company has a 50-year legacy of success. We’re specialists: architects and engineers who dedicated our careers to the design and rehabilitation of building exteriors. I’m a fan of this company and its people, and, like any fan, I want more people to know about us. Since stepping into this role, I’ve focused on increasing our presence in the CRE and AEC communities. Much of that centers on celebrating our people, encouraging them to gain recognition as the experts they are by representing our specialized industry and being a leading voice in a field that evolves with astonishing rapidity.

How do you inspire, motivate, or mentor others within your organization?

I’m proud of our focus on our people. We have the best professionals in the industry, and they deserve attentive mentoring and a career path that offers both professional fulfillment and ongoing challenges. We take a holistic approach to staff well-being and development, with training, team-building, and discussions where, instead of talking, we listen. No two people are motivated in the same way, nor do they share the same set of skills or needs. Effective leaders create systems that are sturdy enough to be self-sustaining and flexible enough to address each individual’s unique requirements.

What daily habit or routine helps you stay focused or motivated as a leader?

I try to be honest with myself – to a fault, if possible.

What book, podcast, or app has most influenced your approach to leadership?

Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows; Redefining Reality, Steven Gimbel; Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari

Who has had the greatest impact on your career or leadership journey?

The firm’s founder, John Hoffmann, and prior president, Russell Sanders, nurtured the spark to lead.

What is one major challenge you’ve overcome as a leader, and what did it teach you?

We have a hard-earned reputation as experts in our field. But we can always improve. Good stewards recognize what things work and what things need to change to continue on a path to sustained success. People can be resistant to change, though, and understanding why is key to leadership. If you truly understand the roots of those fears, you can explain, teach, and excite your team about what comes next. Then, instead of one person implementing meaningful change within a company, you have a team. Leaders must lead. But it’s how you choose to lead that will be the measure of your contributions.

What advice would you share with emerging professionals striving to become future leaders in commercial real estate?

Leading is hard. You have to want to do it, and you have to want to do it for the right reasons.

Don’t be afraid to be wrong. Be prepared to course correct if necessary, but don’t let fear make you hesitant to head in new directions or change what needs to be changed.

Realize that your people are your strength. You probably have some very smart, capable individuals in your organization. Find those people. Surround yourself with as many of them as possible and listen to their counsel. But recognize that, in the end, the decision is yours.