It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Carole Hopp on July 14, 2019.
Her dedication, professionalism and friendly demeanor during her long tenure at AG earned her the unofficial position of, “the voice of AG.” If you have been one of the many long-term clients and colleagues of AG, you had the pleasure of hearing her friendly greetings or experiencing her warm welcome.
The roots of AG Architecture date back to 1961 and through almost all of that history, Carole was there. Carole started as a secretary in 1964, and with each new iteration of the firm—from Shepherd Associates to SLA to Aldrian Guszkowski to AG—she was a constant. She was the first person a customer or employee saw when they walked through the door and the familiar voice on the other end of the phone.
Her longevity with the company equipped her with unique institutional knowledge that she used to help find the best solutions to any challenge presented. Her co-workers remember her for always being willing to listen and lend help when needed.
“I’ll forever miss Carole; she was a part of my working life.” – Chuck Aldrian
“Carole gave a lot to every member of the AG family; sometimes just a smile or a wish for a good morning.” – Umi Sofic
“During my 50 years with the firm, Carole played an important role in our commitment to client service. Whether someone was walking into the office or calling on the phone, she provided a great first impression for AG. She also had the exceptional ability to recognize the voices of callers regardless of how long it had been since they last contacted us. This is a noteworthy marketing skill because it makes clients and colleagues feel valued. Carole’s passing was truly a sad day, not only for AG but for me personally. Carole was a cherished friend of over 50 years and will be dearly missed.” – Steve Alexander
“Carole was so much more than a valued co-worker. She was a cherished friend who was like a mom to me. She was always there when I needed advice. She is sorely missed.” – Cindy Lofy
This has been a difficult loss for both me and the firm. When I first started in this organization more than 52 years ago Carole was there. Across all those years, we accomplished much together. Those of us who know her well will remember her as often being opinionated and not afraid to share her point of view! But she was also a consummate professional and a staunch supporter of the transition to Aldrian Guszkowski in 1992. She was the rock we were able to build our administrative team upon and her familiar voice and face helped to give our firm credibility during that period of change.
Her retirement was far shorter than it should have been, which is very unfortunate given how important moving to Texas was to her. Yet even in the face of her final health challenges, she maintained the–“I’m in charge here, and we can beat this”–attitude that had endeared her to us. Carole will be greatly missed, but the many contributions she made to our success will never be forgotten!