International design firm has Ware Malcomb promoted Damian Melo to regional director and Sean Van to director, regional business operations, based in the firm’s New York City office.
“Damian and Sean have each made key strategic contributions to the growth and success of our New York office,” said Bill Sotomayor, principal at Ware Malcomb. “These well-deserved promotions will further leverage their experience, exemplary leadership and outstanding relationships across our entire Northeast region.”
Melo will continue to guide the growth and vision of the firm’s New York office and support the broader Northeast region. Active in the industry since 1997, Melo joined Ware Malcomb in 2017 as studio manager, bringing deep expertise in both architecture and interior design. He was promoted to director, interior architecture and design in 2023.
A licensed architect in multiple states, with a strategic mindset and commitment to excellence, Melo played a significant role in the design and build-out of the firm’s relocated New York City office and has established lasting client relationships. He has worked across multiple sectors, including corporate office, financial, retail, nonprofit, landlord services, industrial, warehouse and research and development facilities.
Melo earned a bachelor of architecture degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Van joined Ware Malcomb in 2021 as a senior project manager supporting the Northeast interior architecture and design team and quickly made an impact through his leadership and operational insight. He was promoted to regional operations manager in 2023 and has worked on a wide variety of project types, including commercial, municipal, national retail, educational, hospitality, residential and branding.
He earned a bachelor of science in architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., and an MBA from Rutgers Business School.
