SPT Architecture’s Renae Slusser was nominated and selected as an honoree for Wichita Business Journal‘s Women Who Lead in Real Estate, Construction and Design 2024 collection.

2024 WBJ Women Who Lead in Real Estate, Construction and Design
Renae Slusser

Q. What has been your career path?
A. I received my master of architecture in 2012. My first position out of school was as architectural intern at J VanSickle and Co., a real estate development firm in Wichita, specializing in multifamily residential. I started as an architectural intern at SPT in 2014, became licensed in 2019, and gained experience as project manager on small to midsize projects of all types.

Q. Who are your mentors and how have they influenced your career?
A. Ron Spangenberg, who retired in 2020, shared so many stories of his lifetime of project successes and improvement opportunities; the best learning moments were in the car or after hours listening to his stories and his thoughts on what was happening in the office. I try to incorporate his simple and straightforward leadership style, wherein his actions influenced others to follow, with little words needed. He encouraged all ideas and opinions, and always said you can’t criticize an idea unless you have a different solution.

Q. Best advice for a women wanting to enter your field?
A. Lean into your particular strengths as a woman; a lot of qualities commonly associated with women are invaluable in solving design problems and working with clients and project teams.

Q. What do you like most about your role?
A. I love the variety of project types and sizes and project personnel. I enjoy that some projects are full of problem solving, while others are more predictable.