Principals
Ron Vrilakas founded the firm in 1995, after five years in Boston and San Francisco doing hands-on design/build work. Ron's interest in urban places was shaped by studies in Copenhagen, Denmark, and by a life-long affinity for both cities and clean air. Ron eventually returned to Sacramento, his hometown, intent on helping evolve the city core into a dynamic place.
Mark Groen joined the firm in 2007, and became partner in 2015. Mark landed in Sacramento in 1994, following studies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Mark has spent a significant part of his career re-shaping communities through new mixed-use projects, historic building adaptive re-use, and transit station design. Mark has an appreciation for architectural detail, and the impact that well executed details have on a projects success.
ASSOCIATE Principal
James Ross graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2010 and worked at FME in San Francisco and a Lodi design-build firm focused on wineries before coming to work for VGA in 2014. During his time at VGA he has been instrumental in leading notable projects to completion, including The Sofia Center for the Arts (home of the B Street Theatre) and The Ice Blocks mixed-use development on Sacramento’s R Street Corridor. In his free time James enjoys exploring the great outdoors with his family including hiking, camping and youth sports events.