Partner

Sam Greeson, AIA

Sam co-founded the firm in 1979. He grew up in Randleman, North Carolina and graduated from North Carolina State University School of Design with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He is widely recognized for his work in architecture and interior design wherein his lifelong passion for houses and gardens has been continually reflected in his professional career. His travels and observations throughout England, Europe and the United States have afforded him the opportunity to discover the best design of the past and present. Inspired in particular by all things English, he is influenced by traditional materials and design. His work is primarily in the Southeast with a particular concentration in Charlotte and Blowing Rock, where he and his wife Glenda maintain a second home and garden.

Partner

T. Mark Paullin, AIA

Mark graduated from North Carolina State University School of Design and received his Masters in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Before joining the firm in 1984, his work was focused on historic preservation and re-habitation in St. Louis, Missouri and Durham, North Carolina. His love of history is continually employed in residences that evoke the language of historic design, and he is committed to the notion that “Design styles are a language, and we work to be fluent, whether it is Spanish Colonial, 18th Century New England, or the early 20th century regional vernacular of the Appalachians.” An accomplished sketch artist, he is able to visualize the context of each design in its unique setting, and on a 3-dimensional level, enjoys the tactile experiences that can be found in woodworking and detailing.
Mark was born in Kalispell, Montana and lived as a child in California and the West Indies before his family settled in Charlotte. His father had a pilot’s license and showed Mark the country from the air. This variety of experience bred in him a passion for travel, and he and his wife Karen have taken their son Eric to every corner of the United States and Italy. They have personally remodeled their 1914 Dutch Colonial home in Myers Park where their two Golden Retrievers and a Newfoundland named Groot keep life active.

Partner

Matthew S.E. Benson, AIA, LEED AP

Inspired by its commitment to design, Matt joined the firm in 1998.  Growing up, much of Matt’s time was spent in the garage with his father or in art museums with his mother.  The two would provide him a combination of skills and passions that would eventually lead to a career that is both practical and artistic.  Matt’s studies in visual art began in high school and continued at Denison University where he received a degree in Studio Art.  While enrolled at the Master of Architecture program at Georgia Tech, he traveled extensively to study architecture throughout Europe.  Throughout his career he has focused his studies on the nuances of each historical style.
Matt’s work can be found up and down the east coast, in projects as diverse as 18th century historical structures on Cumberland Island, Victorian lake cottages in New York, and Modernist houses in Charlotte.  His designs have been seen in publications such as Southern Living, Luxury Home Quarterly, Domino, Elegant Homes, and Charlotte Home and Garden.  He is a licensed member of the American Institute of Architecture, a LEED Accredited Professional by the U.S. Green Building Council, a member of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, and the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.  Matt is enthusiastically involved as a Board Member for the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, and is an avid supporter of cultural arts.  He enjoys his 1956 mid century modern home with his talented wife, two kids, two dogs, and an old car.

Eric Binder, AIA

Eric graduated in 1997 from Clemson University with a Bachelors degree in Design. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Architecture degree from UNC Charlotte. Originally from New Jersey, he has worked for the firm since 1999. In addition to managing various projects and his own clients, he is responsible for coordinating all the production work in the office, as well as the computer networking needs of the firm. He believes that the success of a project lies in good collaboration and communication with the project team and strives to provide that for all of his clients. Eric is a registered Architect and member of NCARB and the AIA.
He and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of two children, Owen and Elizabeth. When he has time between all of his kids’ extra-curricular activities, he enjoys working on his own house, a 1963 modern ranch as well as taking in as much Clemson football and auto racing as he can. Along with Sarah, he also enjoys exploring new places and watching a good movie with copious amounts of popcorn.

Christopher Hensley

Christopher is originally from Burnsville, North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  Joining the firm shortly after graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2002, Christopher has worked with a wide range of clients.  His experience, keen eye for detail and ability to visualize a project through the course of a conversation allows him to bring innovative design. He is dedicated to providing first class service to our clients and their projects.
Christopher and his wife, Jennifer, enjoy spending time with their family, seeking out live music venues as well as exploring new places both close to home and while traveling. If you are looking for them on any Sunday in the fall, you can find them cheering on the Carolina Panthers.

Chris Barth, AIA

Originally from Long Island, NY, Chris attended The University of North Carolina earning his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2010. Joining the firm in August 2012, he uses his unique palette of design and trade skills to understand the built environment and form creative ideas for each project he touches. Chris is registered to practice Architecture in North Carolina and is also a member of NCARB. As an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, Chris frequently finds time to get out of the city and explore the outdoors. Chis and his wife, Kelsey, live in a 1930’s bungalow in Plaza Midwood’s Historic District and is a member of the PMNA neighborhood board. Together they enjoy exploring their tight-knit community and long summer weekends at their family’s home on Lake Burton in the north Georgia Mountains.

Interior Design Assistant

Cassidy Montgomery

Born and raised in Charlotte, Cassidy attended North Carolina State University where she received her degree in Textile Brand Management in 2008. She joined the firm in June 2011. Married to her husband Cameron, they have two young daughters that keep her busy when not in the office.

Piper Warner, AIA

A native of North Carolina and a graduate of UNC Charlotte with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Architecture and subsequently a Bachelor of Architecture, she was the recipient of the university’s John Alton Leach Honor Scholarship and the Architecture History Scholar Award. She is a registered architect in the state of North Carolina and has been with the firm since 1997. Piper, her husband Mark and their daughter Margaret live in Charlotte with an energetic golden retriever, Remington. There always seems to be a project at the house, but they enjoy traveling to see friends and family.

Madison McNabb

Madison received a degree in Economics and Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and worked in various positions in the banking industry before pursing his passion for architecture. Madison received a Masters in Architecture from North Carolina State University School of Design in 2014 and joined the firm shortly thereafter. His goal is to practice architecture that embraces the moment, acknowledges the past, and honors the client.
In his free time, Madison enjoys traveling, cooking, getting his hands dirty at Clayworks Studio, feeding his passion for art and design, and spending time with his wife, Elizabeth and newborn son, Emmett.

Office Manager

Ashlyn Lake

Ashlyn is originally from Chapin, South Carolina and attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. After teaching fourth and fifth grade for eight years, Ashlyn decided it was time for a change of pace. She wanted to pursue a career outside of education, which led her to the firm. In her free time, Ashlyn enjoys attending concerts, hanging out with friends, or relaxing at home with her fiancé, Derrick, and Shih Tzu, Rocky.

Julie Praser

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Julie attended Georgia Tech where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. During her senior year she studied at the Ecole d’Architecture la Villette in Paris, giving her the opportunity to travel through Europe and gain new perspectives on art, architecture and different cultures. After graduation she worked at a custom residential architecture firm in Atlanta, beginning a career in residential construction that continues today. Her fondness for residential architecture stems from the belief that homes are able to reflect their own unique history and tell a story about those who inhabit them. In 2015 she moved to Charlotte and began working with MGPB. In her free time, when not helping out at her family’s tea café in Winnsboro SC, she likes to get out and explore her new city of Charlotte.

Julius Richardson

Julius grew up spending every summer working and learning construction from his father, who was a residential contractor. These summers eventually inspired him to pursue a profession in architecture. After earning two Master’s degrees, one in Historic Preservation and the other in Architecture, Julius began his residential design career in Louisiana. In 2015 he moved back to his home, the Carolinas, for the opportunity to work for MGPB. Julius has always appreciated the joys and challenges that custom residential design offers, and strives to apply his diverse education and experience of architecture to his work. Outside of the office he and his wife Sairy have welcomed a new addition to the family, their son Oscar. They are excited about this new chapter and look forward to spending time with friends, exploring new places, and traveling to Costa Rica to visit her family.

Keith Chostner

Keith grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture. In school he realized that his passion lies within the interiors realm of design. After graduation, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he began his career as an interior designer. He learned much of his traditional aesthetic from his time in Charleston, giving him his “Modern-Traditional” look in his designs.
Keith believes that there is room for great design in all aspects of one’s life and home and strives to help clients achieve their ideal vision by blending his traditional classic taste with modern trends and contemporary looks. No matter the scale of the project, Keith enjoys providing his knowledge, talent, and vivacious personality to build relationships with each client, designing spaces that are both distinctive and feel like home.

Luke Marot

Growing up in southeastern Minnesota, Luke had the opportunity to get a taste of several types of construction and to experiment with design in various fields. An aspiring Renaissance man, he first studied business and videography while earning a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media, before retooling with an A.A.S. degree in Architectural Technology, and also taking courses in architectural restoration, timber framing, and permaculture. While his diverse education track has been anything but traditional, he has a passion for using historic building forms, materials, and methods to inform contemporary architecture, and so he joined MGPB near the end of 2018. In his free time, you might find him visiting family, experimenting with a new recipe, or planning the remodel of his home outside of Charlotte.