High-Profile Celebrates 25 Years!

In 2002, High-Profile had grown enough to allow us to expand our home office in Pembroke, Mass. Then over the next few years, we added several annual supplements to our regular monthly issue, which included the Green Supplement; the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Supplement; and Women in Construction.

“ When we published the first Annual Green Supplement, the focus in the industry was really on energy savings in building projects. High-Profile has been present for the evolution of the green building movement as LEED, Passive House and WELL have become well-established and sought out certifications. Flash forward to 2023, and the major focus is on meeting climate goals and working to minimize the negative impact our developments have on the environment, with these requirements now being regularly incorporated into every project at its inception.”

— MICHAEL BARNES

As we continued to grow, and as more sophisticated technology became available, we replaced our original website with a more user-friendly and accessible online newsfeed, and began sending out our FastFacts Friday newsletter via email, recapping the week’s headlines and keeping subscribers informed of the latest groundbreakings and developments in the region.

In 2002, we began featuring Anastasia in marketing and promotional material throughout the issues. In 2013, she became the face of High-Profile’s weekly newsletter, FastFacts Friday.

As we became more well-known in the industry, our readers began to refer to us simply as “HP,” which influenced the design of our new logo in 2013.

In 2013, we undertook a complete rebranding of the company, working with marketing and communications agency Nickerson to redesign our logo and color palette and establish a fresh look for the publication. In time, we had become known to our audience simply as “HP,” and our new logo reflected that. The publication was further elevated when we hired Yvonne Lauzière as art director. Her work brought the paper to a new level, as she designed each monthly issue with artistry and purpose. It was during this time that Anastasia began taking on a greater role within the company.

“Being a major participant in the rebranding of the company, which included launching the new website and further establishing a consistent and clean look and feel of the publication, really showed me that I was invested in HP’s future and in the success of the company. I really was taking ownership of what I could bring to the table, and to the vision of the company, and in helping shape the look, feel, and quality of content for High-Profile.”

— ANASTASIA BARNES

After attending a few events held by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and watching them celebrate women in the industry, Anastasia wanted to do the same by recognizing the women that were breaking barriers by pursuing careers in the AEC space, and HP’s Women in Construction Supplement was born.

“As a young woman in the industry, I would be attending events and be surrounded by a sea of men, and I would naturally gravitate to the women in the room. So the opportunity to highlight women in the industry and show people what they were doing, share their journeys, and show how they were breaking the glass ceiling, I felt was important. It has been extraordinary to see the level of participation in this issue every year as women in AEC share their struggles and successes, and share inspiration for others just entering the industry.”

— ANASTASIA BARNES

Over the last decade, HP has followed the developments in design and construction as major attention has been paid to our effect on the environment and our role in climate change, in addition to the major strides being made to include women- and minority-owned businesses in all stages of a building project. In 2018, we worked with future design firm Fathom to establish our vision, which is to provoke people to act on their own vision to build a better world. As a result, we launched the Build Better podcast and produced our special Vision issue to highlight the people teams, and organizations that are leading the way and changing the industry for the better.

from the desire to tell the stories of the people and companies that are doing better, whether it be through prioritizing green principles in their everyday operations, or establishing ways to elevate women or people of color in the industry. It is really an honor to work in an industry of people who are passionate about

— ANASTASIA BARNES

Working with future design firm Fathom helped us articulate our vision and purpose, giving new meaning to our work going forward. Photos courtesy of Fathom.

We’re proud that we have expanded from our early days to now include editor Emily Langner (Ralph and Marion retired in 2020, both at the age of 93!), vice president of sales Elizabeth Finance, and account executives Mark Kelly and Betsy Gorman. Yvonne is still with us as our amazing art director, who continues to elevate the quality of our online and print publications with her immense design talent.

In the next 25 years, we will continue to utilize the latest digital tools and technology to bring facilities development news to people in new ways and highlight the softer side of design and construction, telling the stories of the people and companies that are leading from the heart and inspiring others with their commitment to making the world a better place. As the voice of New England’s AEC and real estate industries, we celebrate this milestone with all of you – members of this truly unique community – with whom we are honored to call our colleagues and friends.

The 10 Year Anniversary issue, published in November 2007, was a major milestone for the company as we became well-known industry wide as the source for construction and development news in New England.

HP’s November 2013 issue marked the first edition featuring our new logo and a complete redesign of the publication.

Vision issue was published in 2019.