H. Geoffrey Neale

CFO Emeritus

At SMMA

  • Geoff works in tandem with SMMA leaders and project teams to apply business thinking on projects
  • Enjoys teaching and mentoring design professionals; explaining finance to non-financial staff
  • Integrates best practices in finance and operations into the firm’s everyday activities
  • Mentors the firm’s finance and accounting staff on career development and operational issues 

Business Thinking for Designers 

Geoff represents SMMA on TAG (The Advisory Group), a peer group comprising principals and senior-level executives from numerous Boston-based design firms. The Group provides a forum for local architecture and design companies to share expertise and discuss business challenges and solutions. For Geoff, TAG is a sounding board where best practices can be identified and subsequently shared with SMMA’s design professionals and project teams.

“Few technical professionals have the opportunity to study finance. And I never studied the design process. At SMMA, we learn from each other and appreciate knowledge-sharing across the lines.”

Learn, Teach, Influence

Geoff worked for a large company just before joining SMMA. He found the experience too confining because his interactions were primarily with other finance professionals. The collaborative setting of SMMA provides an ideal environment for him to learn, teach, and influence.