Laura Thurman, CPSM
Since 2025
Active
SMPS Oklahoma member
AEC marketing professional
Laura leads comprehensive marketing strategy and business development for SGA Design Group, Renaissance Architecture, LLC, and GreenLight 360—three affiliated companies serving major retail brands, educational institutions, and health & wellness clients across the United States. As Marketing Manager based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she oversees integrated marketing initiatives, proposal coordination, and strategic communications for a 30-year architecture firm specializing in retail rollouts, K-12 design, and national prototype development serving clients including Walmart, Target, ALDI, and dozens of other major brands.
Her expertise spans AEC strategic marketing with specialized knowledge in multi-company marketing coordination, retail architecture marketing, contracts administration, proposal development, and business development across architecture, interior design, and innovative technology solutions. Laura brings unique cross-industry perspective gained through progressive career advancement from legal assistant and paralegal roles at Chesapeake Energy to contracts administrator at SGA Design Group before transitioning into marketing leadership—demonstrating how diverse professional backgrounds enrich AEC marketing capabilities.
With over 10 years of professional experience including deep contractual knowledge combined with strategic marketing expertise, Laura has built a distinguished career characterized by operational excellence, relationship development, and commitment to the collaborative philosophy embodied in SGA’s tagline “#LetsOpenDoorsTogether.” Her comprehensive knowledge of SGA Design Group’s full-service capabilities—encompassing architectural prototype development, multi-site rollouts, site adaptation services, entitlement, forensic analysis, sustainable design, and laser scanning technology through GreenLight 360—enables effective marketing leadership for a firm portfolio that has completed over 6,000 projects worth more than $11 billion.
Laura demonstrates exceptional professional leadership through her CPSM certification achievement (earned 2024) and active service as Secretary on the SMPS Oklahoma Board of Directors. Her board leadership positions her as a key contributor to chapter governance, meeting documentation, organizational communications, and administrative excellence supporting AEC marketing professionals throughout Oklahoma.
As Secretary, Laura maintains official chapter records, documents board decisions, manages organizational communications, and ensures governance compliance—responsibilities requiring exceptional attention to detail and organizational capabilities honed through her legal assistant and paralegal background. This volunteer leadership demonstrates commitment to advancing the AEC marketing profession through chapter operations excellence and administrative support enabling programming, events, and member services.
Her celebration of colleague achievements exemplifies supportive leadership style. When recognizing SMPS Oklahoma member Cameryn Rose (Marketing Manager at Timberlake Construction), Laura wrote: “Meet Cameryn Rose…a shining example of what makes the SMPS Oklahoma community so special. Her dedication to her craft, her eagerness to learn from others, and her willingness to share her knowledge make her an invaluable member of our chapter.” This generosity in celebrating peers reflects values of collaboration and community building central to SMPS culture.
Laura’s active social media presence championing Oklahoma projects and industry developments demonstrates commitment to regional advocacy. Her posts celebrate Tulsa developments (“Exciting news: We officially broke ground on a new infill project with Boston Avenue Realty at 18th & Boston in Tulsa”), historic renovations (Utica Square Shopping Center), and SMPS community milestones—using her platform to elevate Oklahoma’s AEC industry and chapter engagement.
Her cross-disciplinary career journey from energy sector legal support to architecture firm contracts administration to marketing leadership provides comprehensive perspective on business operations, risk management, and client relationship dynamics that enriches her contributions to both SGA Design Group marketing strategy and SMPS Oklahoma chapter governance.
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