Meet the Team

Gary P. Matt is a designer, developer, and operator with a career built on execution across design, construction, branding, and real estate. He earned a five-year degree in product and interior design from Northern Illinois University, completing the program in just three years.

He began his career at Norman DeHann and Associates, one of Chicago’s premier interior design firms, where he worked on major projects including the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. He later gained property management experience before joining the Arthur Rubloff Company, then the largest real estate development firm in the country. There, he contributed to high-profile office and retail properties, including projects associated with Gerald Hines, the Three First National Bank Building in Chicago, and the American Library Association.

Gary spent several years at Knoll International, where he created the company’s first national accounts program. He worked directly with clients operating across multiple locations, ensuring consistency in purchasing while allowing flexibility to align with each brand. Acting as a liaison between client design teams and Knoll’s product designers, he bridged sales, product development, and design—an approach that became a defining strength of his career.

He later joined Griswold, Heckel, and Kelly (GHK), one of the top interior firms in the country, where he served as Vice President of Marketing. He led national marketing efforts, established performance standards for regional teams, and drove revenue growth. His leadership resulted in major client wins, including Mountain Bell in Colorado and Levy Corporation.

In 1985, Gary founded Channel Marketing, a company that began by developing integrated business plans across interiors, fixtures, and materials, and evolved into a full-service advertising, public relations, and branding agency. Clients included Chanel, Molex, and Mountain Travel Sobek.

He later transitioned into real estate development, acquiring and developing 29 residential investment properties, delivering returns exceeding 20 percent for investors.

Today, Gary leads Gary Matt Design & Branding, combining design, construction, branding, and business strategy to deliver projects that are not only well designed, but built to perform.