Matthew J. Schachtner
President / Director of Design

Matt’s natural inclination to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty has led him to the role of hands-on leader at Somerville.

Raised in a family of masons, homebuilders and structural engineers, Matt is a born designer still energized by the scent of sawdust and concrete. Building runs in his blood, and he fed that passion with summer jobs in masonry and homebuilding, a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He followed that up with 25 years of experience in the industry where he now leads an expert team with the sure hand of someone committed to innovative design and the power of relationships.

Today, Matt’s steady leadership is marked by passionate problem solving – a desire to understand a client’s challenges and co-create the solutions. He brings visionary planning to each project and provides the strategic direction to guide the expert team at Somerville through work that is unparalleled in client satisfaction. Matt has led a range of projects from high-end residential to health care facilities; from legendary sports venues like the crown jewel of the NFL in Green Bay to the city’s transit center; from game-changing structures on La Crosse’s riverfront to Green Bay’s Automobile Gallery.

Although Matt is energized by his work, he doesn’t take his foot off the pedal when the workday is done. At his family’s more than 100-year-old Dyckesville house, he recently rebuilt a barn, and he and his wife stay busy with five children and a couple of horses. They raise lambs, pigs, chickens and turkeys and sit down each night to a dinner almost wholly supplied by their own hobby farm.

Personally and professionally, Matt values the relationships at the heart of it all. And he ensures no team operates more efficiently and with better results than Somerville. With his sleeves rolled up, Matt is the visionary leader ready to dive in.