At Becker & Frondorf, we are often called into projects that are already in motion. Sometimes the design is underway. Sometimes the budget is under pressure. And sometimes the institution itself is in the middle of a leadership transition. That last scenario is more common than you might think. Managing projects during institutional change presents a distinct set of challenges that require a specific kind of project management discipline.

This past May, B&F Project Executive Beth Van Why joined Dan Tadmor, President & CEO of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, and Morgan Baird, Chief Operating Officer of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, for a session at the 2026 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting in Philadelphia titled “Building the Plane Mid-Flight: Managing Design During Institutional Change.” The conversation drew on two real, parallel experiences: both institutions were navigating significant capital renovation work at the exact moment they were conducting CEO searches and welcoming new leadership.

When the Decision-Maker Changes Mid-Process: Capital projects move on timelines that don’t pause for organizational change. Designs are developed. Cost estimates happen; stakeholders remain eager to move forward. When a new leader arrives, they inherit a body of work that reflects choices made before they got there, and they have every right to ask questions,

recalibrate priorities, and redirect scope.

Our job is to make sure that transition happens without losing ground.

There are a few questions we find ourselves asking at the outset of any project that may overlap with a leadership change. Is there a design team already in place, and how far along is the work? How much progress is too much to unwind? Are there funder requirements tied to specific scopes or timelines? What is driving the schedule, and is that driver fixed or flexible? Having clear answers to these questions early creates a foundation that can survive a change at the top.

The Weitzman: Feasibility to Execution: For the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, the work began in 2024 with a feasibility study scoping potential projects and establishing rough order of magnitude costs. The list included mechanical and electrical system assessments, entry experience improvements, temporary gallery renovations, activation of public spaces, restroom upgrades, and office renovations. All of this was in progress while a CEO search was underway, with a new leader anticipated to start in late 2024 or early 2025.

When Dan Tadmor joined as President and CEO, there was already a substantial body of design work on the table. Rather than starting over, the team used that foundation to move quickly and purposefully. Design options were presented with varying levels of impact and cost, giving the new leadership a clear framework for decision-making. That structure mattered. By the time the new CEO was in seat, the project team had the information ready for him to engage with immediately.

The work that followed has been phased and deliberate. First Salute, an exhibit exploring the pivotal role of Jewish merchants in the Caribbean during the American Revolution, opened in time for American’s 250^th celebration. A new family gallery, the Colors of Creation, is poised to open in Summer 2026. Another new addition addressing the period from 1945 to today is planned for Fall 2026, followed by an Antisemitism-focused exhibition in October 2026. Phase 2 planning is now underway. Each step has built on the last, and the pace was possible because the groundwork was laid carefully during a period of uncertainty.

The College of Physicians: Planning for the Long View: The College of Physicians of Philadelphia faced a parallel situation. A campus planning process launched in April 2024, with architect selection and design workshops underway, programming work expanding into adjacent property, and rough order of magnitude costs being developed for presentation to the board in January 2025. A new CEO was expected to start around the same time.

The campus plan that emerged from this process is ambitious. It envisions a unified campus that dramatically expands visitor amenities, events and education space, workspace, and collection storage. The proposal shows a 45% increase in visitor amenities, a 62% increase in events and education programming space, seven times more meeting capacity, and a new medicinal and meditative garden. These are meaningful, mission-driven improvements for one of Philadelphia’s oldest institutions.

Because the planning work was structured to produce a range of options with associated costs, it was ready to be evaluated by incoming leadership rather than requiring a restart.

What the Plane Metaphor Actually Means

The title of this article, and Beth’s session, captures something real. You don’t always get to land, refuel, and take off again under ideal conditions. Sometimes the conditions change while you are already in the air, and the work is to keep flying. What makes that possible is having strong systems in place before the uncertainty arrives: clear documentation, flexible design options, defensible cost estimates, and a project manager who can brief a new leader without losing momentum.

Both of these institutions have managed that transition well, and we are proud to have played a role in supporting them through it. If your organization is facing a period of change and has capital work on the horizon, that is exactly the moment to get the right project management structure in place.

Connect with us today to learn how B&F can help your institution manage design during change.