We are an award winning architectural firm located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania offering a hands-on approach to achieving the building needs of business, educational, medical, municipal, industrial, institutional, housing, hospital, religious, and residential clients since 1980.

• Our design approach emphasizes dialogue with our clients, thorough analysis of our clients needs and aspirations, design development which achieves our client’s goals, and careful and complete contract documentation, which enables the contractor to deliver a project on time and on budget.
  
• We pride ourselves in the fact that 75% of our firm’s clients return for additional projects, which attests to our ability to realize these goals.
  
• Our staff is composed of seasoned, skilled professionals with a strong background of hands-on construction experience, which has tempered how we approach design.
  
• We have been recipients of the Pennsylvania Society of Architects Annual Design Award.

Christifer F. Portner Sr., RA is the Founder and President of the firm, which was founded in 1980 as C.F. Portner Architects.

• Chris has a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Virginia (1971) and is NCARB certified and registered in the States of New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
  
• Prior to founding this firm Chris was a partner at Brown, Zajacek, & Roth.
  
• His 40 years of experience include time as a project architect for Miller & Reilley Architects, land planing at Direction Associates, and as a architectural designer for Vincent Kling & Partners, and Skidmore, Ownings, Merrill.
  
• Chris is a talented architectural designer, and an expert on site planning, building codes, zoning ordinances, and land development issues.

Karl W. Hetke, RA is a Partner & Vice President of the firm.

• Karl has a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Syracuse University (1977) and also attended Drexel University.
  
• He is NCARB certified and registered in the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Texas.
  
• During his 34 years of experience, Karl has worked as a project architect for Werner A. Buckl & Associates, as a studio manager for the Roth Busch Partnership, and C.F. Portner Architects, as a project architect for Shelter Design Group and Natural Energy Homes, and as a job captain for Day & Zimmerman Associates.
  
• He spent 7 years developing passive solar designs and underground architecture with two Design/Build firms.
• Karl has gained first hand construction experience as a carpenter, notably doing historic restoration in Newport, RI back in 1976.

Christifer F. Portner Jr., RA is a Partner & Vice President of the firm.

• Christifer has a Master of Architecture from the Univeristy of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Magna Cum Laude) from Temple University.
  
• He is NCARB certified and registered in the States of Pennsylvania & Texas.
  
• He has 16 years of professional experience with Kling Stubbins Architects and Daroff Design in Philadelphia.
  
• Notable projects include Terminal D/E and F at the Philadelphia Airport, numerous projects for Merck Pharmaceutical, AMC Theaters, Mannkind Office and Manufacturing in Danbury, Connecticut, OLG Casino in Ontario Canada, and the PA Welcome Center in Lower Chichester Township.
  
• Chris and his design team were awarded the AIA Gold Medal in 2006 and the Governor's Prize in 2006 for the E.J. DeSeta office and manufacturing buildings in Wilmington Delaware.
  
• Chris returned to the Lehigh Valley and joined Portner & Hetke in the spring of 2012. Duties will include principal of design and project documentation.
  

Cletes R. McGorry is an Architectural Designer and Job Captain.

• Clete has a Bachelor of Science degree from Dickenson College (1977) and was enrolled in the Master of Architecture Degree program at Georgia Tech (from 1981-86).
  
• His 27 years of experience in the architectural profession have been principally spent with C.F. Portner Architects after a brief tenure as a planning associate with the Office of Physical Planning at Lehigh University.
  
• Clete is a talented designer and an accomplished CADD drafsman.
  

Todd Bensing Job Captain.

• Todd has (2) Associates Degrees from Northampton Community College. One in Architectural Technology (1994) and another in Business Administration (1973).
  
• Todd has 19 years of experience in computer aided design and drafting.
  
• He had previously worked as a draftsman for Design Build Collaborative Inc., and was self-employed as a free-lance CADD drafting service.
  
• Prior to his architectural career Todd had 14 years of experience in residential construction, and architectural woodwork and cabinetry, working for Sunsource, Braybell Kitchens Inc., Lehigh Valley Woodcrafters, and Designers & Engineers.
  
• His broad construction experience has served him well in architectural design and construction detailing.
  

Wayne B. Barnes Job Captain.

• Wayne is our Section 8 (HUD) building inspector, our office computer tech, and an accomplished CADD draftsman.
  
• His 10 years of experience in the architectural profession have been spent with Portner and Hetke Architects.