PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

AREND ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals who interact with our website, inquire about our services, or engage us as clients. This Privacy Policy describes what personal information we collect, how we use and share it, and the rights you have with respect to your data.

By accessing or using our website (the "Site") or contacting us through any channel, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy. If you do not agree with its terms, please do not use our Site or provide us with your personal information.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

Information You Provide Directly

• Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address submitted through contact forms or project inquiries

• Company or organization name and job title

• Project descriptions, site addresses, and other details you share when requesting a consultation

• Correspondence you send us via email or through the Site

• Any documents, drawings, or files you voluntarily upload or transmit to us

Information Collected Automatically

• IP address and approximate geographic location (city/region level)

• Browser type, device type, and operating system

• Pages visited, time spent on the Site, referring URL, and navigation paths

• Cookies, pixel tags, and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)

Information from Third Parties

• Publicly available professional information (e.g., LinkedIn profile data) if you contact us through a professional network

• Analytics data from service providers we use to operate the Site

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Responding to Inquiries: To reply to your messages, provide project consultations, and deliver the professional services you have requested.

• Client Relationship Management: To maintain records of our working relationship, manage contracts and proposals, and communicate throughout the course of a project.

• Marketing Communications: To send you firm news, portfolio updates, project announcements, event invitations, and other materials we believe may be of interest to you, subject to your consent where required by law.

• Site Improvement: To analyze how visitors use the Site, identify technical issues, and continuously improve usability and content.

• Legal and Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations, enforce our agreements, and protect our legal rights and those of our clients.

• Security: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent or unauthorized activity on the Site.

4. Marketing and Communications

AREND may contact you with newsletters, project portfolios, event invitations, or general firm updates. We do this only where we have a legitimate interest in doing so (e.g., as an existing or prospective client) or where you have given us your explicit consent.

Opting Out: You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email we send, or by contacting us directly at the address listed in Section 11. We will process your request promptly and no later than 30 days after receipt. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still contact you with transactional or service-related messages (e.g., project updates, billing matters) where necessary.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating the Site and delivering our services (e.g., website hosting, email delivery, CRM platforms, and analytics providers). These vendors access your data only as necessary to perform services on our behalf and are bound by confidentiality obligations.

• Professional Collaborators: On specific projects, we may share relevant information with engineers, contractors, consultants, or other design professionals engaged on your behalf. We will not share more than is necessary for the project.

• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information when required to do so by law, subpoena, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights or the safety of any person.

• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of all or a portion of our business, your personal information may be transferred to the successor entity. We will notify you of any such change and the privacy choices available to you.

• With Your Consent: We may share your information for any other purpose with your prior written consent.

6. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights with respect to your personal information, including:

• Right of Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

• Right to Correction: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Right to Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes).

• Right to Restrict Processing: You may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.

• Right to Data Portability: Where technically feasible, you may request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

• Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your personal information where we rely on legitimate interests as our legal basis.

• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we process your data based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal.

• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 11. We will respond within 30 days and may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

If you are a resident of California, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) / California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or equivalent local law.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Site may use cookies and similar technologies (such as pixel tags and web beacons) to enhance your experience, understand Site usage, and support our marketing activities. The types of cookies we may use include:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the Site to function properly. They cannot be disabled.

• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the Site (e.g., Google Analytics). The data collected is aggregated and anonymized where possible.

• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices to improve your experience on return visits.

• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant content or ads. We will only set these with your consent.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect Site functionality. Where applicable law requires it, we will obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, to maintain our client and professional relationships, and to comply with applicable legal, accounting, or regulatory obligations. Client project files may be retained for up to seven (7) years following project completion, in accordance with professional standards and potential liability periods. Marketing and inquiry data is reviewed periodically and deleted when no longer relevant.

You may request deletion of your information at any time (see Section 6), and we will honor such requests to the extent permitted by law.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include secure servers, encrypted data transmission (SSL/TLS), and access controls that limit who within our firm can view your information.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you have reason to believe that your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

10. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms (such as Instagram, LinkedIn, or Houzz), or project partner pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their individual privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Children's Privacy

Our Site and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately and we will take prompt steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or business operations. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Revised" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or by a notice posted on our Site. Your continued use of the Site following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

AREND
[Street Address]
[City, State, ZIP]
Email: info@arend.com
Phone: (217) 417-6506

We take all privacy inquiries seriously and will respond within 30 days of receipt.

© 2026 AREND. All rights reserved. This policy does not constitute legal advice. AREND recommends consulting a qualified attorney to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local privacy laws.