Hollis + Miller Architects has flourished over its 73-year lifespan, pioneered by only six presidents’ leadership during that time. In 2007, Kirk Horner and John Southard were named co-presidents, the first in the firm’s history, and now on December 22, 2023 they retire after successful careers building a legacy. Each brought their own expertise and experience to the table, complementing the other’s unique strengths and together providing a dynamic leadership team. As we look back on the journey they’ve taken, including a number of successes and hardships, it’s hard to condense 74 combined years of Hollis + Miller history into one short story, but their passion and dedication to our firm, our people, our practice and our clients has left a lasting impact – one that will continue to ripple for many years.

Continued Connections

Anyone who crosses paths with Kirk or John would quickly realize they are motivated by making connections with others. On most First Wednesdays, John was up with the sun and helping cook breakfast for the office, brightening everyone’s mornings with his humor. Kirk was never too short on time to lend a listening ear about staff members’ home renovations, life updates, or most importantly, talking about our pups. Hollis + Miller evolved not just as an architectural firm, but a purposeful firm supporting its teams and its clients. Under their leadership, overall company culture was of the utmost importance and these two led by example. Staff tripled during their tenure to nearly 120 full-time employees, and new initiatives were brought forth to encourage continuous learning and promoting well-being. Growth is a good thing, but Kirk and John recognized retention and support were the ultimate indicators of a thriving workplace. A place where employees can connect and be empowered would ultimately lead to what makes us most successful – our people. This led to our mantra “grow the individual, grow the firm” which still holds true today.