Hollis + Miller Architects announced the promotion of four new partners joining the firm’s leadership ranks on September 16. Experiencing continued growth in both its Kansas City and Castle Rock offices, Hollis + Miller elevated Kevin Nelson, Ryan Walters, Justin Durham and Greg Porter to the partner level to support this growth.
The four new partners bring a combined 75 years of industry experience working specifically with educational clients. They bring a wealth of knowledge not only in design and facilities, but educational planning, sustainability, campaign planning and industry leadership. As active members of important organizations such as the Association for Learning Environments, U.S. Green Buildings Council, American Institute of Architects and others, they continue learning and evolving as the education and architecture industries continue down an ever-changing path.
In addition to being experts in educational architecture and planning, each individual is committed to the firm and works hard to uphold and innovate its strong practices, while inspiring the 120+ employees around them.
“Each of them truly represents what our firm is all about, from our core values and supporting our communities, to pushing HMA further into the future,” said firm President Kirk Horner. “We are incredibly grateful to have them on our team.”
The firm’s 70+ years of experience and dedication to school facilities have built a strong foundation for where it stands today, and it has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. “We’ve had solid strategic planning and strong relationships leading us to this point, and we are really excited about this new generation of leadership and what it means for the firm and for our clients,” said Horner.
Kevin has been with the firm since 2006 and excels at building tailored solutions for public preK-12 school districts. As a client leader, he builds strong relationships and provides client support for any need, large or small. Kevin is an expert at the master planning process providing roadmaps for districts’ future success, and guides them through each step of the plan seamlessly, including bond projects and support. When he isn’t in a design charette, school board meeting or on site he is spending time with his daughter, helping with a school project or dance recital.
Ryan is our in-house sustainability specialist keeping our teams on the forefront of enduring educational design. He has led a number of successful projects for both public and private educational clients and remains active in organizations such as USGBC to continually learn more and evolve HMA’s design practices. He also serves as a studio leader, keeping our teams engaged and active in our culture all while juggling his own kids’ schedules (did we mention twins?) and driving everyone toward a strong future.
Justin’s hometown roots run deep, growing up locally and spending nearly 20 years in the KC architecture and education industries. From roof renovations and building assessments to brand-new stadiums and career tech spaces, Justin’s knowledge of facilities and design is invaluable. This, partnered with his responsiveness and client advocacy, make him a true partner as he works for the betterment of each and every community. In addition to supporting clients and teams, speaking at conferences and being on site, he also manages baseball practices, dance recitals and more for his three kids.
Greg wears many different hats for the firm, including leading the team in our Castle Rock office. Add to the list client meetings, design charettes, quality assurance walks, scheduling and more, he handles all of it exceptionally and has a knack for supporting each person he works with. With nearly 25 years of experience, he knows schools inside and out, and provides incredible direction for school districts, charter schools and planning committees to engage and empower communities. He drives innovation every day, including at home in his workshop where he continues his craftsmanship on weekends.
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