Steve Kinzler*

Steve Kinzler, a co-founder of Wilcox Group Architects, took over the company in 1999 after the death of Jerry Wilcox.

Being an architect was a childhood goal, one that Kinzler has been fulfilling for the past 35 years.

Assuming leadership of the Little Rock firm after the death of his partner and close personal friend was not in his plans, but he weathered that transition and since has led the company in a completely new direction, including becoming a leader in adopting new ”green building” or sustainable design practices.

“Green building was always a love of mine,” Kinzler said. “The industry wasn’t ready at the time. But about the time Jerry died, the timing was right.”

He invested the firm’s money in starting the Green Building Council in the state — one of the first in the nation.

The company has won as many American Institute of Architects design awards as larger companies and has worked on some of the state’s highest-profile construction projects.

Last year the firm added eight employees and added to its office space to keep up with an increasing workload. Despite that workload, Kinzler keeps the firm family friendly so employees can strike a balance between work and home.

Kinzler said he finds his basic guidelines for life and work in the Bible. A member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, he believes in “putting Scripture into practice.” He not only follows the biblical concept of servant-leader himself, but he promotes giving back to others through work in church, school, politics or the community.

Kinzler is known for being willing to teach younger architects and employees, pushing them to reach and be the best. He challenges the younger architects to keep up with the latest technology and design trends by investing in continuing education and sending them to national conferences, both in architecture and in clients’ industries.

Previous Honorees