2026 Parkhill Excellence Awards | Celebrating Our People
The Parkhill Excellence Awards are a celebration of the remarkable achievements that define Parkhill and the people behind them. This is our opportunity to honor the very best of our firm by recognizing those who make a meaningful impact every day.
BUILDING COMMUNITY AWARD | Recognizes a spirit of service dedicated to improving communities
Larry Stone, PE, RPLS, is the Group Lead of DFW Site Development and Planning in Parkhill’s Site Development and Planning Sector. Early in his nearly 50-year career, his primary focus was municipal engineering and residential development. Today, he continues to provide input on municipal jobs as well as much of our athletic and site work. Larry has learned what works and what doesn’t. With his extensive knowledge of municipal design, he is a skilled and trustworthy project manager.
“For Larry, Building Community is not just service,” said Clint Wofford, RLA. “It’s really an integral part of who he is. Anything he’s involved in, he makes it fun. Larry’s contagious passion is like drawing bees to honey. One of the things he has been involved in is a group that he founded in Saltillo, Mexico. This program has developed in such a way that these opportunities that the kids wouldn’t have had before are there for them, and to the point that they’re getting degrees in things like robotics and mechanical engineering.”
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AWARD | Recognizes those who build brand awareness, connecting services to clients
Scott Nelson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a dynamic leader in business development at Parkhill. Scott brings over 20 years of architectural experience in religious, municipal, and educational facilities. He combines his deep knowledge of design with strategic vision to drive firmwide growth and expand market reach.
“When I think of Scott Nelson, I think of business development,” said Senior Vice President of Business Development Drew Hardin, PE. “Over my 35-year career within our industry, I don’t know that I’ve seen anyone better at business development, at serving clients. You might ask the question, ‘Well, why is that?’ The most obvious answer is, ‘He wins a lot of work.’ The excellence award is really more than winning work. It’s about doing it the right way.”
CLIENT RELATIONS AWARD | Recognizes those who develop enduring relationships to keep people at the center of all we do
Leonard Nail, PE, is a member of Parkhill’s Water Resources Sector. Being raised in a small community, his passion is assisting small towns with their infrastructure, working closely with them, and being mindful of their financial landscapes and needs. His extensive experience includes lift stations, sanitary sewer collection systems, potable water wells, variable frequency drive (VFD) pump control, and elevated and ground storage tanks.
“Client relationships is really important to the future of our business, because those relationships we build now, we will use those in the future,” said Regional Development Lead for the Plains and Permian Basin Region Zane Edwards, PE. Just watching Leonard through the decades he’s been at Parkhill, and watching him with clients and clients’ reactions to Leonard, he just makes them feel like friends and family. He treats everyone like they’re special, and they all feel it. You can tell they feel it.”
DESIGN AWARD | Recognizes those who create inventive, relevant solutions for clients
Larry Bell, PE, is a senior engineer in Parkhill’s Aviation Sector. He has prior experience in site and residential development with vast knowledge in the topographic grading aspects of those projects. Larry has developed an appreciation for multidisciplinary projects that combine the input of professionals in varied professional fields. He is now extending those attributes into the aviation field in airside and landside project development.
“With the 36 years of experience Larry has been with Parkhill, that knowledge is invaluable to what we can provide to a client,” said Danny Winchester, PE. “When we’re working on a project, he not only looks at the big picture, but he’ll get down into the minute details. The word that comes to my mind that describes Larry is integrity. You don’t have to question whether or not he’s taken a look at other ways to get this project accomplished. You know he’s come up with the best solution.”
The life and impact of Dan Searight, AIA, LEED AP, is honored with this Design Award. Dan was formerly a Senior Designer at Parkhill in the Community Sector. During his tenure at Parkhill, Dan provided design direction for a wide variety of projects and was particularly known for his curiosity, collaborative spirit, and dedication to research and creative problem-solving. Dan was especially proud of his involvement with Bonton Farms, contributing architectural, master planning, and urban planning expertise, and helping to secure pro bono services to further the mission of this community initiative.
“I would argue that probably if you see a project with design excellence, somehow Dan was attached to it, whether directly or indirectly,” Director of Design – Architecture Division Brandon Young, AIA. “Dan was a designer at heart. That was his passion. He was a curious, creative, and charismatic person. And I also think he was a very generous person and designer. The best idea won for Dan. If something else rose to the top, he was the first to acknowledge that and say, ‘This is the direction we need to go.’ Bonton Farms and Dan Searight, those two together are the most clear representation in my mind of Building Community at Parkhill. The interesting thing about that project is he said to me, ‘Bonton Farms is the single most important project in his career.’”
KNOWLEDGE AWARD | Recognizes subject matter experts who differentiate our services
Randy Skinner is an engineering technologist with Parkhill’s Site Development & Planning Sector. He is proficient with the latest version of Autocad, but with nearly 40 years of experience, Randy began drafting plans on the board with pen and paper. Randy has assisted teams with civil engineering, landscape architecture, and land planning projects and is always looking for new and better ways to use technology to improve designs and communication.
“When I think of Randy, the word ‘knowledge’ comes to mind, not only because of the years of experience he has but how freely and openly he shares his knowledge with everyone,” said Madison Koceich, PE. “Know that if you have a question, ask Randy. The answer is going to get figured out somehow. Randy builds community obviously externally, but he also does a great job of building community within. He’s always going into projects with the mindset of making sure the answer is figured out and found but also that the team is well-supported.”
Zach Garrett, PE, Zachary Garrett, PE, is a member of the Structural Team in Parkhill’s MEP/Structural Sector. His experience includes steel, concrete, masonry, light gage framing, and wood. He has extensive experience in a broad range of projects, including schools, churches, fire stations, medical facilities, storm shelters, and renovations of historic buildings. Zach advocates for young engineers and is a generous and encouraging mentor.
“His passion is so contagious that it makes you even more interested in topics with him,” said Melanie Letendre, PE. “Zach is passionate about helping others. He’s passionate about structural engineering as a whole. He’s passionate about new innovations. He’s passionate about making others passionate.”
PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT AWARD | Demonstrates exemplary leadership skills by effectively leading our employees, bringing the best out of individuals, and managing our resources
Kelly Wofford, SHRM-CP, has an unmistakable passion for personal and professional growth. As Parkhill’s People Operations manager, she empowers leaders to foster growth within their teams and helps individuals find solutions to overcome their obstacles. Kelly is known for developing deep, authentic relationships with people, and she is dedicated to guiding others toward clarity and success in both their personal and professional lives.
“Our built environment is our people at Parkhill, and she really does equip our leaders to be their best to support all of our employees,” said Senior Vice President of People and Culture Dawn Moore, SPHR, SHRM-SP. “It’s not a job to her. It’s life. It’s, I think, how she embraces the whole world. Whether it’s at Parkhill or not, she’s going to show up, and she’s going to care for people well. I can’t imagine Parkhill without her.”
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AWARD | Recognizes those who deliver excellence through engaging collaboration
Luke Quebe, AIA, has a passion for community development with experience in municipal projects and sustainable initiatives. Luke has a unique perspective on projects and seeks efficiency through all phases of design and construction. He is highly knowledgeable of the South Plains area and the Lubbock community. Colleagues and clients often regard him as an accessible and collaborative project leader.
“A lot of what we do incorporates design and execution, and Luke really exemplifies both of those areas,” said Britanny Roberts, IIDA. “Luke always has a really calm demeanor to him, even when situations seem really dire. He’s a very humble leader. He allows each of us to have a voice. I think Luke exudes a steadfast culture really rooted in Parkhill values. He’s a really great mentor and role model to a lot of the younger generations of up-and-coming architects.”
RISING STAR AWARD | Recognizes emerging professionals who make extraordinary contributions within their field
Garrett Jenkins, PE, serves Parkhill’s Transportation Sector through his experience in civil engineering and roadway design. Additionally, he has significant experience with 3D corridor modeling and design. Garrett has pioneered Parkhill’s implementation and use of innovative software within the Transportation Sector and has developed training materials, guides, and standards to share his knowledge.
“He has been so far beyond the level that we expected,” said John Hellinghausen, PE. “It was even hard for us to keep him challenged. He’s a part of that very tiny population of people who has all of these innate gifts that a human could be blessed with, but what made him even more special — he recognized at that age how important it was to be humble. For someone so young and so accomplished, he’s a very kind and unassuming mentor.”
Regan Ortiz, IIDA, has experience specializing in municipal, public safety, and public sector projects. Known for her keen eye for functionality and interior design, Regan brings a thoughtful approach to creating spaces that serve a community’s unique needs. With a passion for enhancing public spaces, Regan combines her knowledge and commitment to client collaboration with excellence in design.
“She takes tremendous ownership in all that she does, and she’ll go above and beyond time and time again,” said Laura Nickell, IIDA. “She is always there when you need her. She will stand beside you, she will fight for you. I think Regan instills a culture of inclusivity. She wants to really dig in and really understand her clients and her teammates. I think it’s a joy to work with Regan.”
Maggie Maxwell is a People Operations Specialist at Parkhill. She specializes in employee relations, leadership support, career development, CliftonStrengths-based coaching, employee engagement, and navigating company practices and policies. She is a resource for group leads, provides guidance for stay interviews and retention insights, and supports team alignment and people-centered efforts, including Building Community Investment (BCI) initiatives.
“I’ve had a front row seat to her growth, her character, and her impact,” said People Operations Manager Kelly Wofford, SHRM-CP. “Maggie makes my job easier every single day, because I trust her completely. Maggie is wise beyond her years, and her character shines with how she approaches people. Maggie has been instrumental with developing processes and clarity. And so what she’s actually done is help us move from being reactive to intentional.”