Quorum Architects
David Lee
Quorum Architects on Tuesday announced the retirement of David Lee, one of the firm’s original partners and co-founders.
Lee, along with fellow architects Douglas Moon, Scott Wilson, Bill Blankenship, and Woody Jekel, formed the design firm 31 years ago in Fort Worth.
Today, it is a 30-person architectural and interior design firm. Current partners who will continue to lead the firm include Wilson, David Duman, Karin Taylor, and Kim Dowdy-Hickman.
“I’m really proud of what we created and extremely happy to be leaving the firm in such good shape and in such capable hands — that was always the plan,” said Lee in a statement.
The firm was founded in 1992. According to the company, associates called the five founders “crazy” when they decided to strike out on their own.
With insufficient capital and no clients, the friends pressed on to prove their doubters wrong and chose a firm name that would outlast their leadership — Quorum — representing the number of group members required to legally transact business.
One of Lee’s earliest clients was Howard Payne University in Brownwood. Lee completed his first design project for the Christian liberal arts school in 1992. University leaders were so pleased that the projects kept coming, including the new University Center, Old Main Tower and Plaza, the redesign of the university-owned apartment complex, and several iterations of the campus Master Plan.
One of Lee’s last projects to complete was the university’s Newbury Family Welcome Center.
“I enjoy the creative process but building life-long relationships with clients is extremely meaningful,” said Lee. “It’s a partnership. I’m very invested and want to help realize their vision.”
Lee was also an award winner, earlier in his career the recipient of the Young Architect Award from AIA Fort Worth. Later, he was awarded the James R. Wooten award, also by the local AIA chapter, as well as the Kline-Watts Award for Outstanding Leadership by Near Southside, Inc.
“David was an early supporter of our mission, and a big contributor to the Near Southside’s redevelopment vision,” said Mike Brennan, Near Southside, Inc. president. “David’s dedication over many years and his service on our board and committees helped shape NSI into the organization we are today, with a membership of over 350 businesses and community leaders.”