HOUSTON, TX — SmithGroup has opened an office in Houston, its 17th location worldwide. This new office strengthens the company’s network of talent and expertise in Texas, deepening the firm’s long-standing commitment to the state. The Houston location also expands upon SmithGroup’s successful relationships with colleges and universities across Texas and more recent growth in the region’s health care industry.

SmithGroup’s Houston office will be led by Jay Rambo, who also serves as Director of the firm’s Dallas location. “While SmithGroup has been working on projects in Houston for 15 years and Texas for over 60 years, we could not be more thrilled to be officially expanding our presence in one of the largest and most diverse cities in the country,” Rambo said. “As an integrated design firm, we bring a unique blend of higher education, science and technology, and health care expertise ideally matched to Houston’s market opportunities.”

Clint Menefee, SmithGroup’s Higher Education Studio Leader in Texas, will also serve as a key member of the Houston leadership team. “In recent years, we have been honored to collaborate on several of Houston’s most impactful projects in Higher Education and look forward to fostering deeper connections with the educational needs of the region,” Menefee said. “Our team in Texas is excited to continue our expansion and further our mission to design inspiring learning environments at all scales, from campus to classroom, with a particular emphasis on environments for the health sciences, STEM, and recreation and wellness.”

The opening of the Houston office is the latest milestone in a pattern of steady growth for SmithGroup. “Despite the pandemic-related challenges of the last two years, SmithGroup has continued to see extraordinary growth nationwide and particularly in Texas,” said Russ Sykes, Chairman and Managing Partner at SmithGroup. “We look forward to growing our local staff in order to better serve clients in this region with a team of local experts that draw on the firm’s national depth."