At Dix.Hite, we’re more than just the sum of our parts. And while our people are integral to our work, it’s our central ethos –– designing for life –– that unifies and empowers us. The past year has brought many changes: including a move from private ownership to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), development of the New Yard Pattern Book, embarking on the design and planning of a new town in Osceola County, developing a plan around resiliency for 60 miles of the A1A corridor along Florida’s east coast, and now a new CEO at the helm of our firm.

We’re proud to announce that Kody Smith, a longtime principal, has officially assumed the position of CEO at Dix.Hite. Kody replaces Dix.Hite cofounder Chris Hite, who will continue pursuing Dix.Hite’s blue-sky vision of world-class employees, clients, and places, while supporting Kody in her role as founding partner and board chair. Under Kody’s leadership, our commitment to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion remains at the forefront, and our ethos of designing for life continues to flourish.

As we look back at major events in our company’s 25-year history, we are filled with gratitude and excitement for what these latest changes will bring. From tackling our first project in 1996, through multiple name changes, surviving the dot-com bubble, weathering the 2008 housing crisis and economic downturn, and expanding our footprint to Georgia and Alabama, our story has had many chapters. Through it all, our commitment to designing for life –– and the ideals by which we choose to live and work–– have elevated us to even greater heights, and we believe these traits will carry us into the future as our next chapter unfolds.

We are focused on three key ideas as our firm continues to thrive through this time of transition and we look to the future of Dix.Hite:  

Employee-Owned, Future-Focused

Given the important role our people play, we as an organization felt it was only right to put the power in their hands. Through our employee stock ownership plan, Dix.Hite employees have more influence on our firm’s future than ever –– and we have ultimate faith that our team members will make excellent stewards. During his transition from principal to CEO, Kody played an integral part in the move to employee ownership, serving as an advocate for Dix.Hite employees at every level. As our firm’s leader, Kody’s advocacy will continue to bolster our team.

Designing Tomorrow

Our tried-and-true 6D design process is what carries our firm through the most complex of projects and keeps us focused on usable, livable, and impactful work. As new leadership and ownership hit the ground running, we continue to hold true to our ethos of designing for life and trust our process to guide us. We’re actively working on several projects that will empower and transform our communities, and we look forward to sharing them all with you.

Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders

New leadership brings a level of excitement to the firm that resonates from top to bottom. But in our case, we get the privilege of having our former CEO continue to serve our team. Chris will remain an integral part of Dix.Hite, devoting additional time to impacting new areas of our firm and mentoring young leaders. As a member of the board, Chris will serve and support our new leadership as we codify our belief in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

With her newfound flexibility, she will be involved with project teams as a mentor and active design team member. Her decades of expertise will be shared with a specific focus on cultivating the next generation of leaders and proving that, at Dix.Hite + Partners, there’s no room for a glass ceiling.

While change is exciting, it can also be challenging –– so it is with clear eyes that we move into the next chapter of Dix.Hite. But if our past is any indication of our future, these changes will only elevate us, our clients, and the communities that we have the privilege to serve.