The Bridge Builders Award honors civic leaders who have formed partnerships across racial, social, economic, and geographic barriers for the betterment of their communities. Through unique partnerships, these honored individuals pioneer programs and projects that stand as great examples to the power and possibility fostered when people put aside differences and join together for a common goal.
Harris Ranch is a pedestrian-friendly 1,300-acre master-planned community located in south east Boise. This project embraces the concepts of New Urbanism and Smart Growth, managing a careful balance between new development and the protection of the environment, wildlife habitat, and historic values in the Barber Valley. The Harris Ranch development was approved through Boise’s first Specific District Ordinance for 2,600 residential units and over a million square feet of commercial/retail space.
Dallas Harris completed the first Master Plan for Harris Ranch in March of 1976. That vision was sustained for many years through the efforts of Dallas and his wife, Alta. Daughters Felicia Burkhalter and Millie Davis, along with their brother Randy, are committed to completing that vision to honor their parents.
Early in 2005, the Harris Family hired LeNir Ltd. as development manager and adopted as their mission statement, “In a timely manner, to profitably sell the assets of Harris Ranch in a professional and businesslike atmosphere, demonstrative of the Owner’s commitment to the environment, the community and their heritage.”
The Harris family and their team initiated a series of charrettes in a collaborative transparent atmosphere to collectively plan Harris Ranch with their neighbors, government agencies, and environmental groups. That collaboration and transparency continues.
Doug Fowler is the Founder, President, and CEO of LeNir Ltd., a company founded in 1982, specializing in real estate development, project management, owner representation, and real estate consulting. For over 30 years, LeNir has worked on a number of projects including land development, mid-rise office buildings, 12-story condominiums, and retail development. Doug and his firm continue a legacy of excellence with the Harris Ranch development.
The Founders Award for Civic Leadership acknowledges an individual of national stature for his or her contributions in the stewardship of our nation’s communities. The men and women who receive this award are recognized as individuals whose lives reflect a unique leadership that have a significant impact on the quality of life for people across America.
Sam A. Williams is a professor at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. He recently retired as President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Throughout his 17 year presidency he played an integral role in progressing the Atlanta Metropolitan Region. He was a leading member of the business community in recruiting the Centennial Olympic Games to Atlanta in 1996 and in planning the development of Centennial Olympic Park after the games, resulting in the Georgia Aquarium, Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the College Football Hall of Fame. He led the private sector economic recruitment post-Olympics, resulting in an influx of financial investment and infrastructure improvements and a global mindset, now experiencing investments from over 2,800 foreign companies.
Sam was a key leader in helping change the controversial state flag of Georgia. He managed a coalition to solve regional water issues resulting from litigation between Alabama, Florida, and Georgia over the Chattahoochee River. Under his leadership, the Chamber helped restructure Grady Memorial Hospital, saving it from foreclosure and helping business leaders raise $350 million for its rehabilitation. During his Chamber tenure, Sam raised more than $300 million for economic development, marketing, and public policy efforts, creating regional economic and public policy strategies with Atlanta’s Fortune 1,000 CEOs.
Previously, he was a leading partner in John Portman’s architecture and development firm for 22 years creating major urban developments in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Jeddah. He started his career by serving as an assistant to Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen. Among other honors upon retirement, he received the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
His new book, The CEO as Urban Statesman, from Mercer University Press, profiles five metro cities where business leaders created public-private partnerships to solve major public policy problems or take advantage of economic development opportunities.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have shown a extraordinary dedication to civic service. Through their commitment to improving livability for all, these individuals have made significant improvements to communities and improved the quality of life for all citizens.
Jaquelin T. Robertson, FAIA is a world renowned architect and urban designer.
As Dean of the University of Virginia School of Architecture from 1980 to 1988, Jaque hosted influential forums bringing together many of the country’s highest-profile architects and planners and inspiring hundreds of budding architecture students. The school’s Jaquelin T. Robertson Visiting Professorship in Architecture allows students to be instructed by the most talented architectural educators from around the country.
With his good friend Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, Jaque cofounded the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, a leadership forum for mayors to see urban design as an issue needing their focus. The Mayors’ Institute, now in its 27th successful year, is a nationally recognized gathering for Mayors to discuss best practices for improving the quality of life in their cities through excellence in design and planning.
In 1988, Jaque co-founded the architecture firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners with his Yale School of Architecture classmate, Alexander Cooper. Jaque and his firm have played key roles in award-winning works, including Battery Park in New York City, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, and the master plan for the planned community of Celebration, Florida.
An innovative American architect and urban designer, Jaque understands the interconnected nature of planning and architecture and the impact it has on the human experience. By reviving traditional styles of architecture and modernizing them with touches specific to each building’s environment, he masterfully uses the built environment as a vehicle for change and revitalization.
