After nearly 52 years of practicing architecture in the state of Arkansas, Steve Kinzler, Founding Principal of Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects has retired.
“As one of the firm’s founding principals, Steve has been more than just a cornerstone of this firm — he’s been its heart, its vision, and its steady hand,” said David Porter, CEO & Principal of Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. “His leadership, integrity, and dedication have shaped not only the company’s success but also the culture and values we all carry forward. While his daily presence will be deeply missed, his legacy is firmly built into the foundation of everything we do.”
Kinzler joined the firm of Blass, Chilcote, Carter, Lanford & Wilcox Architects in 1974 as a Project Architect and was later named an Associate. In 1989, he co-founded with Jerry Wilcox the Wilcox Group Architects where he ultimately served as the CEO for 10 years. In 2009, the Wilcox Group merged with Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects, forming Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. Kinzler served as the President and COO of the firm until 2018.
Over the course of his career, Kinzler’s service to the architecture community included the mentoring of students, building the sustainable design community and serving on several organizations.
For over 45 years, he served the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Arkansas Chapter where he helped shape the structure of board positions, established the funding resource for trade shows for allied professionals, formed chapter awards programs and held every available office and position within the chapter.
Kinzler is a Past Member of the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design Advisory Board and has served on the school’s Dean’s Circle since 2000. In 2002, he co-founded the Camp Aldersgate Design-Build Studio, a program for first and second-year University of Arkansas architecture students. Kinzler’s guidance in advancing his firm’s Intern Development Program (IDP) beyond the baseline criteria garnered the firm one of only two Intern Development Program Outstanding Firm Awards in the nation in 2009 by the Intern Development Program Advisory Committee (IDPAC).
In addition to mentoring young professionals and students, being a ‘servant-leader’ to community youth is also one of Kinzler’s passions. He is a life-long Boy Scout and has served on the Executive Committee of the Quapaw Area Council of Boy Scouts for more than 44 years. He also served on the Executive Board of the Centers for Youth and Families and the Young Life of Arkansas Board of Directors both for 12 years.
Kinzler served as a member of the Advisory Board for the Construction Management program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Further, he is a co-founder of several state-wide industry associations including the Society of Design Administrators (SDA) and the Arkansas Chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Kinzler also served the design community as an appointed member to the following commissions: Little Rock Safety Commission, Capitol Zoning Commission, State Elevator Safety Commission and the Arkansas Department of Health Codes and Regulations Advisory Council. In 2005, Kinzler was named Executive of the Year by Arkansas Business, the first architect to be honored with this award.
Some of Kinzler’s most significant architectural projects include the College of Public Health and the Major Development Projects for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; the new Customer Service and Technical Support Center for Hewlett Packard in Conway; the Camp Aldersgate Camp Commons; the new Little Rock campus for Fellowship Bible Church; Boy Scout camp facilities at the Gus Blass Scout Reservation in Damascus; and numerous projects for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Kinzler and his wife, Jan, have been married for 52 years. The couple have three sons, Andrew, Wendell and Taylor, and four grandchildren.