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June 5, 2023 Seven Alumni Celebrated for Success

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Office of Advancement celebrates Volunteer’s careers and businesses through various annual awards. This year, seven College of Architecture and Design alumni were recognized in the Volunteer 40 Under 40 Awards and the inaugural Rocky Top Business Awards. 

“It’s incredible to see our alumni’s success being recognized by the university,” said Jason Young, dean of the college. “Our alumni are impacting design and the built environment in hubs such as New York and Tampa as well as the region around us.” 

Three alumni were selected for the Class of 2023 Volunteer 40 Under 40: 

  • Brandon Harvey (’06, M. Arch ’12) is the president and founding partner of Kingdom Development Group Incorporated, the first Black-owned architecture firm in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 
  • Patrick Hazari (B. Arch ’05) is the director of design and construction at Friends of the High Line in New York. Friends of the High Line is the non-profit organization responsible for the maintenance and operations of the High Line, an award-winning public park built on a reclaimed rail viaduct, in partnership with the City of New York and its Department of Parks & Recreation.
  • John “JC” Hudgison (B. Arch ’08) is currently the construction services center manager and chief building official for the City of Tampa, Florida. Prior to working for the City of Tampa, Hudgison worked for the Columbus Consolidated Government in Columbus, Georgia, and John I Rivers Associates as an architecture intern. 

Four alumni businesses were honored at the inaugural Rocky Top Business Awards. The company with the second-fastest growth rate was 128 percent at CB Design Group, a full-service architecture firm led by Wes Bridges (B. Arch ’96).  The winners were ranked by highest growth rate: 

  • 2nd: CB Design Group, Inc., is a full-service architecture firm specializing in the design of institutional, government, and other public projects. Bridges is the founder and principal owner of CB Design Group, Inc., and serves as the firm’s president and chief executive officer.
  • 23rd: George Armour Ewart, Architect, is an award-winning company impacting communities across East Tennessee and beyond. George Ewart (B. Arch ’88) serves as the principal architect.
  • 32nd: WorkSpace Interiors Inc. provides businesses, schools, and health care companies with commercial furnishing solutions. Robert Feathers (B. Arch ’86) serves as the president and chief executive officer.
  • 35th: As the experts in flood mitigation and prevention team, Orange Flood Control, LLC., has completed hundreds of successful projects, with years of experience preventing flooding in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings across the United States. Robert Adamo (B. Arch ’97) co-founded and serves as chief operating officer for the company. 

Applications for the Class of 2024 Volunteer 40 Under 40 are now open. Nominations for the 2024 Rocky Top Business Awards will open July 15. Learn more about events and programs for alumni.

Alumni gather at the inaugural Rocky Top Business Awards on Friday, May 5, 2023. From left to right: George Ewart, Robert Feathers, Wes Bridges and Robert Adamo.