DALLAS, Texas – Craig Beale, FAIA, FACHA, FACHE, named Jeff Stouffer, AIA, his successor as director of HKS’s healthcare practice. Beale, who has served as director for the past 12 years, will continue to lead the firm as part of its four-person executive committee and oversee its international healthcare practice.
Beale describes the transition as part of a well-established plan to position leadership for the future. “Leaders aren’t appointed, they emerge,” he said. “When selecting the next director, I looked for someone who had demonstrated natural leadership and that was very clearly Jeff. He is very strategic and has built the pediatric practice into one of the largest in the world. He also recognizes our need to be visionary and look to the future, providing our clients with the best in Lean delivery and cost-effective operational facility planning.”
As director of the healthcare practice, Stouffer’s responsibilities include directing the group’s administrative, financial, management and strategic planning.
Stouffer has dedicated his entire 27-year career to designing cutting-edge healthcare facilities in the U.S. and abroad. He believes the fusion of evidence-influenced design and flexible planning principles result in facilities that support the hospital’s mission and the staff’s operational goals.
As the practice leader for academic and pediatric health facilities, Stouffer has been responsible for master planning, programming and design of regional and national projects totaling over $10 billion in construction. He has also incorporated Lean/process improvement tenets into many of the firm’s projects, setting industry standards. He believes Lean design creates better outcomes, standardizes workflow and eliminates waste and reduces errors. He feels it’s safer for patients and the people who care for them. Stouffer is leading four major projects throughout the United States including the noted Akron Children’s Hospital.
Stouffer joined HKS in 1985. Beginning as an intern architect, he moved up the ranks through the healthcare design studios. In 2001, he was elected a principal and shareholder. In 2009, he was elected to the HKS Management Council. He speaks at industry meetings such as Children’s Hospital Association, American College of Healthcare Executives, ASHE-PDC, Healthcare Design and Healthcare Facilities Symposium conferences.
“Jeff has always been a leader in providing healthcare design services,” said Beale. “He helped define and promote healing environments, evidence-influenced design, staff and community inclusive visioning session and Lean concepts throughout the industry. His influence in developing the HKS healthcare practice is evident. He has served as a role model, mentor and thought leader. In addition, he has actively shaped the firm through his participation on the HKS executive management council.”
