This year is a big milestone for CSHQA, representing 135 years of providing clients with top-notch architecture, engineering, interior design, and landscape design services throughout Idaho and across the nation. To celebrate this achievement, we are reflecting on the firm’s more than a century-long history and the steps that have contributed to the ongoing success of CSHQA.
How CSHQA Got Started
CSHQA began as a one-man, one-room operation in 1889. At that time, the firm was named William S. Campbell Architects after the founding owner; today, the firm has grown to over 100 professionals with four locations and a list of thousands of completed projects across the country. After a series of name changes, the firm was finally named as CSHQA in 1985, representing the last names of the four head Architects at the time—Cline, Smull, Hamill, and Quintieri Associates.
CSHQA’s Notable Projects – Building Boise
CSHQA has had a notable impact in building the City of Boise. Some of the firm’s work includes: the Telephone Building constructed in 1899 (now the Borah Station USPS) which is part of Boise’s Historic District National Register; the Idanha Hotel built in 1900, a French-chateau styled building that has been visited by many well-known figures, celebrities, and U.S. presidents and is also listed on Boise’s historic register; the Central Fire Station built in 1903 which was later converted for commercial use – for a time, it was CSHQA’s headquarters – another addition to the historic register; and the former Idaho Statesman Building constructed in 1910 in Boise’s Historic District. With established decades-long relationships, the firm’s architects, engineers, and interior design team have also done extensive work at the Boise Airport and the historic Idaho Capitol Building.
The Beginning of A New Chapter
In the summer of 2018, CSHQA became 100% employee-owned. Discussion around the ownership structure change began two years earlier, as the retirement of multiple key stockholders was fast approaching.
In 2021, the firm embarked on a Growth Transformation Initiative that led to leadership restructuring. Following several months of careful planning and consultation with the company’s Board of Directors, the process to select a new leadership team began. The new structure replaced the previous role of President with a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the previous VP of Operations role with a Chief Operations Officer (COO), and introduced new Vice President roles for Architecture, Engineering, and Business Development. Principal Architect Mark Gier was named as the VP of Architecture and Amy Dockter, Engineering Principal was named as the VP of Engineering. In 2023, the firm brought on Shiloh Shaver as the new VP of Business Development; also brought on was Jonathan Bigham as the new COO and Ryan Martin as the new CEO – unprecedented roles within the company. The change was in line with the firm’s new growth initiatives to capitalize on current and future successes and transition to a more transparent, metrics-driven, and business-minded enterprise.
Recently, CSHQA also announced the new leadership position of Associate Principal; a role for the next generation of leaders with specific sectors and market focuses to provide an opportunity for team members to transition from leading projects and teams, to eventually leading vertical business markets. Jason Brunson, PE; Robert Martinez, PE, LEED AP; Scott Hopkins, AIA, LEED AP; Katie Butler, AIA; and Danielle Weaver, AIA were the first staff named to the new position.
CSHQA LEED Projects
While CSHQA is the oldest architectural firm in the Gem State, it hasn’t stopped the brilliant professionals who work here from continuing to innovate. The firm has become a leading example in producing energy-efficient and sustainable designs, with multiple Gold and Platinum LEED-certified projects. One such example is the firm’s Boise headquarters; formerly a vacant warehouse from the 1950s, now a renovated building utilizing Boise’s geothermal energy to reduce costs and optimize the natural resources nearby. It was also the first platinum LEED-registered building in the adaptive reuse category in Idaho.
CSHQA remains grateful to its employee-owners and clients who have helped to propel the firm’s growth and develop the next generation of industry leaders—we hope to continue serving the community and look forward to the future success of the firm.
