COLUMBIA, South Carolina, April 25, 2019 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, announced that Ashby Gressette and Adriane McGillis were two of 24 individuals recently named to the inaugural list of icons and phenoms by the Columbia Regional Business Report. Gressette took home the Icon award in the Columbia community while McGillis was honored as a Phenom.
These first-time awards recognize the individuals for their influence in the community. The Columbia Regional Business Report announced the award recipients at a luncheon in Columbia on April 11. The honorees were nominated by Business Report readers and selected by a panel of judges. Among this year’s honorees were professionals in nonprofits, architecture, real estate, banking, law, and hospitality.
Gressette, AIA, principal, is a proud and long-term Columbia resident who has been instrumental in the architecture and design of several of the city’s most popular and iconic pieces of architecture. At SSOE, Gressette reviews all projects undertaken by the firm, serving as principal-in-charge on several commissions in the corporate, pre-K-12 and higher education sectors. Having worked on project types in a variety of industries, Gressette is heavily involved in developing the conceptual design and initial studies for the firm’s leading projects – projects that include the Main Street District’s Meridian office building and the Columbia Museum of Art (CMA).
McGillis, AIA, senior associate, architect, has more than 10 years of experience in the design industry and works on a variety of projects ranging in size from 6,000-square feet to 150,000-square feet. Her responsibilities include project management, mentoring interns, coordinating project teams, and collaborating with clients to create innovative spaces. McGillis has worked in nearly every sector of the industry, including higher education, healthcare, and judicial. This year, she serves as President of the American Institute of Architect’s Columbia chapter.
“Ashby and Adriane represent the values and mission we embody here at SSOE,” said Robby Aull, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, principal and president of SSOE’s South Carolina office. “We are proud of these two individuals for their contributions to not only the architecture industry but also the Columbia community and thank the Columbia Regional Business Report for giving us the opportunity to celebrate them.”
