Principal and Senior Vice President
HKS, Inc.
Jim Whitaker is a 26-year industry veteran in both design and construction executive roles. As principal and senior vice president at HKS, Inc., one of the country’s largest architectural and engineering firms, Mr. Whitaker leads the federal government and design-build practices. His portfolio of work includes large-scale, complex projects throughout the United States. He is a licensed architect, NCARB-certified for nationwide reciprocity, and a DBIA certified professional.
Mr. Whitaker also serves on the Advisory Board of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Project Delivery Knowledge Community. This group, formerly known as the Design-Build Knowledge Community, provides a resource to AIA members for best practices of alternative, integrated project delivery methods. Mr. Whitaker lives in North Carolina and is an active member of the DBIA Southeastern Region.
Mr. Whitaker is a requested speaker by industry groups and at universities. His no-nonsense communication style and aggressive leadership skills are recognized by peers and industry groups, where he is considered a design-build expert. He has presented to various groups, including AIA, DBIA, AACE, ASCE, AOD, collegiate architecture and engineering programs and law firms on a variety of topics including design-build project delivery, alternative careers for design professionals, effective design-build teaming arrangements, dispute resolution strategies and environmentally sustainable design..