HFA (Harrison French & Associates, LTD) recently named Courtney Ayres, NCIDQ, RID, as a Senior Team Lead, heading up the team of architects and designers that support the Walmart team at HFA. Prior to this appointment, Ayres has been integral in leading the Walmart team alongside two other architectural Team Leads for more than a year.
“Courtney brings her unique experience of working within Walmart before her time at HFA and closely understands their ways of operation, allowing us to meet and often anticipate their needs,” said Vice President, Bo Ebbrecht, AIA, RIBA, NCARB. He adds, “Courtney has gained the trust of Walmart and our partners by adapting quickly to their ever-evolving needs. Plus, through her demonstrated passion for mentorship and team development she will ensure the success of future leaders here at HFA.”
Ayres has been a licensed Interior Designer in the state of Arkansas since 2010, and she uses that unique knowledge combined with her architectural experience to help build a more aesthetically pleasing environment that she hopes makes both her clients and their customers happy.
Before her time at HFA, Ayres worked at the Walmart Home Office as a Design Execution Manager. Ayres feels that this experience has shaped the way she thinks about the “why” behind many design and merchandising decisions Walmart makes. She can use this unique insight to mentor her internal team, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the client’s needs and ultimately providing them with better service.
Ayres says that she is most looking forward to continuing to develop her leadership skills within HFA in the coming weeks and months as she becomes more comfortable in this new role and strengthening the client relationship she has with current stakeholders and new clients along the way.
“I’m a firm believer in servant leadership and feel my people-minded approach will lend itself well to building a team of even more capable and confident people. By supporting our team members and providing the necessary tools and training to allow them to perform at a higher level, we will be able to exceed our client’s expectations and provide an unmatched level of quality service and products,” said Ayres.
Ayres says she and her team are eager to build upon streamlined processes and provide thought leadership for new and innovative projects for years to come, further elevating the decades-long relationship HFA has cultivated with Walmart.
Contact: Daryl Whitmer, Director of Business Development, (479) 273−7780 ext. 274 or daryl.whitmer@hfa-ae.com.
