41 A Conversation with Noel Griffith, Jr. - Architect A Legacy Based on Friendships and Landmark Designs Shortly after completing the Cheyenne Municipal Court Building in the late summer of 2020, Noel Griffith, Jr. retired. His career spanned over 50 years. Noel’s touch can be seen in building designs across Cheyenne. His architectural philosophy always revolved around more than serving the basic needs of his clients. He listened and was attentive to their wants, and his collaborative approach took projects through every stage, from the initial design to the final ribbon-cutting. AIA Wyoming recently interviewed Noel about his career and life and enjoyed getting to know him. The following is a recap of our conversation. Where are you from originally? I’m from Omaha, Nebraska. Please tell us about your family (past and present). My parents gave me a wonderful childhood. They taught me how to work and were very instrumental in getting me to be who I am today. I have one brother who is also retired; he lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and is a tremendous person. My first wife and I were married for 53 years before she died of long-term cancer. We have three children, Troy Griffth, Nicole Griffith Hefele and Shad Griffith. We have five grandchildren. My current wife, Fran, and I enjoy traveling and keeping busy in our community. When and why did you decide to become an architect? During my ninth-grade year in high school, an architect spoke to our drafting class. I saw him as a good example of an architect helping his community and the profession. He was a wonderful gentleman, and I decided I wanted to be an architect. A general building contractor named Keith Tobias hired me to do design and drafting work while I was still in high school. He was my first boss and mentor. I worked there while I was a student and continued working there after CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 college graduation. We did large-scale residential and a little bit of small-scale commercial. I worked for him for eight years, and boy, did I learn. He taught me how to work with clients, work harder as a designer and architect, and run a business. He gave me a great deal of business knowledge. Once I was in college, my experiences with subcontractors greatly assisted me in learning the various aspects of architecture. It is important to love your work. I still can’t think of a better profession than architecture, and I loved every minute of my work. Please tell us about your education. I graduated from Omaha Benson High School in 1960, attended the University of Omaha for two and a half years, transferred to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1963, and graduated from the College of Architecture in 1967. How long have you been a member of AIA Wyoming? How did your membership benefit your career? When I moved to Wyoming in 1974, I attended AIA meetings with my partners. I was a member on and off throughout my career until I retired in 2020. AIA Wyoming’s standards and goals required me to practice as a professional. The association gave me goals and direction and increased my desire to help my community. I loved everything I’ve done for and with the community, and I intend to continue contributing now that I am retired. As humans, we all need to get involved in our community. I learned that from my parents, bosses and associates, and I taught it to my children. All my children are involved in community service. Architects can be leaders within their communities, but whether someone is an architect or not, they need to get out and help do wonderful things. Please tell us about your first company, Noel Griffith Jr. & Associates. I started the first company to have that name in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1968. Then I moved the company to Cheyenne and was in a partnership for two years as part of John Freed and Associates. I started my own office in 1975. From then until 2018, the company’s name was usually Noel Griffith Jr. and Associates. Please tell us about Winters Griffith Architects. I looked for 15 years to find the right person to hand off my company to before I retired. During that time, I turned down two to three
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