John A. Hawkins, FAIA, Principal for TowerPinkster, has been elevated to The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2024 College of Fellows. Architects who have made significant contributions to the profession and society, and who exemplify architectural excellence can receive the distinction – only 3% of AIA members have this level of membership.

Hawkins is one of the only members from the AIA Southern Indiana Chapter to receive the honor thus far and the only AIA member from Indiana to be named a fellow in 2024.

“This award is incredibly humbling,” Hawkins said. “It is truly a team award because so many people have made it possible to combine our professional work with a commitment to public service. I’m honored to represent southern Indiana as one of the newest members of the AIA College of Fellows.”

Hawkins has designed and managed over 2,000 projects across 22 states in both the public and private sectors. His projects have received national, state, and local awards for quality and innovative design. His work includes many high-performance projects, including FEMA P-361 certified safe rooms, LEED Silver, Gold, and Platinum-certified projects, and Net Zero designs.

Hawkins’ broad portfolio of architectural work is paired with a dedication to public service. From 2005 to 2017, he served on the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission under three different governors and was chairman from 2013 to 2017. In this role, he led the adoption of new building and energy codes for the state, the sunsetting of outdated and duplicate regulations, and an increase in transparency and efficiency of the state code variance process. He currently serves on the 2024 Indiana Building Code Committee.

Hawkins manages TowerPinker’s New Albany office alongside Hal Kovert, AIA, Amanda Hunsucker, IIDA, and Kyle Wilson, AIA. In late 2021, Kovert Hawkins Architects, a long-standing firm in southern Indiana established in 1985, merged with TowerPinkster, a leading design firm from Michigan. The firm now employs more than 200 staff members across five offices in Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky and is a regional leader in design. Examples of the firm’s local work include the Lynn Family Sports Vision+ Training Center in Louisville, The Elsby Hotel in New Albany, Lottie Oglesby Park in Jeffersonvil