HISTORY
For more than 60 years, McCarty Holsaple McCarty (MHM) has shaped the built environment across East Tennessee and the Southeast as a leading architecture, interior design, and planning firm. Founded in 1965 by Bruce McCarty and Robert Holsaple as Bruce McCarty and Associates, the firm continues to build on their legacy — evolving to serve growing communities and create places that enrich daily life, while remaining grounded in a commitment to thoughtful, enduring design.
McCarty’s vision continues to shape the way MHM approaches design, community, and collaboration. The following timeline captures key milestones and projects that reflect the firm’s evolution and lasting impact on Knoxville and the region.
1957 Bruce McCarty selected to design “House that HOME Built” for NBC’s “Home Show.”
1965 Bruce McCarty and Associates is established.
1970 Bruce McCarty proposes establishing the Community Design Center.
1972 McCarty selected to design the Knoxville City County Building with Lindsey and Maples.
1975 McCarty wins a two-stage competition for the University of Tennessee Art and Architecture Building.
1976 McCarty becomes Executive Architect for the design of the 1982 World’s Fair.
1984 Doug McCarty becomes president.
1990 Doug McCarty, Bill Blakenship, Jeff Johnson, and Rick Norris become directors.
1996 Bruce McCarty receives AIA ETN Gold Medal.
1999 MHM is selected as the design architect for McGhee Tyson Airport.
2000 David Collins becomes a director.
2002 MHM selected as architect for Knoxville Convention Center.
2005 MHM selected as architect for Neyland Stadium renovations.
2006 MHM selected as architect for the historic Tennessee Theatre renovation.
2009 Doug McCarty receives the AIA ETN Gold Medal.
2010 MHM selected as the architect for the new UT Student Center in a joint venture with BMA.
2014 MHM selected as architect for The Daniel historic renovation.
2015 Margaret Butler, Nathan Honeycutt, Barbara Tallent, John Thurman, Li Wang, and Scott Webb become directors.
2017 MHM renovates office in the Bank of America building.
2019 Jeff Johnson receives the AIA ETN Gold Medal.
2020 Margaret Butler, Nathan Honeycutt, John Thurman, and Li Wang, become firm principals.
2021 Doug McCarty recognized as an AIA Fellow.
2022 MHM selected to partner with Hennebery Eddy Architects on the design for the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont’s second campus project - MHM’s first Living Building Challenge.
2023 MHM’s inaugural research project receives a Citation Award at the AIA East Tennessee Awards Gala.
2024 R. Aaron Miller becomes a firm principal.
2025 Doug McCarty receives the William Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award.
2025 MHM named Preservationists of the Year by Knox Heritage at annual Scruffy City Soiree.
2025 60th Anniversary of MHM - Firm renovates and moves into new office space at the Historic Sanitary Laundry Building | 625 N Broadway.
Today, that influence continues through the people, projects, and partnerships that define MHM. Guided by a belief that design has the power to shape communities, the firm remains committed to creating places that enrich daily life and leave each place better than we found it.