The Foundation Behind Over 30 Years of Design: Gail O'Connor Receives ASLA Honorary Membership
Some of the most influential people in landscape architecture never put pen to tracing paper. This year, Dix.Hite + Partners is proud to celebrate one of those people.
Our Chief Financial Officer, Gail O'Connor, has been inducted as an Honorary Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), one of the highest honors the organization bestows on individuals outside the profession. Since Honorary Membership was established in 1899, only 271 people have received this distinction, recognizing non-landscape architects whose service has significantly advanced the profession.
As Dix.Hite Founder Jeff Dix shared in his letter supporting Gail's nomination:
"She has been foundational to not only our firm's success, but to the innovation and refinement of best business practices in the field of landscape architecture."
For those who know Gail, the recognition couldn't be more fitting.
Make it stand out
A Career Built Alongside Dix.Hite
When Jeff Dix founded his landscape architecture practice in 1994, Gail O'Connor was there from the very beginning, helping build the business foundation that would eventually become Dix.Hite + Partners. Over the next three decades, she helped shape nearly every chapter of the firm's story, growing alongside the company from the firm’s bookkeeper to Chief Financial Officer, while serving as one of its most trusted leaders.
Today, it's difficult to imagine Dix.Hite without Gail.
She has guided the firm through decades of growth, multiple leadership transitions, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) conversion, economic shifts, and countless strategic decisions. Through it all, she has remained a steady voice within the firm that is a testament to the truth that great design requires a strong foundation.
The Business Behind Great Design
Although Gail isn't a landscape architect, she has spent her career making landscape architects more successful.
She has championed transparent financial leadership, collaborative strategic planning, individual professional development, and holistic business education, helping designers understand not just how to create meaningful places, but how to build sustainable careers and resilient practices. Her leadership has strengthened the organizational systems that allow creativity, innovation, and thoughtful design to flourish.
As Dix.Hite CEO Kody Smith shared in his nomination:
"Design excellence cannot be separated from business excellence."
That philosophy has become part of Dix.Hite's culture because of Gail's leadership.
A Lasting Impact on the Profession
The effects of Gail's work reach far beyond our office walls.
Her leadership has helped create the stability that allowed Dix.Hite to invest in sustainability initiatives, pro bono community projects, employee development, and award-winning design. She has supported nationally recognized efforts like the OUTSIDE Collaborative, guided the firm's transition to employee ownership, and helped cultivate a workplace where people build meaningful careers that span decades.
As ASLA Florida Past President Alexander Fenech wrote in support of her nomination:
"While not a landscape architect herself, she has been a tireless advocate for the value of landscape architecture... empowering landscape architects to produce sustainable, award-winning projects that embody the mission and values of ASLA."
Dix.Hite Founding Partner Christina Hite echoed that sentiment, noting that Gail has always believed good design and good business are inseparable, helping create an environment where designers can focus on building resilient communities while knowing the firm itself is built to endure.
More Than a CFO
Anyone who has worked with Gail knows her influence extends far beyond finance.
She is a mentor, teacher, strategic thinker, culture builder, and one of the first people to celebrate a teammate's success. She has invested in people as intentionally as she has invested in the firm itself, helping generations of landscape architects grow into stronger professionals and stronger leaders.
Her fingerprints may not be found on construction drawings, but throughout Dix.Hite's 30-year legacy in the people, culture, and values that have made that work possible.
A Well-Deserved Honor
Receiving Honorary Membership from ASLA is an extraordinary achievement, but for those who have had the privilege of working alongside Gail, it feels like a long-overdue recognition.
This honor celebrates not only her remarkable career, but also the often unseen leadership that allows landscape architecture to thrive.
Congratulations, Gail, on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you for over 30 years of leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to the people and profession of landscape architecture.
