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Company History
from HOK Statehouse Qualifications
by HOK
HOK traces its roots back to 1949, when Co-Founder George Hellmuth joined two partners to form the architectural firm Hellmuth, Yamasaki and Leinweber. When that partnership dissolved in 1955, Mr. Hellmuth recruited two of his star employees—design deputy Gyo Obata and production deputy George Kassabaum – to lead a new fledgling practice based in St. Louis, Missouri, and bearing the names of the three gentlemen. Advocating diversity in terms of clients, building types, services and locations, their vision positioned HOK remarkably well to adapt to the changing global landscape which has grown to become the world’s highest ranked international design firm.
