Meet Wynord Thomas Jr.

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wynord Thomas Jr.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Wynord, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I grew up in a family of five. My dad was the breadwinner, my mom was the homemaker, while my brother and sister were my inspiration to be an aspiration.

As a young child, I can recall seeing my dad arrive home, visibly exhausted from a long shift. Yet, he always arrived with an unforced smile to the sounds of my siblings and I calling out with excitement, “Daddy’s home!” Each time, no matter how exhausted, he managed time to pour the best of himself into our family. While my dad has proved himself to be a real-life superhero, the inspirations behind my work ethic cannot be stated without also mentioning my mom. The heroine to my story, my mom instilled in me the importance of perseverance, accountability, academia, humility, and effort.

Through the lessons taught to me, by my parents, I have learned to put forth the best version of myself in everything I do.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My upbringing and experiences growing up in a small Louisiana community shaped me as a designer. My experiences run parallel with my inspirations, as my experiences give fuel to my inspirations – the schools, the mom-and-pop stores, the homes, the offices, all with strong remnants of the past but disconnected from a modernized world. I always wondered what I could do to help better the built environment of my local community. That curiosity, in part, placed me on the path of architecture.

I believe an architect’s role in society is to build responsibly with the focus of improving not only the way we experience buildings, but the way our buildings also interact with its environment and community. Each experience is intended to be of positive influence and inspirations to generations that follow.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Former co-worker Mark J. Quinones was a mentor to me. From him, I learned about patience through design, attention to details, and the importance of sharing knowledge. Watching Mark and having him take me under his wing, I learned that we are the directors of our own destinations, and we should make no excuses. Our experiences should always motivate us. I also learned that the connections we make with each project’s team (consultant, clients, etc.) go beyond just architecture. The ability to be relatable is important to the relationships we develop.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Sometimes, we avoid the real conversations that need to be had – it’s a regular occurrence in both our personal and professional lives.

When I read “Crucial Conversations,” I became aware of my past tendency to either ignore or steer clear of the tough conversations I may need to have. Through the exercise of identifying and writing down the conversations I had been avoiding, identifying the issues, and outlining a plan to engage in appropriate dialogue, I have been able to resolve built-up tension, and positively reinforce my personal and professional relationships. The rug that was once a mound is now a rug again.

Additionally, in a profession where there are not many leaders who look like me or come from similar backgrounds, I find myself at a crossroads. The world is challenging. While there are steps being made to diversify the design profession, there remains more progress to be made.

I recently participated in “Leader Flow,” a leadership-development program that gives voice to minorities within the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. Through my participation in the program and speaking with others about my challenges, I gained confidence in my leadership abilities.

With the help of work colleagues and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) – HBCU Professional Development Program, I hope to further develop mentoring relationships with minority students who are interested in professional careers within the design industry. Through planting seeds of knowledge directly within our communities and spreading awareness of the design industry, I believe we can instill in others the ability to better the environment of their local communities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://coarchitects.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynord-thomas-jr-b79a7529