October 21, 2009
Stiles Chief Operating Officer Stephen R. Palmer Inducted into University of Florida Construction Hall of Fame
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Stephen R. Palmer, chief operating officer for the Stiles commercial real estate organization, has been inducted into the University of Florida’s Construction Hall of Fame.
The University’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction inducted Palmer into its Construction Hall of Fame in an October 17 ceremony at the Gainesville campus. Since 1982, the Hall of Fame has honored distinguished leaders who have earned the esteem of their peers, contributed to the construction of quality buildings and made a difference in the industry and community throughout their careers.
Palmer launched his construction career as an estimator at Stiles in 1979, after graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in Building Construction. He served as president of Stiles Construction for 12 years, and was named Chief Operating Officer for Stiles Corporation in 1994. He has managed Stiles’ corporate revenue growth from roughly $4 million to more than $360 million during his tenure, and is responsible for leadership and organizational and strategic planning for the statewide, full-service real estate development, construction and investment firm. He oversees operating divisions including development, construction, architecture, realty and property management.
“It’s wonderful to see Steve recognized for his unique roles in shaping our company, our community and our industry for so many years,” said Stiles Chairman and CEO Terry Stiles. “He keeps expanding his scope, taking on the next big challenge, but he’s still that 26-year-old who impressed me from the start – driven by a passion to ‘do right’ and help the people around him build confidence and strength.”
A hands-on leader in both the industry and wider community, Palmer is past president of Kids in Distress, Habitat for Humanity of Broward and the Executives’ Association of Fort Lauderdale. Through the years, the Weston resident has been recognized with awards including “Citizen of the Year” from the Building and Office Managers Association, “Crystal Butterfly” from Kids in Distress and “Spirit of Broward” from the Broward Economic Development Council.
Stiles is a full-service commercial real estate firm with a clear mission: Invest, Build and Manage. The company’s services include acquisitions, financing, development, design, construction, repositioning, realty, leasing and property management services. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, the company has additional regional offices in Miami, Tampa, Ft. Myers and Orlando, Florida. Stiles is responsible for more than 37 million square feet of office, industrial, retail and mixed-use residential projects throughout the southeastern United States. For more information, please visit www.stiles.com or call 954-627-9377.
For information on the Construction Hall of Fame and the M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction see http://www.bcn.ufl.edu.
About the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction
Housed in the University of Florida’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, the Rinker School is dedicated to construction science and management and is committed to excellence in education and research. Established in 1935, it is the oldest school of construction in the U.S. and the first program to receive accreditation from the American Council for Construction Education (1975). Twenty faculty members teach and guide the School's 500 undergraduate and 120 graduate students. The School’s new building, Rinker Hall, is the 26th building to have been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.