Longwood, Fla. (March 31, 2023) - Dix.Hite + Partners, a leading landscape architecture firm with offices based in Longwood, Fla., Birmingham, Ala., and Atlanta, Ga., announced that Kody Smith, PLA will serve as the firm's new chief executive officer.

 
Smith will replace Chris Hite, who co-founded the firm with Jeff Dix in 1996 and has served as CEO since 2009. Hite will continue to serve on Dix.Hite's board of directors and will remain involved with clients, project teams, and mentoring younger leaders within the firm.

"Dix.Hite was built on the pillars of equity and inclusion, helping to broaden diversity in the landscape architecture profession," said Chris Hite, outgoing CEO. "Kody exemplifies Dix.Hite's ethos in every way, and I am proud to pass our torch to such a capable leader. There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of Dix.Hite, and as long-planned transitions take place before our eyes, our ability to push boundaries with our work and serve our employees, clients, and community is stronger than ever."

Smith joined Dix.Hite in 2013 and quickly grew into a respected leader in the firm. He has been tapped for high-profile projects such as the Pulse Interim Memorial and Starkey Ranch, a 2,500-acre master-planned community in Odessa, Fla., and has played an integral part in Dix.Hite's 2022 transition from private ownership to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

"A theme throughout the history of Dix.Hite's growth has been our commitment to what makes us unique," said Kody Smith, incoming CEO. "Our DNA of designing for life is the cornerstone of our firm, and Chris has laid an incredibly solid foundation to build upon as we continue to focus on our craft, serve our employees and community, and harness the spirit of the land to connect people to places."