Ellerbe Becket began its life as two seemingly disparate firms. One was Ellerbe & Company, a solid Midwestern firm – led by a father and son – that offered a rigorous approach to work and dedication to serving significant healthcare, institutional, and corporate clients across the country. The other was Welton Becket and Associates, a Los Angeles-based firm that counted Hollywood luminaries, world leaders, and titans of industry among its clients. One common denominator between the two organizations was the strength and visionary leadership of the firm founders. These individuals set the stage for the development of an authentic, sustainable practice, one that has endured for 100 years and is poised to flourish in its second century.