[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21646]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF RICHARD LESLIE COMBS

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                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 23, 2008

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
exemplary career of Denver architect Mr. Richard Leslie Combs, who will 
be retiring at the end of this year. Throughout his career, Mr. Combs 
has made significant contributions to the practice of architecture on 
the local and national levels.
  Richard Leslie Combs was born in Glendale, California on July 17, 
1945. The son of Leslie and Annabelle Combs, Dick grew up in Hereford, 
Texas with his brothers Greg and Brent. In 1970, Mr. Combs obtained a 
Bachelor of Architecture degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, 
Texas. Shortly after graduation, he relocated to Denver, Colorado where 
in January 1971 he was hired by the office of Charles S. Sink, 
Architect. Serving in the role of project architect and project 
manager, Mr. Combs' contribution to the office was immediate and he was 
named an associate that same year.
  As a licensed architect with his certification from the National 
Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he managed some 
of the firm's most influential projects, including the McNichols Sports 
Arena. Upon its completion in 1975, McNichols was hailed as one of the 
first major league event centers in the country and quickly became an 
iconic piece of architecture for the city of Denver.
  In 1979, Mr. Combs became a principle of the firm, whose name was 
changed to Sink Combs and Associates. He served as Vice President and 
Secretary and acted as the firm's quality control officer, ensuring 
that the work executed by the firm was of the highest professional 
standard. During this time, Mr. Combs oversaw projects such as the 
Panorama Point Office Building, 183 Inverness Office Building, SOCO 
Place, and 1900 Grant Office Building.
  In 1985, with the addition of Don Dethlefs as a principal, the firm--
now Sink Combs Dethlefs and Associates--began to expand its sports 
architecture expertise throughout the local and national markets and in 
Canada, completing projects such as the Fargodome in Fargo, North 
Dakota, the San Jose Arena, which is now known as the HP Pavilion, the 
Save Mart Center at Fresno State University, and the MTS Centre in 
Winnipeg, Canada. The successful completion of those projects enabled 
Mr. Combs and the firm and to build a national reputation for 
exceptional client service, cost-effective building design, and 
expertise in sports and recreation architecture.
  With the retirement of Charles S. Sink, Mr. Combs naturally assumed 
the role of the firm's leader. He became responsible for managing the 
company and nurturing relationships with the community, clients, and 
firm employees. Under his leadership the depth of experience and 
breadth of knowledge of the firm has expanded. His has retained key 
employees and groomed the firm for growth by naming Andy Barnard a 
Principal in 1993 and Chris Kastelic a Principal in 2004.
  Mr. Combs' accomplishments reach far beyond the projects he has 
managed. Through his warm and caring nature, he has attracted and 
trained a new generation of architects and fostered an atmosphere of 
camaraderie within the office. He has mentored numerous young 
architects through their career paths encouraging personal growth, 
accountability, and public duty. He has demonstrated that architecture 
is not just about designing buildings but about serving clients and the 
community. Under his leadership, the firm has won numerous design 
awards and has participated in countless charitable pursuits and 
community outreach programs.
  Richard Combs is a leading architect and businessman in Denver. He is 
the current President for the Denver Chapter of the American Institute 
of Architects, where he is working to promote sustainable, energy 
efficient building design, including resource conservation. As Congress 
increases its efforts to promote green buildings, his guidance has been 
extremely valuable.
  Richard Combs has contributed over thirty-seven years of service to 
the practice of architecture while maintaining a rich and fulfilling 
personal life. Dick is married to Sue Combs and has three children--
Leslie, Patrick and Daniel, and one granddaughter, Sadie.
  He is retiring from a career that has left an outstanding legacy. I 
want to join his partners, employees, friends, and family in expressing 
my respect and appreciation and wishing him many well-deserved years of 
health, rest and relaxation.

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