The University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture Hall of Fame (GCA HOF) recognizes a select number of high-character individuals who have made a significant and lasting positive impact over time to Gibbs College (GCA), its students, staff, faculty, alumni, and/or to communities across the globe. The impact may have been, or continues to be, in the form of service and mentorship, sustained professional excellence, and/or advancement and financial support. Jack Crowley is part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.
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Born January 29, 1945, in New Haven, Connecticut, Jack Crowley was the eldest of seven boys and the first in his family to attend college. He delivered newspapers and worked on a dairy farm throughout high school.
Drafted in 1965 for the Vietnam conflict, he specialized in Arabic language for the Army Security Agency before attending Officer Candidate School and commissioning in Field Artillery. After four years of service, he left the military in 1969.
With more than 150 credit hours from six different institutions—but no degree—Jack went on to earn his B.A. in History/Art History in 1970, his Master of Regional and City Planning in 1973, and his Ph.D. in Urban Geography with a specialization in Urban Hydrology in 1977, all at the University of Oklahoma.
As a Ph.D. student and planning intern, he taught Art History at OU and later became Seminole, Oklahoma’s first City Planner. As Chief Planner for Oklahoma State Parks, he authored the system’s first comprehensive plan before joining the University of Georgia to teach Landscape Architecture.
In 1978, Jack returned to Oklahoma as Executive Director of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, later joining Williams Companies as Vice President of Development Research, Planning, and Design. In this role, he oversaw major urban projects, including Tulsa’s Williams Center and Kansas City’s Crown Center Phase II.
A brochure showing images of the Williams Center in Tulsa.
Following the 1987 real estate crash, Jack founded Urban Tech, Inc., and was later appointed Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation under Governor Walters. At ODOT, he provided programming for the I-44 Skelly Bypass and the I-40 corridor.
In 1996, Jack returned to Georgia as Dean of the College of Environment and Design, where he founded the Graduate Studio program in Urban Planning and Design. He continues to advise students in Transportation Planning and Design and has been elected to fellowships in both professions.
In 2006, while working for the University of Oklahoma, Jack served as Urban Development Advisor to Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor. During this time, he developed the Downtown Master Plan for Tulsa and created plans along Tulsa Riverparks that laid the groundwork for the city’s nationally recognized Gathering Place.
Jack Crowley at his desk.
Jack has also established and supported significant scholarships at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Georgia, and Zamorano University in Honduras. Today, he continues serving on numerous boards focused on public infrastructure and is active in redeveloping the historic mill town of Porterdale, Georgia.
Throughout his career, Jack’s commitment to education and public service has been a defining theme. From spearheading urban design projects to mentoring the next generation of planners, his leadership has left an enduring mark on the institutions and communities he has served.
Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to celebrate a series of recent accomplishments by Dr. Jim Collard, Professor of Practice in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design, whose work continues to shape conversations around Indigenous economic development nationally and internationally.
University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Dean Hans E. [PA1.1]Butzer returned to one of his most significant works on December 15, joining survivors and past and present board members for the groundbreaking of a $15.8 million expansion of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
