Richard H. McNeel, NCARB, AIA, LEED AP, of Jackson, Mississippi, was first appointed to the Mississippi State Board of Architecture in 2004 and has since served multiple terms as its chair and vice chair. After serving 9 years on Region 3’s leadership team, 2 years as its Chair, McNeel was elected to serve on the NCARB Board of Directors in 2021 as the Region 3 director.
McNeel began offering his time and expertise to NCARB’s volunteer initiatives in 2006, as a member of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) Subcommittee. Since then, McNeel has been a valuable member of the Examination, Policy Advisory, Regional Leadership, Audit, Futures committees, as well as the Program Continuum Advisory Collaborative. He has chaired the organization’s Policy Advisory Committee, Interior Architecture Work Groups, and ARE 4.0 Forms Assembly Task Force. In addition, McNeel has served multiple task forces and represented NCARB on several National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) review teams.
McNeel is the president of JBHM Architects, a full-service design firm serving the Mississippi area. He has been an active volunteer in the profession for over 40 years, including Board service as Chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Mississippi chapter; and Mississippi State University’s (MSU) Advisory Council for its College of Architecture, Art, and Design; and more.
He is licensed in 13 states and received his NCARB Certificate in 1984. He was one of the first emerging architecture professionals to complete the Intern Development Program (IDP) in 1982, and was presented the NCARB President’s Medal for Distinguished Service in 2019 by then-President David L. Hoffman, FAIA, NCARB, Hon. FCARM.