Stewart is happy to announce the promotion of President Nick Ellis to the role of CEO. In his new capacity, Ellis will oversee business operations and drive forward the firm’s strategic vision to strengthen communities across the Southeast.
Outgoing CEO Willy Stewart will continue in his role as founder and chairman, where he will focus on expanding the firm’s regional presence and impact.
“Nick is an exceptional leader who has fully embraced Stewart’s core values of trust, humility, respect, excellence, accountability and discipline,” said Stewart. “His creativity and insights have already enhanced our services and brought added value to our clients, and I look forward to working alongside him and the rest of the executive leadership team as we move into this exciting next chapter.”
Under Ellis’ leadership as president, Stewart has streamlined business operations, achieved new efficiencies and strengthened relationships with clients.
“We continue to design and build the infrastructure that shapes communities — from hospitals of the future to next-generation workplaces and beautiful, inclusive parks,” said Ellis. “Our commitment to this meaningful work will continue to guide us as we grow and evolve as an organization.”
Ellis has more than three decades of experience in transportation, commercial real estate, economic development and construction. Before joining Stewart as president in 2023, he was a senior vice president at TranSystems, a Kansas City-based firm specializing in transportation planning, design and construction. He also held executive leadership roles at SEPI and spent 21 years at Kimley-Horn and Associates, one of the nation’s largest planning and design firms, where he was instrumental in driving the firm’s national expansion and growth.
Ellis’ commitment to shaping communities is also reflected in his nonprofit leadership. He is the former chairman of Living with Autism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization he co-founded in 2010 that provides services for adults with a range of developmental disabilities. He also serves as vice chair of Catapult, an organization dedicated to providing human resources advisory services across diverse industries.