LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 3, 2026). Schmidt Associates recently welcomed approximately 50 clients, employees, community partners, and friends to its Louisville office to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary and honor Arrasmith’s 100-year design legacy in Kentucky.

John Ramsey, Director of City Partnerships in the Louisville Mayor’s Office, attended the July 22 open house and presented Schmidt Associates with an official proclamation recognizing the milestone and the firm’s contributions to the community. “This celebration honors two important stories that have come together as one,” said Sarah Hempstead, CEO and Principal of Schmidt Associates. “We are celebrating 50 years of Schmidt Associates while recognizing the century of knowledge, relationships, and design excellence established by Arrasmith in Kentucky. That legacy remains an important part of who we are and how we serve communities throughout the region.”

Schmidt Associates was founded in Indianapolis in 1976. Arrasmith’s Kentucky legacy began in Louisville in 1926, when William Arrasmith and Herman Wischmeyer established the practice.

William Arrasmith became nationally recognized for his Art Moderne Greyhound bus stations, while the firm helped shape notable Louisville landmarks, including Bowman Field and the 800 Building. Arrasmith also established a longstanding legacy in healthcare, education, transportation, government, and sustainable design. Arrasmith joined Schmidt Associates in 2020, bringing together two firms with shared commitments to client service, community impact, and design excellence. Today, that century of history continues through Schmidt Associates’ Kentucky employees, clients, partnerships, and projects.

Guests explored the firms’ shared history through original drawings, project imagery, videos, employee stories, and a commemorative anniversary book. An interactive puzzle installation also invited attendees to share what they believe should matter most as Schmidt Associates looks toward its future.

The event also highlighted Founders Grove, a multi-year tree-planting initiative honoring the leaders who shaped Schmidt Associates and Arrasmith. The initiative began in 2025 with 50 native hardwood trees planted at New Bethel Elementary School in honor of Ron Fisher, a founding partner of Schmidt Associates. This fall, 50 more trees will be planted in Indiana in honor of Schmidt Associates founder Wayne Schmidt. An additional 50 trees will be planted in Kentucky in fall 2027 to recognize Arrasmith co-founder William Arrasmith and the legacy of the practice he established with Herman Wischmeyer. Schmidt Associates plans to continue the initiative in the years that follow, ultimately planting 300 trees in honor of the people and communities that shaped both firms.

Schmidt Associates will continue commemorating its anniversary through community initiatives, employee and client engagement, historical storytelling, leadership reflections, and programs focused on the firm’s next generation of impact.

To explore Schmidt Associates’ history and its Kentucky design legacy, visit schmidt-arch.com/50years.

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About Schmidt Associates
Schmidt Associates is a full-service architecture and engineering firm with offices in Indianapolis and Louisville. Grounded in servant leadership, the firm partners with organizations to create environments that support learning, healing, discovery, community, and human connection. Schmidt Associates combines strategic thinking, technical expertise, and collaborative design to help clients achieve lasting impact.