Résumé

Service, US Navy, c. 1946-1947.

Project Engineer, Busch-Copenhagen Company, Portland, OR, c. 1953-1955.

Draftsman/Supervisor, Robert Billsbrough Price, Architect, Tacoma, WA, 1956-1960.

Prinicpal, James M. Harris, Architect, Tacoma, WA, 1960-1961.

Partner, Harris and [William] Reed, Architects, Tacoma, WA, c. 1961, 1962-1967.

Partner, Harris, Reed and [Benjamin] Wilson, Architects, Tacoma, WA, 1961-1962.

Partner, Harris, Reed and [Theodore] Litzenberger, Architects, Tacoma, WA, 1967- .

Partner, Harris [James] Tsang Architects, Tacoma, WA.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), SW Washington Chapter.

President, AIA, SW Washington Chapter, 1973.

Member, AIA, National Board of Directors, Washington, DC, 1976.

Vice-President, AIA, National, Washington DC, 1979. According to former AIA Seattle Director, Marga Rose Hancock: "His AIA service extended to China, Australia, New Zealand, a NW Regional Conference in Helsinki, and UIA Congresses in Cairo, Egypt and Brighton, England." (See MargaInk.com. "James W. Harris," accessed 10/28/2020.)

President, Downtown Association, Tacoma, WA.

Founder, Downtown Area Revitalization Task (DART) Force, Tacoma, WA.

Founder, University of Oregon (U of O), School of Architecture and Allied Arts, Board of Visitors.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1979.

Recipient, American Institute of Architects, Medal of Honor, 2004.

College

Coursework in engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, two summers.

B.Arch., University of Oregon (U of O), School of Architecture and Allied Arts, Eugene, OR, 1948-1953.

Relocation

Harris was born in Lead, SD, in 1928, a small town in Lawrence County, where he graduated from high school. After high school, he took summer courses in engineering at the University of Wyoming in Larimie. (See Michael Houser, Docomomo WeWA.org, "Harris, James M. (1928- )," accessed 03/22/2016.) This was either in the summers of 1946 and 1947 or 1947 and 1948. He matriculated at the University of Oregon in Eugene, where he studied from 1948 until 1953.

After his graduation, Harris moved to Portland, OR, to work for the engineering firm, the Busch-Copenhagen Company. He spent about three years here, before migrating north to take a job with Robert Billsbrough Price in Tacoma, WA. Since 1956, he has lived and worked in the Tacoma area.

Biographical Notes

President, Tacoma Rotary Club #8, Tacoma, WA.

Governor, Rotary District #5020.

Member, United Way, Board of Directors, Tacoma, WA.

Member, Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, Tacoma, WA.

Vice-President, Tacoma Art Museum, Board of Directors, Tacoma, WA.

• Lead, SD (Architect's Birth)
  Lead, SD

  ---

  ---