- Click to play the video and hear from Kim Shinn how he became the Sustainability Wizard!
After nearly three decades with TLC Engineering Solutions, Kim Shinn, PE, LEED Fellow, is retiring after a career that helped define the firm’s leadership in sustainability and high‑performance design. Kim joined TLC in 1997 with extensive industry experience and quickly distinguished himself through innovative thinking, a willingness to challenge convention, and a deep commitment to doing work that benefits communities and clients alike.
Early in his TLC career, Kim helped expand the firm’s footprint by opening new offices in Jacksonville and later Nashville. Rather than following a traditional leadership path, he repeatedly proposed new ways to create value for the firm, earning a reputation for entrepreneurial thinking and trust‑based leadership. By 2004, Kim transitioned away from office operations to focus full‑time on sustainability, a move that would shape the next two decades of his work.
The buildings we work on are the fabric of our society.
As Principal and Senior Sustainability Wizard, Kim became one of TLC’s most influential voices in green building. He played a key role in Florida’s first LEED‑certified building, became the state’s first LEED‑accredited professional engineer, and was inducted as a USGBC LEED Fellow in the inaugural class, a national recognition reserved for leaders who have made a lasting impact on the profession. Kim also worked on nationally recognized projects including Living Building Challenge facilities, advancing the practice of integrated design and energy‑driven decision‑making.
Beyond project work, Kim was a national leader in the sustainability movement. He served on the U.S. Green Building Council National Board, helped launch USGBC chapters, contributed to ASHRAE standards, and was a founding leader of the MEP 2040 Commitment. Inside TLC, he also advocated for values‑driven practices, including the firm’s pursuit of JUST Certification, reinforcing TLC’s commitment to equity, transparency, and people‑centered policies.
Kim often measured success not by titles or accolades, but by the success of his clients, teammates, and the people he mentored. His passion for sustainability was rooted in lifelong values of stewardship, efficiency, and responsibility to future generations. As Kim steps into retirement, he leaves TLC stronger, the profession better informed, and a lasting legacy of leadership grounded in purpose, integrity, and care for people and the planet.
We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors. We’re borrowing it from our children.
