TAMPA, Fla. –(Jan. 7, 2009) – Walker Brands’ new Tampa headquarters and its design-build partner, BECK Group, were recently awarded a 2008 Design-Build Excellence Award by the Design-Build Institute of America at the 13th annual DBIA awards ceremony held in Las Vegas Nov. 3, 2008.  The awards honor the most successful design-build projects in the country.  With 91 entries among 13 categories, Walker and Beck were among an elite group of companies recognized in the advancement of the design and construction industry. 
           The new Walker Brands’ headquarters, an 8,400-square-foot facility that opened in April 2008 near downtown Tampa, is Tampa’s first privately funded building seeking LEED-certification, and is leading the way for other Tampa Bay area businesses to create structures that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy for living and working.
            “We didn’t want to be the newest old building,” said Walker.  “And it was an opportunity to tell our brand story with an innovative design that also demonstrated environmental responsibility.”
           In 2008, the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission awarded Walker with an Award of Excellence in “Green” building for the project. The building was also honored as a nominee for the 2008 Sustainable Florida Best Practice Awards. 

About Walker
Founded in 1992, Walker Brands is an award-winning agency focused on branding premier places and destinations and firms that serve those destinations. The company’s nationwide clients include real estate developments, attractions, retailers, health care providers and corporations, among others. The agency develops integrated brand programs – with an emphasis on branded experiences – that combine identity, marketing, public relations, placemaking and programming to increase long-term value and bottom line impact. The company recently moved into its brand-new corporate headquarters near Downtown Tampa – the first privately funded building seeking LEED-certification in the city. The new building, toured by more than 900 visitors since its opening earlier this year, showcases Walker’s own brand and demonstrates how a place can make a statement about a company’s brand to create memorable “on brand” experiences. Walker has been nationally recognized for its work by a variety of industry organizations, and owner Nancy Walker was named “Green Person of the Month” earlier this year by Graphic Design USA. For information on Walker Brands, please visit www.walkerbrands.com.