CHAT

Mojy Haddad (’81 MArch, MCRP; ’77 BS, Architecture)

Founder, President, and CEO, CHS Architects

Mojy Haddad took the old-school route to UTA. Long before the advent of virtual tours, he perused printed catalogs from universities with top-level architecture programs. Then he drove from state to state, exploring each campus in person. One such excursion brought him to Arlington.

Five decades later, he’s still here.

“When I visited the UTA School of Architecture, I walked through the building and saw all the great projects the students had on display,” recalls Haddad, who moved from Iran to the U.S. in 1972 to pursue his higher education dreams. “I fell in love with the place.”

He went on to earn a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from UTA before founding Arlington-based CHS Architects in 1984. Now one of the city’s most successful architects, he has designed millions of square feet of award-winning projects worldwide.

Haddad’s diverse portfolio includes office buildings, shopping centers, schools, and more. Some of his most prominent Arlington ventures are the Vandergriff Town Center, the Village @ Sports Center, and Waters Edge at Viridian. He also founded and is president and CEO of the Oakhollow Group, a real estate development company.

He credits his success to his UTA education, hard work, and being in the right place at the right time.

“UTA has one of the best architecture schools in the country and gave me a great foundation for my career,” Haddad says. “Nothing compares to UTA when it comes to design.”

Passionate about serving the community, he has held leadership roles on numerous city of Arlington and Arlington Chamber of Commerce boards and commissions. His honors include several American Institute of Architects awards and being named a UTA Distinguished Alumnus in 2006.

Because of his influence, more than a dozen friends and family members, including three of his children, have earned UTA degrees. He prioritizes giving back to his alma mater, serving on the President’s Advisory Board and establishing the Mojy Haddad Endowed Scholarship to aid outstanding architecture students.

“UTA is the crown jewel of Arlington and our city’s biggest economic engine,” Haddad says. “If we want a successful community, a well-educated community, a good workforce for the companies here, then we must support the university that grooms these young professionals.”