Tom Schoeman

The DRI President's Medal is given out each year by DRI President Stephen G. Wells to companies or individuals to acknowledge exceptional service or support of DRI and its mission. These medals are presented in lieu of honorary doctorates or similar forms of recognition awarded by teaching campuses of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Schoeman is chief executive officer of JMA Architecture Studios in Las Vegas, which he joined in 1979 and was made a partner in 1985, helping to grow the firm from about 15 employees to around 200 today. Schoeman has received numerous awards for architectural excellence, and is credited with introducing the studio concept to JMA, allowing it to grow in several major areas of specialization.

He is a past chairman of UNLV’s College of Architecture Advisory Board and currently serves on the boards of Opportunity Village and the Clark County Public Education Foundation. Schoeman also is a trustee with the Community College of Southern Nevada Foundation and the Nevada Development Authority, and is currently serving a third term as trustee of the DRI Research Foundation.

Schoeman first became familiar with DRI through his role as architect on several DRI building projects, notably the Southern Nevada Science Center and the Frank Rogers Building on Flamingo Road, and DRI’s Northern Nevada Science Center in Reno.

"On his own he became an informal ambassador for DRI in the southern Nevada community, responding immediately when we recruited him to join our foundation," said Wells. "In this role he has been invaluable to DRI through his community outreach efforts to familiarize southern Nevada with the institute and his professional advice in the planning and management of DRI’s continuing campus development projects."

ABOUT DRI: A nonprofit, statewide division of the Nevada System of Higher Education, DRI pursues a full-time program of basic and applied environmental research on a local, national, and international scale. More than 500 full- and part-time scientists, technicians, and support staff conduct more than 300 research projects at DRI annually. DRI generates $45 million in total revenue consisting predominately of competitively won research contracts and grants. The State of Nevada provides critical funding in support of DRI's administration, operations, and maintenance through the Nevada System of Higher education budget. While DRI’s portion of the NSHE budget is approximately one percent, the institute leverages these funds to enhance its competitiveness.