Our Founders
Gresham Smith was founded on a simple connection and a shared vision. In 1967, Batey Gresham and Flem Smith met during a Nashville AIA networking event and quickly discovered a mutual ambition: to create a firm guided by both creative excellence and strategic insight. Within a few months, they established Gresham and Smith Architects, a firm built on collaboration, trust and a relentless drive to make a meaningful impact.
With Batey’s focus on business and Flem’s passion for design, the two brought balance and vision to everything endeavor they approached. They even shared an office throughout most of their careers, with Flem at a drafting table and Batey behind a conventional business desk. Together, they laid the foundation for a culture of ingenuity, teamwork and purpose that continues to guide Gresham Smith today.
Batey M. Gresham Jr.
Batey M. Gresham Jr., AIA, received his Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn University in 1957, then served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a first lieutenant from 1957-1959, and as a captain from 1961-1962.
Batey was also an active member of the Nashville and professional architecture communities. A registered architect in Alabama and Tennessee, he served in roles with several professional organizations, including the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the AIA, the Tennessee Society of Architects, the Construction Specifications Institute, the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives, the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks, the Young Presidents’ Organization and the Chief Executives Organization.
Batey’s passion for architecture began when he was in high school. “I always liked solving three-dimensional problems… it just seemed to fit,” he said. In 1999, demonstrating his dedication to his alma mater and the architecture profession at large, Batey, along with his wife, Ann, also an Auburn University graduate, established the Ann and Batey Gresham Endowed Professorship. At the time, it was the first endowed professorship in the university’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture’s 90-year history. He was an active member of the Auburn Alumni Association and, in 2005, was recognized by the association with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was established to recognize outstanding professional achievement, personal integrity and service to the university.
Batey also volunteered on the Board of Directors of the Alcohol & Drug Council of Middle Tennessee, writing in a 1999 commentary for the Nashville Business Journal that volunteering on the board was “one way I can invest in the future of Nashville while participating in the solution to a problem that is hurting us today.”
His commitment to employees and the community helped form the foundation of Gresham Smith’s culture that endures to this day. In 2023, we launched the Batey Gresham Philanthropic Program to honor his memory and belief that volunteering was one of the best ways to invest in the future of communities while being part of the solution to community challenges.
Human beings comprise the foundation of the future of any enterprise. – Batey Gresham | Founder
Fleming (“Flem”) W. Smith Jr.
Fleming (“Flem”) W. Smith Jr., FAIA, received his Bachelor of Arts in 1958 and Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1959, both from Rice University, before receiving his Master of Fine Arts in Architecture from Princeton University in 1963.
Flem served as the AIA Middle Tennessee chapter president in 1972 and served as president of the AIA Tennessee State Organization. In 1988, he was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects for his notable contributions to the profession. His election was based on excellence in architectural practice and public service. Numerous civic and professional groups have benefited from his volunteer efforts on behalf of city planning, accessibility, healthcare, legislative issues, infrastructure and related issues. He was nominated for fellowship by both the Middle Tennessee chapter of the AIA and the Tennessee Society of Architects. In 1991, he was also recognized with the Award of Merit for Distinguished Service.
His philosophy, in both his personal and professional life, was simple. “Do the best job you know how to do,” he said. “Throughout my career, I’ve strived to remain creative and willing to explore new ideas. If you give your best, whatever rewards are appropriate in life will come to you.”
Flem was also an active member of the Nashville and professional architecture communities. A registered architect in Tennessee, he served in roles with several professional organizations, including the Tennessee Chapter and Middle Tennessee Chapter of the AIA, the Nashville Healthcare Council, the American Association for Hospital Planning, Leadership Nashville, the Nashville Unit of the American Cancer Society, the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club and Battle Ground Academy. He was also certified by the National Council of Architecture Registration Boards and was registered in 18 states nationwide.
In 2023, Gresham Smith’s Flem Smith Mentorship Program was established to honor and carry on Flem’s dedication to learning and his genuine passion for developing and empowering those around him.