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Nolan Sims, project director of design and construction for Houston Methodist Hospital, isn’t quite sure he’s profile-worthy, humbly noting he’s just worked hard and has done what he thought you were supposed to do in life. But his career trajectory of success is definitely one that’s storied.
He grew up in Houston, which has always been his home, and went to school at the University of Houston studying construction management.
“I did not see myself within those school days working for a hospital system, but my journey started with working for Vaughn Construction [in 2005], a large Texas general contractor, and the job I was assigned was for Memorial Hermann Healthcare System,” he recounts. “While at Vaughn, my team would update the owner and the design team at the OAC meetings, and I met the people at Hermann, who my boss and some of my colleagues now sit on the Houston Methodist Hospital side.”
Sims found it interesting learning what those individuals do for a healthcare system, but he didn’t pursue it fully until two years later.
“It felt like a family from the beginning.”
Nolan Sims
“I had met a couple of people at Houston Methodist Hospital in late 2006, and after a quick conversation they said, ‘We have a group that does what you do and are looking for someone,’ and I was given a name and reached out. And after a short conversation, I answered enough of the questions where they asked me to apply for the job,” he says. “I was given a job opportunity and started January 2, 2007.”
Now 17 years later, Sims is still with the health system, still impressed with the culture and values he saw from day one on the job—especially its “ICARE” values: integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence.
“It felt like a family from the beginning,” he shares. “In my first five years, I managed several projects and met lots of great folks through those including clients, consultants, contractors, and vendors. Five years later, I found myself with a promotion to senior project manager where I saw this as a steppingstone to grow within Houston Methodist Hospital and in hopes to further my career.
“As a senior project manager, I was given the opportunity to get engaged in a large-scale microbiology lab project that was a relocation and major demo-build back moving a critical lab service from one building to another,” he continues. “This project challenged my team and I in many ways and was a big success.”
Over his career, Sims has found that when he’s able to give guidance, direction, or solutions, it makes him feel valued and reputable, and that’s a feeling he’s mostly enjoyed at his job. He’s never really considered walking away from that.
“Today, I am honored to lead a team of six senior project managers, three project managers, and two operations project analysts and manage the department day-to-day operations plus delegate work assignments. One of things I do is meet with each person monthly to understand what’s going on, what’s the good, what’s the bad, and get the lowdown on their projects,” he explains. “I try to be engaged with the designs and be influential and make sure all the designs are rightsized for the projects themselves.”
For example, Sims needs to make sure that Project A is designed to accommodate Project A’s budget so costs aren’t a problem down the line.
“The job is so rewarding and gives us a spark that we’re doing the right thing and what’s best for the hospital.”
Nolan Sims
“I don’t find myself doing project management duties anymore, but as a department lead, my team is responsible for managing multiple capital projects anywhere from minor to large-scale complex projects,” he notes. “I’m supportive of them and make sure they have everything they need to be successful.”
One current project at Houston Methodist Hospital is a large 12-story parking garage for employees, which will provide over 1,700 spaces. “This new garage will connect to an existing eight-story garage and create one mega garage,” Sims says. “This is a highly important assignment that will be a huge satisfier to our employees as it provides them free covered parking with shuttle services.”
“I’m taking the reins right now on the internal coordination of the shuttling and logistics to make sure we didn’t just build a giant box that will have a traffic jam,” he adds. “I’m trying to make sure everyone is stimulated to be engaged and we have our ducks in a row so when the garage opens, it’s a success.”
Another big job he is helping behind-the-scenes on is a histology lab, an approximately 11,000-square-foot lab project that’s to be relocated from the Walter Tower to a newly constructed space within the Neurosensory building on campus. This is a high importance project to the health system and can’t be delayed, so it’s vital Sims keeps everyone on track and on budget. The new lab location provides long-term growth and will incorporate shell spaces for the lab to build out later.
“There are people below me managing these projects,” he notes. “I sit now in a location where people have come and gone—some great leaders who taught me a lot—and my job is to appreciate and honor my team throughout the year, teaching them, and giving guidance and support. We’re going to all learn from mistakes made. Being engaged and having an open-door I think shows a lot to the team below me. They look at me more as the peer they used to have than the leader I am today.”
“Working alongside Nolan is always an enjoyable experience. His dedication and humility set a remarkable example,” says Melissa Edwards, partner at PhiloWilke Partnership. “Nolan’s integrity and commitment to excellence ensures every project is not just completed but expands Houston Methodist’s goals for patient and staff satisfaction. Success isn’t merely a goal, it’s a culture shared by both our teams.”
Sims continues to learn every day about what the hospital does and how its treats and cures patients. It’s something that has made the job interesting for all 17 years.
“We try to laugh as a team when we can, but at the end of the day, we’re there to do a job,” he says. “The job is so rewarding and gives us a spark that we’re doing the right thing and what’s best for the hospital, and it’s great being a ‘doer’ and being a part of it all.”
PhiloWilke Partnership is a health-focused architectural firm that emerged in response to the intricate demands of healthcare and health science design. With a focus on institutional and academic clients, our firm specializes in responsive design tailored to the evolving needs of our communities. Our portfolio spans nationwide, showcasing our dedication to collaboration, practical design, and strategic consensus-building. We navigate each endeavor with precision and enthusiasm, earning the trust of our clients. At PhiloWilke, we not only embrace challenges but delight in the journey of crafting spaces that positively impact healthcare and beyond.
