Hy Nguyen, PE | President, DPR Design
Hy Nguyen embodies the American Dream and is a self-proclaimed “green engineer.” Hy joined DPR Design after graduating from UNC Charlotte in 1999. He became VP of Engineering in 2006 and assumed the role of President and CEO in 2018. Inheriting DPR’s strong foundation, legacy, and values that have long personified Charlotte’s oldest landscape architecture firm, Hy has since elevated the firm’s design and engineering capabilities, brand, and credibility to new heights.
As President of the firm, Hy provides measured leadership and a holistic vision, ensuring quality and innovation across a diverse spectrum of projects ranging from residential to mixed-use commercial, industrial, and public sector developments. Hy excels in understanding client needs, navigating complex regulatory environments, and focusing on constructability and front-end site realism to create functional, community-centered, and sustainable environments.
Instilled with a lifelong passion for continuous growth, Hy cultivates a firm culture built on learning, teamwork, mindfulness, and passion. Hy truly believes and lives by the motto “We as a team are greater than the sum of each part.” Under his leadership, the firm continues to grow and evolve to meet new industry challenges, while remaining anchored in excellent design, exceptional customer service, and long-term client relationships.
Hy cares deeply about and advocates for the broader land development industry. He holds key leadership positions, including Chair of the Land Development Council and member of the Board of Directors for the HBAGC. He also serves on the Advocacy Committee and works across the spectrum with REBIC and ULI to advance industry interests, mentor students, and promote cross-industry collaboration. Hy leverages DPR’s resources and expertise to give back to college land development programs, as well as providing pro-bono and consulting work for various non-profit and faith-based organizations. He is particularly passionate about promoting attainable ownership housing, redefining what true prosperity means, and shifting industry paradigms toward an all-inclusive ecosystem of shared interests, neighborliness, and mutual advancement.
Hy’s life is even fuller on the family side. He and his wife, Lindsey, have three wonderful kids: Mackenzie (almost 14) is a swimmer, Jacqueline (11) is a dancer, and Everett (8) is already a “future space engineer.” All three play piano and enjoy snowboarding. They are his world. Outside of the studio, Hy enjoys soccer, reading, yard work, and traveling with his family. Lately, he has taken a keen, fun interest in writing songs using AI, with possibly a YouTube channel coming up soon 🙂. All the while, he is still targeting a one-year gap in the near future to travel the country and the world to draw design inspiration from pocket neighborhoods and small-scale developments.
