Scott Garvin

President | Garvin Design Group

Born and raised in Aiken, Scott Garvin earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Clemson University. His time as a Clemson student included a transformative semester at the university’s villa in Genoa, Italy. Scott began his architectural career in Greenville and relocated to Columbia over 30 years ago.

Scott founded Garvin Design Group in 2003 and planted the firm in the then-revitalizing Vista arts and entertainment district. He has been directly involved in managing client objectives, schedules, and budgets on all of the firm’s projects. Scott also spearheads the firm’s business and marketing functions. He has guided some of Columbia’s most impactful revitalization projects, including the adaptive reuse of Olympia and Granby Mills, 701 Whaley, Palmetto Compress Warehouse, Central Energy, Mast General Store, and Gervais Place.

Scott is a well-known and respected community champion. He has served on the boards of various nonprofit and professional organizations and is regularly recognized for his service to others. Scott was the Executive Association of Columbia’s Businessman of the Year in 2013, the Columbia Chamber’s Innovation Award honoree in 2018, and Historic Columbia’s Preservation Leadership Award honoree in 2022. He was inducted into Columbia Business Monthly’s 50 Most Influential Hall of Fame in 2024. Beyond the studio, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife Mary and their four daughters.