Holly Cornell co-founded CHHM in 1946 with classmates Jim Howland and Burke Hayes, and Professor Fred Merryfield. Cornell, the first to return to Corvallis after World War II, started a small firm with Merryfield, and soon after they invited the other two to join them. Their company became CH2M Hill in 1971.
Cornell directed the Seattle office for several years and served as president and chairman of the board. He also gave outstanding service to the public and the profession. He received OSU's Distinguished Service Award in 1986. He was instrumental in starting a model bridge contest for high schools at OSU. The 30th anniversary of the contest will be held in 1999.
Holly Cornell is remembered as a man of integrity, an opinion shared by all those who met him.