From bourbon distilleries and health care facilities to entertainment venues and airport expansion projects, Thoroughbred Architects and Engineers has become a behind-the-scenes force in many of Central Kentucky's most prominent developments.
The firm traces its roots to 1986, when founder Brent Combs launched the company in Georgetown as Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky was establishing its operations nearby. Early work with Toyota developed into a long-term relationship with the automotive manufacturer and helped Thoroughbred develop a full-service design-build model and a client base that today extends across multiple industries, with projects in 22 states over the past year. This year, Thoroughbred continues its growth as it also celebrates its 40th anniversary.
“The goal was never to pad our wallets,” said Principal/CEO Darrin Croucher, who purchased the company from Combs in 2016 after years of working alongside him. “It is to meet the objective to the [project] owner.”
Today, Thoroughbred offers structural and civil engineering, architecture, site and special inspections, construction management, geotechnical engineering, and site survey, allowing the firm to remain involved throughout a project’s life cycle and across multiple disciplines.
Its portfolio spans commercial, health care, infrastructure, industrial and residential sectors. Recent work includes continued projects for Toyota, area hotels, large-scale indoor agriculture facilities, as well as bourbon distillery projects including Wilderness Trail in Danville, numerous warehouse structural design projects at Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, and the Horse Soldier Bourbon campus in Somerset.
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Thoroughbred helped develop Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new distillery and destination campus in Somerset, as well as The Rail music venue in The Commons.
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The firm is also involved in several high-profile Central Kentucky projects, including a new downtown location for the Lexington Children’s Museum, the 265,000-square-foot University of Kentucky Medical Office Building in Hamburg, and the recently announced Blue Grass Airport expansion.
Thoroughbred’s broad range of services is on full display at The Commons development on Forbes Road. The mixed-use development combines light industrial, office, retail, entertainment, and hospitality near downtown Lexington. Thoroughbred’s involvement includes work on RD1 Spirits headquarters and The Rail, a 47,000-square-foot music venue and event space expected to open this fall.
The company also has a personal stake in the development, having relocated its own offices to The Commons last year.
“Experience in multiple discipline areas is our competitive advantage. Basically, the client sets the objective and we understand the problems,” Croucher said. “For owners it’s getting harder to find professionals or a business model that will deliver on time, on budget, efficiently, and most importantly completes initial site due diligence and survey work.”
That expertise often means Thoroughbred becomes involved even before a project formally begins.
“We are often brought in on a job before we even receive the actual bid to complete the work to help define the scope and structure of the project,” Croucher said. “We want to guide our clients in the right direction from the very beginning. This approach helps then save time and money.”
Croucher said the firm's collaborative, multidisciplinary approach remains central to its growth. Thoroughbred also partners with other engineering, architectural, and construction firms in a multi-dimensional design-build capacity, complementing and supporting their work throughout the life of a project.
“We work to follow what best fits the project and safety requirements. Many times, the scope could be reduced to lower the bid, but we do not do that. Rather, we’ll combine a solution or deliverable to be on time and on budget,” Croucher said.
“At the end of the day, it is about the owners’ objectives and is the project being built safely,” he said. “Our model and method set us apart and are our advantage in this industry.”
Meet Jordan Haney, 2026 New Professional Engineer of the Year
Jordan Haney
Earlier this year, the National Society of Professional Engineers honored Thoroughbred Engineering Principal/President Jordan Haney with its 2026 New Professional Engineer of the Year Award, recognizing his professional achievement, leadership, commitment to the profession, and to public service, both at the local chapter level and nationally.
Haney joined Thoroughbred in 2016 and rose from staff engineer to president in less than a decade. Today, he provides executive leadership for a team of approximately 60 employees.
We spoke with Haney about the award, his career and the firm’s collaborative approach.
What does this national professional recognition mean to you?
It’s very humbling — I know it has my name on it, but I attribute it to so many people who have helped pave the way. Ultimately, it’s the impact, focus, and ability to give back throughout my career with Thoroughbred that has helped me stand out in my field. I got into this career to make a difference.
For business owners and decision-makers, what are some best-practice tips for communication and collaboration on complex projects?
At Thoroughbred, we’re fortunate to have each line of service in-house. Even if a client is only working with us on one specific line of service, I can still walk across the hallway and ask our subject-matter expert their perspective on each step of the project if I have any questions or concerns.
We also work well with other firms, because we are already collaborating on a daily basis with other disciplines in-house. This allows us to better understand other firms’ and other professionals’ methodology, approach, and language. Multidisciplinary expertise is increasingly rare, especially with the level of experience each of our divisions bring to each job.
What aspects of Thoroughbred's culture have contributed most to your success?
I’m honored to work here for 10 years and counting, and to be with a company that gives people opportunities that reflect their effort. We are a mission-oriented group, and it is exciting to be able to do what you are best at and be supported.