Kansas City, KS — October 13, 2025 — The architecture and Kansas City communities are mourning the loss of Stephen Hopkins, a highly regarded architect and entrepreneur, who passed away on Thursday, October 9. A founder of Shield Casework and Shield Lockers, he leaves behind a legacy of innovation, design excellence, and relentless dedication.
Stephen’s career was defined by his commitment to improving environments through thoughtful and durable design. At Shield, he pioneered the use of solid surface materials to create specialized casework for the healthcare industry and innovative lockers for diverse applications. From humble beginnings, Stephen grew Shield into a respected name in the healthcare and sports industries, and a thriving business in the Kansas City community. With branding as energetic and confident as Stephen, “Make Cool Sh*t” has served as the company’s guiding principle for years.
Before founding his own companies, Stephen held leadership roles at prominent Kansas City design firms, including Populous, Gould Evans, and Dimensional Innovations, where he served as Director of Innovation. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas and an MBA from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.
Beyond his entrepreneurial work, Stephen was deeply involved in the Kansas City community and architecture. He previously served as a Commissioner for the Kansas City, MO Environmental Management Commission and was a former board member of AIA Missouri.
Outside of work, Stephen was a loving husband, a proud father, a praise-worthy son, and a fixture in his community. While he was not shy about his battle with cancer over the last three years, Shield listing his accolades in this manner is something he would roll his eyes at. His passing is a profound loss to his family, friends, and the many colleagues he inspired throughout his career.
From the crew at Shield, we will always follow Stephen’s vision, and continue to “make cool SH*t.”