+++ John Meade Howells was born in Cambridge, Mass on August 14, 1868, son of author William Dean Howells and Eleanor Meade. He was educated at Harvard University and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He married Abby McDougall White in 1907. He partnered first with Ecole classmate I.N.Phelps Stokes and later, Raymond Hood. He died on September 22, 1959 in New York City.

+++ Raymond Mathewson Hood was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1881. He was educated at Brown University, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Ecole des Beaux Arts.After his partnership with John Howells, he practiced with Hood, Godley, and Fouilhoux. Later, he designed Rockefeller Center, where he once again engaged architectural sculptor Rene Chambellan. He died August 14,1934 in Stamford, Connecticut.

In 1922 HOWELLS AND HOOD were selected from more than 260 entrants in the Tribune Tower Competition to build the most beautiful office buiding in the world. The Howells and Hood design was chosen over entries by modernist architects Eliel Saarinen, Walter Gropius, Adolf Loos and Bruno Taut.