by Patricia Harris, Hon. AIA
Director, Component Relations

The Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, designed originally by Wisconsin native Frank Lloyd Wright, served as the setting for the 2006 annual meeting of the Council of Architectural Component Executives (CACE) in Madison, Wis. Lake Monona was the backdrop as some 126 attendees participated in CACE activities.

Under the theme, “Tradition + Innovation = AIA Now,” the CACE Professional Development Committee presented a rich mixture of workshops, discussions, and social activities that gave attendees insight into programs to build membership, perform functions quicker and easier with the appropriate technical applications and system, form knowledge communities at the local and state levels, and raise public visibility through special events.

An early bird reception at the Stoner House, headquarters of AIA Wisconsin, kicked off the annual meeting. The meeting agenda included CACE resource network meetings; several receptions; a series of concurrent workshops on such topics as membership, association management, new technologies, advocacy, and continuing education; and a Q and A session with Christine McEntee, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the AIA. (For more about the individual workshops, visit the CACE meeting Web site.)

Participants received a wealth of information and entertainment from featured speakers, including futurist David Zach, who gave the opening keynote address. In his entertaining presentation, Zach took participants on a humorous down-to-earth tour of the key trends and current issues in technology, business, education, and society. Incoming CACE President Bonnie Staiger then gave a presentation on what it means to “be a stand.”

Presenting the 2007 officers
The 2007 slate of officers was announced at the CACE business meeting:

• Bonnie Staiger, AIA North Dakota, president
• Fredric “Ric” Bell, FAIA, AIA New York Chapter, president-elect
• Amy Blagriff, AIA Honolulu, secretary
• Carol Pedigo, AIA Middle Tennessee, vice president of development
• William Babcock, Hon. AIA, AIA Wisconsin, director
• Margie O’Driscoll, AIA San Francisco, director
• Brent Stevenson, AIA Arkansas, director.

The meeting concluded with the CACE Annual Awards Banquet in the Rotunda of the State Capitol. CACE President David Crawford presented the Executive of the Year award to Saundra Stevens, Hon. AIA, AIA Oregon/AIA Portland, for her national and local efforts to drive the Institute’s One AIA efforts. Also recognized with the presidential citations were Barbara Rodriguez, Hon. AIA, AIA New York State, for the nearly three decades of service to AIA New York State members, and Alice Sinkevitch, Hon. AIA, AIA Chicago, for elevating the reputation of the AIA in her city and nationally. The group also honored Marga Rose Hancock, Hon. AIA, AIA Seattle’s executive vice president, for her 21 years of service to the profession. Our own poet laureate will stay at AIA Seattle until the search for a new EVP is complete. She then will focus prodigious skills on coordinating a substantial AIA150 observance and other significant celebratory opportunities for the chapter.

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