by Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

Summary: The AIA’s Component Awards Program, long a highlight of the Grassroots Conference, honored seven recipients at Grassroots 2007 last week with awards in three categories: Public Affairs and Communications, Government Advocacy, and Membership. Also conferred at the ceremony were the 2006 National Service Awards, the AIA Staff Awards, the CACE Executive of the Year Award, and the Norman Koonce Unity Award.

Brief videos were prepared for the Component Awards describing the nature of each recipient’s achievement. After each video, representatives of each component were invited on stage to be congratulated by AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA; AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Chris McEntee; and CACE President Bonnie Staiger.

AIA’s Component Awards

AIA First Vice President and Grassroots Chair Marshall Purnell, FAIA, stated that although no two AIA components are alike in terms of staff and funding, size doesn’t matter when it comes to AIA excellence. “What does count is really pretty simple: It’s a deep, abiding commitment to serve—and in that service sustain and, time and time again, renew the core values that have built the legacy of the past 150 years,” he said.

And the winners are:

Public Affairs and Communications

• Outstanding Single Program Award: AIA Kansas City, for its “River Crown Plaza Forum Series” that brought together public officials, consumers, and the media to increase AIA awareness
• Outstanding Overall Program Award: AIA Louisiana, for its “Rebuilding Louisiana” program.

Government Advocacy

• Outstanding Single Government Affairs Program: AIA New York State, for its “One New York State: Urban Policy and Regional Design” program
• Outstanding Individual Contribution to Government Affairs: Alan L. Hewitt, AIA, Eastern Oklahoma, for achievements such as Oklahoma’s Good Samaritan legislation
• Overall Government Affairs Program: AIA Florida, for its “Day on the Hill” program.

Membership

• Single Membership Program: Boston Society of Architects, for its “A.R.E. Success Team Model” peer support program
• Overall Membership Program: AIA Florida, for “The AIA Florida Step-By-Step Guide” on member recruitment.

National Service Awards, AIA Staff Awards
Chief Executive Officer Chris McEntee and CACE President Bonnie Staiger presented 2006 National Service Awards. “The awards are special in a way that’s different from the Component Excellence Awards,” said McEntee. “The National Service Award and the AIA Staff Award are more personal. You might say they move from the corporate to the family level. They are a way of saying thank you for being an ally, a colleague, and a friend.”

National Service Awards went to:

• Elizabeth Mithchell, Hon. AIA, AIA Utah/AIA Salt Lake, for guidance and insight to CACE and serving as an invaluable member on the Grassroots task group
• Andrea S. Rutledge, SDA, CAE, for her work on “One AIA”
• Adam Melis, for his outstanding assistance to AIA components’ government affairs programs.

CACE Executive of the Year Award, Norman Koonce Unity Award
In addition, the CACE 2006 Executive of the Year Award was conferred upon Saundra Stevens, Hon., AIA, AIA Oregon and AIA Portland, for her outstanding performance, and the Norman Koonce Unity Award conferred upon Brenda Henderson, Hon. AIA, for 23 years of outstanding AIA service.