Outstanding Programs, Individuals, Components Honored at Grassroots 2008

by Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

Summary: The AIA’s Component Awards Program honored 11 recipients on February 21 at the AIA 2008 Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., with awards in five categories: Public Affairs and Communications, Component Outreach Communications, Knowledge Community Outreach Communications, Government Affairs, Membership, and Increasing Organizational Performance. Also conferred at the ceremony were the 2008 National Service Award and the AIA National Staff Awards.

The Howard University Jazz Quartet set the stage for the awards ceremony, demonstrating how disparate elements can come together to make one complex and beautiful whole. Each awarding during the ceremony itself was preceded by a brief video describing the award recipient’s achievement. AIA President Marshall Purnell, FAIA; 2008 First Vice President/2009 President-elect Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA; AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Chris McEntee; and Council of Architectural Components Executives (CACE) President Fredric Bell, FAIA, conferred the awards.

AIA Component Awards
Public Affairs and Communications

• Outstanding Single Program Award: AIA Minnesota, for The Minnesota Design Team, recognized for completing 100 community visits since 1992. The chapter has partnered with community development organizations, shown the benefits of successful teamwork through community design, and inspired a Grassroots model on how to make shared vision a reality.

Component Outreach Communications

• Overall Program for an All-Volunteer Component: AIA Greater Columbia, S.C., for its “AIA Greater Columbia Section & the Frank Lloyd Wright House Beautiful Exhibit.” AIA Greater Columbia partnered with the Columbia Museum of Art to celebrate architecture and the contributions of Frank Lloyd Wright.
• Overall Program: AIA San Francisco, for its “Architecture and the City Festival” program. In 2006, 20,000 people attended the festival’s 55 events. The chapter worked with 99 diverse community partners, and the festivals offered the opportunity to experience San Francisco architecture for people who were either looking to become involved in local architecture and design or to learn more about the city. A cross-marketing campaign featured public service announcements on a local TV channel and YouTube Web site.
• Outstanding Single Program: AIA Kansas City, for its “Pillars Leadership Program.” AIA Kansas City formed the Pillars Leadership Program to elevate the profession through the promotion of architectural leadership. Twenty chapter members representing a cross-section participate per year. Sessions are organized to give leaders a sense of ownership, teach them to lead, and go beyond mere flash and sizzle.

Knowledge Community Outreach Communications

• Overall Program: The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH). AAH worked with Steris Corporation for more than 25 years to develop educational programs in health-care architecture and promote initiatives to disseminate knowledge of the health-care design industry.

Government Affairs

• Outstanding Individual Contribution: AIA Florida’s Sen. Charles W. Clary, FAIA. Former Florida State Senator Charles W. Clary, FAIA, worked with AIA Florida on a string of advocacy legislation successes for the building industry that included statewide building codes and requiring design for LEED certification.
• Outstanding Single Program: AIA New York, for “The NYC Model Code Program.” The New York City (NYC) Department of Buildings committed to giving the city a better, faster, and easier building code to ensure public safety. Four hundred professionals in 14 technical committees worked with AIA members to create the model code, which will be a vehicle for the future.
• Outstanding Overall Program: AIA Pennsylvania, for its “AIA Pennsylvania’s Government Affairs Program.” The chapter restructured its Government Affairs program in 2005 to address membership concerns. In the first year of a two-year effort, the component did a self audit and implementation plan. In the second year, AIA Pennsylvania implemented the plan with a strategic direction and saw profound impact in 2007 under the new system.

Membership

• Outstanding Overall Program: AIA Colorado, for its Membership Services Department. AIA Colorado Membership Services implemented an intensive calling campaign in 2007 to exceed the national retention rate and grow membership in each category: AIA, Associate AIA, Affiliate AIA, and Student AIA.
• Outstanding Overall Program: AIA East Oklahoma, for its Membership and Resource Committee. Inspired by AIA 150, the chapter saw a 75 percent increase in membership and raised $100,000 in sponsorship gains, both chapter records.

Increasing Organizational Performance

• Outstanding Single Program: AIA California Council, for its Integrated Project Delivery. AIA California Council partnered with AIA San Francisco on proactive integrated project delivery initiatives to help define delivery collaboration in the design and construction industry.
  

National Service Awards, AIA Staff Awards
The National Service Award, presented by the AIA national staff to a member of CACE, was awarded to Paul Welch, Hon. AIA, for his leadership of the Component Partnership Committee and creating the International Project Delivery Guide.

The National Staff Awards, presented from CACE to national staff members, were awarded to:

• Phil Simon, for his wisdom, support, and guidance for creating a cogent and cohesive message for membership and the components.
• Robin Lee, Hon. AIA, for appreciation of the legacy of her service.
• Kim Jackson, for being the go-to person in Component Relations.