President’s Report to the Membership

Greetings Colleagues,

I am pleased to report to the membership on the activities of AIA Virginia as we begin the final quarter of 2016.

CELEBRATING OUR PROSPERITY
On September 17, AIA Virginia marked 102 years since its founding in 1914 when William C. Noland, Clarence A. Neff, Philip N. Stern, Frank C. Baldwin, and Benjamin F. Mitchell met at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. It is fitting that we honor and congratulate Robert J. Dunay, FAIA as this year’s recipient of the William C. Noland Medal, our highest award given to a member architect. Mr. Dunay is the Virginia Tech Center for Design Research Director, ACSA Distinguished Professor and T.A. Carter Professor of Architecture at Virginia Tech.

I hope you will join me and your fellow colleagues at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday evening, November 4, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts when we honor Mr. Dunay and other honor awards recipients including:

• Virginia Tech Patrick and Nancy Lathrop Professor of Architecture Jaan Holt will be recognized with the Architecture Medal for Virginia Service our most prestigious public award
• Central Virginia architect R. Corey Clayborne, AIA, project manager and senior architect at Wiley | Wilson will receive the Award for Distinguished Achievement
• Richmond architect Rachel Shelton, AIA, project manager and project architect with Glavé & Holmes and Northern
• Virginia architect Katherine Williams, AIA, assistant project manager at Marion Construction are each to be honored with the Virginia Emerging Professional Award
• Colonial Williamsburg Curator of Architecture William Graham and metal conservator Andrew Baxter will receive AIA Virginia Honors
• AIA Virginia Managing Director Rhea George will receive Honorary Membership in AIA Virginia

Thank you to Chair William E. Evans, AIA, and the Honors Committee which included Michel C. Ashe, FAIA, James R. Boyd, AIA, James P. Clark, FAIA, Lori Garrett, AIA, Al Hansen, FAIA, Paula J. Loomis, FAIA, Mark McConnel, AIA, James W. Ritter FAIA, Robert E. Comet, AIA, Gwyn C. Gilliam, AIA, Burchell F. Pinnock, AIA, and Donna M. Phaneuf, AIA.

ARCHITECTURE EXCHANGE EAST
The first weekend in November is always a special time for the architects of Virginia when we come together for our annual convention with a focus on elevating our profession, networking with our colleagues, and learning and sharing innovative ideas about design, materials, and products. This is our 29th year and our staff and volunteers led by Vice President of the Advisory Council on Professional Excellence, Ms. Elizabeth Reader, FAIA, and AIA Virginia Education Director Marshall Dreiling have been busy preparing for the event which will feature as keynote speakers Ms. Rosa Sheng AIA of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and founding Chairperson of The Missing 32% Project, and 2013 AIA President Mr. Mickey Jacob FAIA who is a 2018 candidate for Mayor of Tampa, FL. I look forward to seeing you in Richmond on November 2-4. Online registration is open through Oct. 26.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP
We invite you, your voice and your vote to the Annual Meeting of the Membership! The meeting will be held at Architecture Exchange East at the Greater Richmond Convention Center following the first keynote on Thursday, November 3, from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The officers of AIA Virginia look forward to providing a report to the membership on the activities and accomplishments during 2016 as well as goals for 2017. We will elect officers for 2017 and vote on a very important issue to eliminate supplemental dues. Our plan is to implement a four-year approach in which supplemental dues for AIA members are eliminated in 2017, followed by Associate members in the second year, non-member architects in the third year and finally technical employees in the final year of 2020. As savings in dues expenses are recognized by our members and their firms, we are hopeful that you will consider supporting AIA Virginia in other ways such as sponsoring programs which are of importance to your firms.

EMERGING LEADERS IN ARCHITECTURE
AIA Virginia’s Emerging Leaders in Architecture is accepting applications for the 2017 class. I hope you will consider supporting and encouraging candidates to apply to the program. ELA is an Honors Academy of AIA Virginia which develops future leaders in architecture firms, in communities and in the profession. The goal is to accelerate the growth of emerging architects and provide the tools and experiences needed to advance their careers and serve society as leaders in their community. The program requires a commitment of attending sessions the first Friday of every month from January-November and additional time for work on the class project.

GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY
Representing AIA Virginia, Vice President of Government Advocacy Tim Colley, AIA, AIA Virginia Managing Director Rhea George, member Kathleen Frazier, AIA, and I attended in Richmond the August 29 meeting of the Joint Subcommittee to Evaluate Tax Preferences to urge legislators to reject a repeal, sunset or cap to Virginia’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HRTC). My testimony to the committee can be found here. We were joined by representatives from dozens of other businesses, homeowners, non-profits, associations, churches, and communities who came from all over the Commonwealth to speak in support of the credit.

A survey about the HRTC was sent to our 2,116 members on August 4, 2016. 97% of the 244 members who responded were in support of Virginia’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit. 73% believed that their businesses would be harmed if the credit were eliminated or capped and 70% reported that they’ve worked on historic tax credit projects.

This legislation will continue to be under scrutiny over the next several months. Please consider contacting your representative if you support the overwhelmingly positive impact HRTC has had on many communities in our Commonwealth. There is a sample letter on our website which can be used as a guide as you reach out to your representative.

I urge you to please consider giving to the AIA Virginia Political Action Committee, even if it is a small amount to support legislation which is of importance to our members. Many voices will help us be heard by our legislators.

FINANCIAL AND MEMBERSHIP REPORT
AIA Virginia fiscal year 2017 began on July 1, 2016, and we are pleased to report for first two months ending August 31, 2016, we have assets of $158,542 and liabilities of $58,363 for a net fund balance of $100,179. The end of summer represents a very slow time for revenue which will pick up in the final months of the year as we begin receiving Architectural Exchange East registrations and member dues. For the first two months, our revenues were $161,363 and expenses were $183,191 for an excess of expenses over revenue of ($21,828). Our full year total for membership in 2016 stands at 1,616 Architects, 494 Associates, 11 Emeritus, and 29 Allied members.

OUR VISION AND MISSION:
AIA Virginia continues to work hard to bring significant value to our members, provide programs and services which are relevant to our fast-changing profession and to celebrate the prosperity of our members. Our mission is to be the voice of the architecture profession in the Commonwealth, dedicated to serving our members and through a culture of innovation, AIA Virginia empowers its members, advances their value, and inspires the creation of a better-built environment.

THANK YOU
Thank you for being a member of AIA Virginia and for your contributions to our profession and practice of architecture in the Commonwealth! Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or suggestions for AIA Virginia.

Sincerely,
Nick Vlattas AIA
AIA Virginia President 2016