Vol 10, Issue 4

President's Message

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A message from AIA Michigan's President
Alan H. Cobb, FAIA

Our Legislative Day (March 17th) in Lansing was a great success, and well attended by over 100 architects and engineers from around the State. Our legislative agenda remains an important part of what AIA Michigan does for our profession. Over 75 members of the Michigan Legislature were visited by architects and engineers armed with important information on current issues that affect our businesses. With the state of the economy it is very important for architects to be heard in Lansing.

There are five Bills being introduced in the State Senate and House that have a sustainability or energy conscious focus. We have been invited to the table by our legislators as experts in sustainable design to provide analysis and advice, and we welcome this role in our State and Federal Government.

Honor Awards and Recognitions
Our Recognitions Committee and the Design Awards Jury met and we are ready for the Awards Ceremony on May 7th at the Book Cadillac Hotel. We have 11 Design Awards which were selected by a distinguished, National Jury, led by Carol Bentel, FAIA from New York. Please congratulate Dennis M. King, FAIA who will receive the chapter's highest honor, the Gold Medal.

Membership continues to be a crisis issue as AIA Michigan has shown a significant loss of members in 2010. If AIA Michigan drops below 1.75% of the National Membership totals, we will lose our very important "Single State Status". We can't let this happen! The numbers are still coming in from AIA National, but please do everything you can to support continued membership of architects and interns in your firms. We have programs on-going to help those in need, and encourage new members in all categories. Ben Tiseo, FAIA, chair of the AIAM Membership Committee, reports that AIA Grand Rapids and AIA Detroit are waving the dues for new Associate Members in 2010. AIA National is also providing an incentive for new Associates, so please promote the young interns in your firms to join. New Associate members can really get a break, this year, and we need them.

Associate AIA Membership Category
A major thrust is to increase Associate membership category in Michigan. This category of membership has been one of the fastest growing segments of membership at the national level.

We know that often the interns are the first to be let go in firms or have difficulty in pursuing work, but why shouldn't they come to their professional association for assistance. At the Detroit chapter the Emerging Professionals have over 32 programs available to any member at reduced rates and at the State level we have a two day Kaplan Study program available on June 5 and 6 at UM.

In Michigan, we are working closely with the accredited architectural schools so that any graduate with a Professional Degree in Architecture may join the AIA at reduced dues. The AIA Michigan Membership Committee chaired by Ben Tiseo, FAIA, has contacted the Deans of architecture at LTU & UDM. Dean LeRoy and Dean Vogel at the two respective Schools of Architecture have reached out to Dean Ponce de Leon at UM to get architectural students, graduates and faculty to join the AIA. The next push will be Andrews University in the Southwest area of the state. We are not forgetting our other AIAS Chapters and will continue to reach out to them in programs like the Design Conference in September.

This program includes new graduates with a Professional Degree at the Schools of Architecture along with potential faculty and others that are eligible for Associate or AIA membership. Any new architectural graduates with professional degrees will receive national dues for the first year at no charge and if you are joining AIA through AIA Detroit or AIA Grand Valley these local chapter dues will be waived for the first year for any new Associate member! State dues for Associate members during the 2nd quarter of 2010 are reduced to $37.50.

We are extremely excited about this program and if anything good has come out of this recession it is the ability for AIA Michigan and the local components to work closely with the Schools of Architecture in Michigan.

Regional Director 2011 to 2013 - We have many activities keeping the AIA Michigan Board busy including the election of a new Regional Director, with candidate presentations being scheduled around the State. Watch for the candidates, Paul Dannels and Glen LeRoy, coming to your Chapter to present their platform.

Excellent communication, as promised, this month from the Upper Great Lakes Chapter President, Bradley Butcher, AIA

The Upper Great Lakes Chapter meets on the third Thursday of each month for lunch and to discuss Chapter activities. The meetings include a Continuing Education event, or if no CEU event is scheduled, the group may have a general meeting to discuss the state of the profession, and other membership issues. There are two months where the regular meeting is replaced entirely by a social event - July's gathering usually includes a sailing excursion, and the annual Christmas party is in December. Recent Continuing Education topics have included:

• 2006 Building Code Overview by Emmet County Building Official
• "Window & Door Solutions for Commercial Success" by Pella
• "Build a Better Deck" by Timbertech
• "Tile & Stone and the Fight Against Mold" by Laticrete International
• "Solar Energy Systems" by Eco-Building Products
• "High Performance Green Building Systems" by Green-Source Building Products

Upcoming Continuing Education topics have been scheduled for 2010 which include:

• "Timber Framing Design" by Riverbend Timber Framing
• "Lightning Protection 101" by Michigan Lightning Protection, Inc.
• "BIM 101" by Avatech, Inc.
• "Translucent Building Systems" by Architectural Building Products

The Upper Great Lakes Chapter is a small organization with its membership split between Gaylord and Petoskey/Harbor Springs. Our attendance rate at monthly meetings hovers around 50%-75%, which permits us to stay in better contact with our members who include architects and intern architects, as well as interior designers and engineers as affiliate members.

Bradley J. Butcher, AIA

Thank you, Brad.
Alan H. Cobb, FAIA
2010 President