Monthly Newsletter *CORRECTED

MARCH | 2024 | VOL. 3

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

2024 AIA MICHIGAN PRESIDENT

Greetings fellow AIA Members. I hope this report finds you well and enjoying what we Michiganders call “Second Winter” which usually follows our glimpse of an early spring followed by more cold weather. Per usual with the first part of the AIA Michigan calendar, it’s always busy with AIA Legislative business for both National and Local agendas. It was great to see all of you who joined me in the first in-person Lobby Day in Lansing since 2019 as we lobbied with our partner organizations: American Council of Engineering Companies, Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors, and the National Society of Professional Engineers. The topics this year included infrastructure investments for Michigan roads, buildings and utilities, updates to older surveyor requirement language and QBS (Quality Based Selection) over lowest fee selection for State of Michigan contracts which was voted and passed by both the State of Michigan house and senate but was executively stalled by the DTMB. Together with our collective lobbying we are working on getting the bill reintroduced and approved again with DTMB acceptance.

Collectively we have a voice in Lansing. Meeting regularly with our lawmakers and building relationships makes a difference. Our lawmakers want to hear from their constituents, and they really do listen. Read more.

Happy Women's History Month!

This month we'd like to highlight (and thank) our amazing Women Past-President's: Evie Asken, FAIA, Celeste Allen Novak, FAIA, Tamara Burns, FAIA, Kristen Nyht, AIA and Cindy Pozolo, FAIA. We look forward to having more strong female leaders in the future!

STRATEGIC COUNCIL UPDATE

I’m happy to share this report from the Strategic Council!

This is my second year of a three-year term serving as Michigan’s representative to the Strategic Council. In this time, I’ve seen the Strategic Council continue to increase its impact within the Institute, and for its members and the profession, through thoughtful investigations, connections, and communications.

This year I’m a member of the Strategic Council focus group investigating the topic of the Value of Architecture. Building on past year’s studies on the same topic, we are looking at ways to better prepare members to deliver, share, and expand their value, and to increase the perceived value of architects. There are many perspectives on this topic, and I’m interested in yours. Please feel free to reach out to me directly to share your thoughts or experiences related to the value of architecture. Read more.