Message from the AIAO President

Kaley Fought, AIA
AIAO President

If you’re like myself, and many of the members I’ve met in my first year of this Presidential term, you have been very busy this summer. I hope that you’ve been able to work on exciting projects (hoping to see some of them in the 2022 Oregon Architecture Awards!), find some fun away from the office (like attending one of our concerts at the Moda Center with other members from around the state), or perhaps just taking it easy and getting to know new friends – maybe by attending one of the section picnics like I did in Portland and Salem.

However you chose to spend it, our lovely Oregon summer is coming to an end. However, this transition marks the beginning of a fabulous fall season of events here at AIA Oregon. If you haven’t heard, we are seeking nominees to the Board of Directors (I’ve heard the President is fun to work with!) and we are finalizing the makeup of our New HQ Task Force. We are assembling a group of volunteer members representing leadership and fresh ideas who will guide the discussion around finding AIA Oregon’s next ‘home’. The next Board of Directors will work closely with this team and will have the final responsibility of seeing the solution through to completion, which will be very exciting for those who want to step into that challenge with our ongoing board leadership.

We are also looking forward to the Chris White Memorial Golf Tournament on September 29 at Langdon Farms, and of course, getting together to celebrate the OAA awards - which include Professional Achievement Awards – at the Portland Art Museum on November 18. Our Sections will finish the year with their own annual holiday get-togethers, as I am sure you all will in your offices as well. Please remember the Moda Center is available throughout the Portland Trailblazers season for you to take advantage of for your own events as individual or firm members. Reach out to staff to learn more about that.

We have plenty more to accomplish before the end of the year. Students are back to school, and the energy around getting back together in person is palpable. We hope to see you at any (or ALL!) of these upcoming events and as always, we are here to answer your questions about any of them. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with questions and feedback – I am pleased to have the opportunity to hear from you and look forward to continuing to serve as your President as we draw 2022 to a close and plan for a very exciting 2023.

Looking forward to connection with you soon,

Kaley Fought, AIA

Message from the AIAO EVP/CEO

Heather Wilson
AIA Oregon EVP/CEO

Professional Achievement Awards are open for nomination and if you’ve not considered it, I hope you’ll look at the details for submission this year. Presented alongside the Oregon Architectural Awards, recipients of these chapter honors will be recognized for their achievements among their peers on a night of food, fun and FINALLY SEEING EACH OTHER IN PERSON for this year’s event at the Portland Art Museum!

AIA Oregon will occupy the lower gallery space for presentation of all entries and time for our attendees to meet, mingle and munch on some light snacks before moving to the function space for the presentation of awards and honors.

Firm leaders, industry partners and our trusted allied members will be in attendance, along with the Design Awards jurors, AIA Oregon Board members and others who will gather to share some fun and celebration after these few years in pandemic.

Wouldn’t it be fun to win an award on a night like that?

To be considered for entry, nominees must meet the criteria for one of our three Professional Achievement Awards –the President’s Award, the Young Architect Award and the Emerging Professional Award (links) -Each award is based on AIA National’s four (4) content categories that that exhibit exemplary contribution to the profession and community:

Design Excellence: through the aesthetic or scientific application for the built environment

Practice: through leadership, management and/or specialized technical expertise

Education: through teaching, publications and/or research

Service: through exemplary service and contributions to the profession and/or society.

If you or a member you know meets the criteria for these awards, I would urge you to consider placing the nomination forward. The deadline has been extended to September 30 to offer the best opportunity to respond and ask questions. Please feel free to reach out to Heather Wilson, AIA Oregon CEO / EVP by phone or email (contacts) with any questions or clarifications. I’m hoping to learn more about what makes our AIA Oregon members uniquely poised to solve our very real and challenging built environment issues through your personal stories and I am looking forward to making sure the public knows how that dedication makes a difference.

Best of luck,

Heather WIlson

Message From a representative of the ArchiPAC Steering Committee and the Managing Director, Advocacy & Engagement Programs at AIA.

Bill Seider, FAIA
Member, ArchiPAC Steering Committee

Devon Gray
AIA Senior Director, Advocacy Capacity Development

ArchiPAC Pre-Check Program

AIA's ArchiPAC is the only political action committee (PAC) that represents architects and the profession at the federal level. ArchiPAC promotes prosperous, sustainable, and equitable communities through bipartisan political contributions to federal candidates. Since the beginning of 2022, I have served with a dozen AIA members and component executives on the ArchiPAC Steering Committee. Through collaboration with AIA's federal relations and political affairs staff, we fundraise and guide the disbursement of PAC contributions.  

Compared to other PACs in the design and construction industry, AIA's ArchiPAC is seriously underfunded. Only 1.5% of AIA Members contribute to ArchiPAC annually, placing AIA at a disadvantage. It limits the ability to promote AIA's legislative agenda to candidates, advocate for our local communities, and encourage the election of pro-architect candidates who can influence policy issues important to architects.

To raise awareness about ArchiPAC and encourage contributions, the AIA Board approved the ArchiPAC Steering Committee's proposal to institute a Pre-Check program on the 2023 Member Dues Statements that adds a voluntary $25 PAC Contribution to all members' annual dues. In previous years, members could check the box to add a PAC contribution. However, by implementing a "pre-checked" PAC contribution box that members can uncheck if desired, we can highlight AIA's ArchiPAC and federal advocacy and expand member participation.

If you mistakenly leave the box checked during the membership dues or later decide you do not want to give to ArchiPAC, a full refund of the $25 will be issued upon request.

Before implementing the ArchiPAC Pre-Check program across the AIA, the AIA Board approved a Pilot Program to be conducted in three volunteer states during the 2023 Annual Dues Renewal. I have learned that the best way to influence AIA Policy and Programs is to get involved early. I am happy to announce that the AIA Oregon Board has agreed for Oregon to be included in the Pre-check Pilot Program, along with AIA South Carolina and AIA Oklahoma. AIA National and AIA Oregon will release further information about the ArchiPAC Pre-Check program.

Please sign up for next week’s Thursday Roundtable to learn more about the program, ask questions, and share your comments.