Monthly Newsletter

JULY | 2025 | VOL. 7

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

2025 AIA MICHIGAN PRESIDENT

This month’s newsletter does not start with a weather report…It starts with jetlag…It is 2:30 in the morning and I am wide awake after just returning from our excursion dropping our daughter, Anneka off in Perth, Australia for a graduate degree in marine biology…(See the end of the last newsletter.) As I mentioned in my last newsletter, we are entering AIA Michigan’s season of conferences…

AIA MI and AGC of Michigan Mackinac Midsummer Conference (August 7-10)…

AIA MI Design Retreat (September 12-14)…

AIA MI ArchiFusion (October 16-17)…

…and to quote what I wrote last month: “Each conference has its own identity and vibe…and each will appeal to different facets of our varied membership. However, it is the hope of ArchiFusion to be the event that bring us all together! In fact, in the last membership survey a few years ago, which garnered a great response, we received an overwhelming number of suggestions from all over the

state requesting one event/conference that would be a place for our varied community to come together, learn from each other, and just have fun. Given last year was ArchiFusion’s first year, it was a huge success. At the same time, we learned from it and now we look for this year to be even better. I hope to see you there…

This is a great segue into our strategic visioning process… We are off and running with Three Aspens, founded by Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA—past AIA National President, 2014. Please invite me to a chapter/section meeting, zoom call, one-on-one meeting to discuss what AIA Michigan means to you and how we should be moving into the future. Read more.

STRATEGIC COUNCIL UPDATE

The Strategic Council study groups are busy wrapping up study group efforts ahead of presentations to the full council starting in August. Every year the findings have offered insight and inspiration, challenging me to rethink and react. I’m looking forward to attending this year’s AIA Michigan Midsummer Conference and hope to see many of you there. This great tradition in one of our state’s historic treasures convenes architects and contractors for camaraderie, learning, and recreation. It is a unique and rewarding opportunity to join with our partners in design and construction outside of the pressures of projects. This year, I’ll be joining a panel to talk about Delegated Design, a commonly used approach on today’s projects that can be source of contention or an opportunity for improved outcomes and partnerships. Read more.

YOUNG ARCHITECT UPDATE

Hello + Happy Summer!

I hope everyone who was able to attend enjoyed A’25 in Boston! We saw some awesome presentations and even gained some CEU’s along the way!

This year I was fortunate enough to work with the Young Architect’s Forum, Large Firm Round Table, and Small Firm Exchange to help put on the Taking Care of Business session on the first day of the conference. The event went off without a hitch and our group is already working on our proposal for next year’s convention! If I missed you there this year, I look forward to hopefully seeing you next! Read more.