Dear Friends & Colleagues,
Thank you for your continued support of AIA Illinois. As a board member for the past eight years and now as your incoming president, I have the great privilege of working closely with our staff and volunteer leadership to advocate for our profession and ensure our voice is heard and respected - particularly by the state legislature.
Through the efforts of our team in Springfield, AIA Illinois has earned a reputation nationally as one of the most active and successful associations in the country. We have a remarkable track record during the last 10 years of having the bills that we support go through - and we've never lost the battle with the ones that would have hurt the profession.
AIA Illinois is committed to enhance the profession by providing services to the membership, and celebrating the value of architecture to the public. Our primary role as a state chapter is to work with the Legislative arm of government in order to defend the profession. The legislative processes do not give much warning on when issues will arise, go in to committee, or be presented for a vote. Our role - and we ask your help with this - is to establish architects as resources to the legislative body. Together we, AIA Illinois and you the architect constituent, will continue our protection of the profession.
Every year, regardless of the economy, special interests attempt to define their work as separate and independent of architecture. The special interests represent anyone from swimming pools to interior designers and are cloaked in the buzzwords of the day. Special skills do enhance the profession and are often represented by architects. However, when their efforts compromise the definition of the profession and legal responsibilities of the architect, we are ready to educate the legislative body and work with the submitting interest to satisfy all interests.
How can you help us? Join us for the 2012 Prairie Grass Roots lobbying day in Springfield on February 8, to discuss this action and many others with your representative and senator. We will provide bus service from Chicago, advocacy training, lunch, and help to arrange meetings with your legislators. We would like at least one architect from each legislative district in the state to act as our District Champion. This person ideally becomes the resource for their senator or representative in the education process.
Please also save the date for the 2012 AIA Illinois Honor Awards to celebrate both the projects and the people of the profession. Our event this year is a private reception at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library on April 13, 2012 as part of National Architecture Week. Entries are due Friday, January 20, 2012.
As the economy improves, 2012 promises to be a year of positive change. We would like to stand together with you in Springfield to help educate our legislators on the value of architecture, and our profession's impact on the economy. AIA Illinois is your partner to celebrate and leverage opportunities through our networking events and the annual conference. We are also here to protect your rights and advocate for the profession year-round.
I welcome your suggestions for how we can continue to serve you and ensure you are receiving value from your membership and affiliation with our organization.
Sincerely,
Mary Brush, AIA
AIA Illinois President 2012
If you have any comments, questions, or ways that we can improve your membership experience, please contact me: mbrush@holabird.com
