Message from the AIAO EVP/CEO

Heather Wilson
AIA Oregon EVP/CEO

Honoring Juneteenth

On Monday, June 19, our AIA Oregon office (and many other AIA offices, including AIA National) will be closed in the observance of Juneteenth, a Federal Holiday created by the Juneteenth national Independence Day Act of 2021. This day commemorates the day that the last slaves were freed in the westernmost territory of the still forming United States of America. From the Juneteenth federal web page, https://www.govinfo.gov/features/juneteenth:

On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. This, however, was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January, 1863. This day, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, has become a day for African Americans to celebrate not only their freedom, but their history, culture and achievements.

On this day, my family and I will remind ourselves of our own portion of that history. I like to take out the photos of Ernestine Amanda and Charles Abraham Moore, my great grandparents, who were a part of the Exoduster movement that followed Juneteenth. They became homesteaders along with other newly freed slaves in the Great Plains. They were able to build a barn (where they lived in the loft), purchase a horse, and try to carve out a life in the harsh conditions. As my family has told it, Ernestine Amanda eventually told Charles to take her back to Paris, Kentucky; where they knew the life would be just as harsh in other ways (as they returned to Jim Crow life); but she admonished that at least she’d be able to wash her clothes without being surrounded by rattlesnakes.

I don’t have too many more stories about them. I try to make connection with what I have left, as I also suppose many of us do to honor Juneteenth. Whatever you do, I hope it is educational, safe, and impactful, as the holiday is also a call to recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice our society. Enjoy, and I hope you connect with a story that resonates with you.

Message from the AIAO President-Elect

John Flynn, AIA
AIA Oregon President-Elect

Hello, Colleagues –

I hope you are all well and good, and looking forward to a relaxing-yet-productive summer.  I’m writing this week’s Message from a slightly different position on the AIAO Board of Directors.  I’ve been an At-Large Director for several years.  And this year, I’ve renewed my commitment to the organization and am currently positioned as the President-Elect for AIA Oregon.  Good for me?  Well, that kind of depends on you!  Let’s talk about engagement and volunteering.

We are a volunteer-driven organization.  We depend on ourselves – our members – to take the lead in developing programs and initiatives that benefit our profession and architects throughout the State.  We come from many different communities and many different perspectives.  But our values and mission are shared.  Architects can (and will) contribute to a better built environment, a better social fabric, and a better outlook on the future.  We have knowledge and resources; we have solid networks; and as design professionals, we advance creativity and bring meaningful solutions to today’s challenges.

So, here’s my pitch:

Interested in contributing to meaningful conversations amongst colleagues and related design professionals?  Join one of AIAO’s committees!  (Or start a new one!)  Join your Section’s Steering Committee!

Interested in a specific topic that AIA Oregon is addressing? – we have many.  Step up to participate in one of our current Task Forces!  More on this later.

Interested in engaging on issues that we address as a state-wide organization and a national component?  Consider a position on the AIAO Board of Directors!

There is so much you can do.  Even though so much of this engagement can be done from right in front of your computer screen, as we have started our return to a full slate of in-person/hybrid events and programs, the opportunities to participate are going to be more fun and exciting.

Here are a few current initiatives and programs.

1.     NEW HEADQUARTER FACILITIES FOR AIA OREGON

Planning for our future physical/virtual presence throughout the State is well underway.  The AIAO HQ Task Force is actively crafting a vision for where we want to “live” and how we want to come together in ways that matter most to our members.  We are reaching out to membership via Section get-togethers in the coming months to dive deeper into what local members need.  Please participate!  Contact your Section Leadership or AIAO staff (kwendland@aiaoregon.org) and sign-up for your summer events.

2.     DAT (Design Assistance Team) STUDY FOR DOWNTOWN PORTLAND

AIA Oregon’s Fellows Committee has initiated a community design process, supported by a grant from AIA National, to examine and recommend a vision for Portland’s central business district. The process is committed to making sure that as many voices as possible are heard.  The DAT workshops will take place this Fall.  So, if you (Portland-based or not) are interested in participating in an urban design exercise that addresses the future of Portland’s Downtown, please engage!  Contact AIAO President Kaley Fought (kaley@fwsarch.com), me (johnflynn@resolvearchitecture.com ), or AIA  Executive VP/CEO Heather Wilson (hwilson@aiaoregon.org).

3.     UPCOMING CONFERENCES

We’re gearing up for our next Oregon Design Conference in late Spring of 2024.  But here are two important events that are taking place this year that are well worth your time.

FUTURE VISION, presented by the Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, will take place this August.  As in years past, it promises to offer a well-rounded slate of seminars, panel discussions, and interactive sessions.  More information is forthcoming.

NOMA NATIONAL CONFERENCE.  The National Organization of Minority Architects’ annual conference is coming to Portland this year, October 11 – 15.  We’re very excited for our friends at the host chapter, NOMAPDX, and we’ll be promoting this conference in the months to come.  It promises to be a great opportunity for conversations and learning.  https://www.noma.net/conference-2023/

Clearly, there is a lot going on.  What better time to get involved and dedicate a few hours each month to your professional organization!  There are events in which to participate, there are committees in which to engage, and there are Board positions looking for candidates.  AIA Oregon needs you!

Thanks and best wishes to everyone!

Message from an AIA Eugene and CSI Willamette Valley Chapter Member

Randy Nishimura, AIA, CSI, CCS
Principal, Robertson/Sherwood/Architects pc

Why CSI?

I’ve been a member of the Construction Specifications Institute since my return to Oregon in 1988. Prior to joining I did not know exactly what CSI was all about. My boss, James M. Robertson, FAIA, FCSI, persuaded me to attend a meeting of the Willamette Valley Chapter to learn more. This would be my introduction to a diversified and close-knit community of construction professionals, many of whom I now count as trusted friends and advisors.

While the accomplishments of CSI include continuous development of construction documentation standards (such as MasterFormat) and the education of professionals to improve project delivery processes, it is perhaps the organization’s diversity that is its greatest achievement. Unlike the American Institute of Architects, which primarily limits its membership to architectural professionals, CSI membership is open to anyone interested in the advancement of construction communication standards. In addition to architects, the institute welcomes the participation of engineers, contractors, facility mangers, product representatives, manufacturers, owners, and of course construction specifiers. The only qualification is a common desire to contribute to the improvement of communication in the construction industry.

Before I became a CSI member, my contacts among the many non-architect participants involved with construction projects were most often limited to job-related exchanges. Seldom were my encounters of an informal or social nature with contractors or the others. My association with the Willamette Valley Chapter broke down the unspoken barriers I was accustomed to, allowing me to develop meaningful cross-disciplinary relationships. Today, these relationships have improved my effectiveness as an architect. There’s no substitute for mutual respect and friendship when it comes to working together to successfully complete complex and difficult projects.

The Willamette Valley Chapter is one of the more decorated and active of the 140+ CSI chapters around the country. Numerous WVC members have held offices at the region and national levels as committee chairs, region directors, and Institute president. I’m not sure, but it would not surprise me at all if the Willamette Valley Chapter has a higher proportion of members who have been elevated to Institute fellowship than any other. We are blessed with an incredibly energetic, motivated, and collegial group of construction professionals.

Jim Robertson is a case in point. Throughout his lengthy involvement with CSI, Jim has helped to develop and promote standards for design documentation and construction contract administration. These include CSI MasterFormat and contributions to CSI’s Project Resource Manual, which is recognized as the foremost primer about the proper principles, techniques, and formats for writing and organizing specifications. Along the way, Jim participated on numerous institute committees and boards, including service as Northwest Region director and national vice president. He now represents CSI as one of eighteen member organizations of the International Construction Information Society (ICIS), which is dedicated to establishing international construction documentation standards.

Besides Jim, other Willamette Valley Chapter members welcomed and encouraged me to make the most of what CSI has to offer. They included Paul Edlund, FCSI, who to this day remains the chapter’s sage and its heart and soul, as well as Ron Eakin and Jim Chaney (Institute president 2000-2001). My network of mentors also numbered long-time members Gary Bartel, Linn West, and the late Jim Bernhard. The depth of knowledge and immense pool of experience and wisdom I was able to tap helped shape who I am today as a professional.

Thanks to their encouragement, I would eventually assume a number of Willamette Valley Chapter board positions, culminating in my tenure as chapter president in 1995-96. From a personal development perspective, my period as a board member and as president proved enriching and instructive. I’ve taken what I’ve learned from this experience and applied it to my work and everyday interactions.

Veteran members have also been the foundation of the education and certification programs CSI offers. Offering their knowledge and time without remuneration, Paul, Ron, Linn and others have shouldered the burden of teaching the certification programs. I took advantage of these offerings early on to secure both Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) and Certified Construction Specifier (CCS) certifications. These credentials definitely carry weight in the industry and are evidence of my competence with construction documentation and communication.

Additional benefits of my membership with the Willamette Valley Chapter of CSI include the monthly chapter meeting programs and CSI-sponsored “lunch & learn” presentations. I’ve consistently found these to be informative and convenient means to acquire many of the continuing education credits I need for the purposes of maintaining my State of Oregon architect’s license and membership with the AIA.

It’s important to point out that I fully consider my involvement with the Construction Specifications Institute to be a complement to and not a substitute for my AIA participation. Both organizations serve my needs well as an architect and are not mutually exclusive.