Securing the Future

One of my favorite quotes about leadership is something that I first heard from HOK managing principal Riccardo Mascia, AIA. He said, “The duty of a leader is to secure the future.” When I decided to embark on this journey of leading the American Institute of Architects (AIA), I considered how the profession of architecture could be improved by one of the most influential organizations representing architects in the world. I asked myself, “How can I give voice to the greatest challenges that we are facing as a profession through AIA?” In other words, “What can I do to help secure the future for architects by serving as AIA president in 2024?”

I hope that I have successfully answered those questions with my work this year and that my efforts have and will catalyze positive change. While it can take time for the status quo to change, every step toward progress brings us closer to a better future. From actively participating in dozens of local chapter visits and events, to representing AIA across the globe, my attention has been focused on fostering progress for architects from all backgrounds. Being present for our members is one of the most important aspects of the presidency. Showing up really matters.

This work was not done alone. I relied on the AIA staff team for support, as well as the 2024 Board of Directors and the countless dedicated members who helped facilitate all of my touchpoints in every location. My gratitude goes out to all of those who supported me in this dynamic journey, with special thanks to my family and friends, as well as my colleagues at HOK. I could not have accomplished so much without their support.

I spent my year as AIA’s 100th President as an advocate, pursuing the positive exposure that the profession needs to appeal to our future workforce, retain our current talent, partner with our clients, and collaborate with our communities. In my inauguration speech last year, I spoke of my mantra, #MoreIn24, and I explained the three accompanying pillars: More Money, More Members, and More Mission.

More Money is about advocating for architects to receive the compensation that accurately reflects the tremendous amount of value that they create for their clients and communities. For example, AIA worked for over a decade to raise the fee limitation from 6% to 10% (of construction costs) for federal design projects within the purview of the U.S. Department of Defense. We are proud of this accomplishment, but these efforts must continue so that additional clients will improve contract terms for architects. We have spent much of our year elevating the discussion around increasing economic conditions for architects. Here are some highlights of our efforts:

• Resource document from the 2024 AIA Prosperity Committee with engagement guidance 
• Business Acumen course on AIAU that launched at AIA24
• Quarterly economic update webinar
• Our biennial The Business of Architecture 2024: The Firm Survey Report tracks data on architecture firm billings, finances and performance

The More Members pillar is about expanding the number of professionals who recognize the power that comes with AIA membership. With more members, we can have even more impact on our communities. I set an ambitious goal for us to reach a record high of 100,000 members this year. 

Now that we have achieved our 100,000 member goal, we are celebrating the highest number of members that we’ve ever had. Thanks to all who have entrusted us with your membership. If you are still on the fence, join today and receive the remaining few weeks of 2024 at no cost with your 2025 membership payment.

It was truly an honor to connect with members in the U.S., across many states over the course of my time as President and President-Elect, including California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin, among others. We also worked to expand AIA’s global impact with engagements in Azerbaijan, Canada, England, France, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Singapore, South Korea, and Spain. One of the highlights of my year was the AIA International Conference in Hong Kong, where the theme was Architectural Intelligence.

Another highlight was welcoming the new Sub-Saharan Africa section of AIA International by visiting members in Nigeria and Kenya. I had the honor of being invited to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). While in the region, I also spent time in Mombasa with the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), participating in their conference, which was held in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International in Kenya.

AIA’s mission is to inspire and empower architects to improve society and transform the world. More Mission is intended to amplify action toward our goals, with a special focus on our strategic priorities, creating a more sustainable and equitable built environment for all, centered on design excellence and improving people’s lives. Our specific efforts included:
 

• Developing a relationship with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to champion the position of a Chief Architect to support a mayor’s vision and help navigate complex built environment challenges. These include climate change, housing affordability, public safety, and health disparities. We met individually with 20 mayors and have provided guidance on why architects are an important resource to tap into. I wrote an article about this initiative as well.
• Promoting the profession to new generations. If we collectively share stories that communicate the value of architects, we can attract and retain the best talent available to help us shape the future. CEO Lakisha Woods and I spoke to this on a segment on Good Morning America. I also met with architecture students and HBCU interns working on AIA’s building renewal project. I was especially delighted to participate in Architecture Week this year visiting with third graders at my former elementary school in Detroit. I also wrote about the importance of K-12 engagement.
• Participating and supporting climate action both in the U.S. and abroad. We were excited to have White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi’s AIA24 mainstage announcement of the U.S. Department of Energy’s publication of a National Definition of Zero Emissions Building – Part 1. I also addressed the very first Buildings and Climate Global Forum in Paris, organized by the French government and the United Nations Environment Program. Over 1,000 representatives of state and non-state organizations involved in the buildings sector (design, engineering, construction, real estate) and 80 ministerial delegations from governments around the globe were invited. I urged leaders from around the world to entrust architects with helping to advance climate action. Most recently, Illya Azaroff, FAIA and I spoke at COP29. Here is an article that he authored about the engagement.
• Breaking glass ceilings was another aspect of this year that was both difficult and necessary. Being the first Black woman to serve as AIA President was not going to be easy. There is a reason why it took 167 years to see this happen. While it is an honor to serve as AIA President, I can attest to the fact that there is more work to be done to ensure that our profession is poised for success as we anticipate more leaders to come from different backgrounds than what we typically see represented. We just must have the necessary courage. I would like to thank the Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation (CWA) and Chicago Women in Architecture (CWA) for honoring me with their 2024 Breaking Glass Award.

My call to action this year has consistently been to achieve more. Our AIA community has accomplished so much that we can be proud of, and we embrace the fact that there is more to do beyond 2024. There is a lot of potential for further AI exploration as well as governance modifications, among other topics that we have received feedback on from our members. I applaud the AIA staff team for tracking these issues and following through on action items from administration to administration each year. AIA would not be what it is without our CEO and staff. My sincere thanks again to the engine behind the efforts of our volunteer leaders.

Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to those who entrusted me with this position in 2022, and all of those who have supported me as I stewarded this organization to the best of my ability since my election. It has been an honor to represent our profession at the highest level over the past two years. As I mentioned during my campaign, I sought to improve business conditions for architects, raise the public profile of the architect, and support AIA’s strategic priorities: climate action and equity. This was the task, and our 2024 AIA Board of Directors rose to the occasion. My time has come to a close, but I am confident that the work that our team has done will evolve and expand into the future, securing the profession for the next generation. 

With sincere thanks,
#100
 

Read Kimberly Dowdell's previous article on Advancing Prosperity for Architects.