WHAT HAS AIA DONE FOR ME LATELY?

November 17, 2011

WHAT HAS AIA DONE FOR ME LATELY?
By Jerome Leslie Eben, AIA
AIA NJ Regional Director ’11-‘13

As you begin to read this message…………..you are reading it, I hope……………you should have in your hands a letter from Jeffery Potter, FAIA who will begin his year as AIA National President shortly.   With his letter is also your 2012 Architect Membership Dues Renewal Invoice.

Depending on your local Section’s dues, your individual balance is somewhere around $550.  Like many of you, I have struggled in my practice over the past three or four years.  This amount is a considerable cost to pay up front, even if most of it is tax-deductible.

About this time last year, and as many of you know, I took a position as an Architect and Ambassador for Deutsche Steinzeug Ceramics.  Working for this company over the last twelve months, has helped me in my practice, allowed me to travel and meet more of you on a one to one basis as I do Lunch and Learns.  We have spent time talking about the many versatile products of the company.  I usually always find some time to also talk about OUR AIA.  In addition, the communication lines have been open via the phone and in exchange of hundreds, if not thousands of E-mails with a great many of you.   As such the heading of this article has been mentioned more times than I can count in these communications and as Jeff has put it so well “AIA membership is still one of the first things I address.”

While AIA supports our practices, businesses, as your Regional Director, I have been part of the Advocacy Team, who are working to educate OUR political leaders in what they can do improve OUR current economic situation.  But WAIT the AIA does more!  Your local Section and the Chapter provide opportunities so that you can remain current with the State’s requirement for continuing education and the opportunity to meet and greet other professionals as well as the vendors who support us. I have talked with many of your local leaders and written about the opportunity for our Emerging Professionals (EP’s) to network in Washington early next year to learn more from national staff and national leaders on how we can bring back to YOU  the AIA member new ways to enhance your practices, build knowledge to help your clients.

These are just some of the ways AIA helps our nearly 1,800 NJ members and the 79,000 other of OUR colleagues around the country.  Make your New Year’s resolution now to pay your invoice before the end of this year (think of the tax incentive) and to do more by getting involved on a committee of the Section you belong too or being on its Board of Trustees.  Learn and see what AIA is doing for you as you get involved in participating and you will be able to say what AIA has done lately for you! I can tell you from nearly 40 years of active service to AIA that we have opportunities that need the creativity of our many members so that the organization and the profession can continue to thrive.

Thank you,

Jerry
jebenaia@aol.com

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