2008AIAOhio Board
President
Terry Welker, AIA
President-elect
Paul Hollenbeck, AIA
Treasurer
Steve Shinn, AIA
Secretary
BruceSekanick, AIA
Immediate Past President
Chas Schreckenberger, AIA
OhioValley Region Director
Tony Costello, FAIA
OhioValley Region Director
JohnRogers, AIA, ACHA
Executive Vice President
David Field, CAE, Hon. AIA
Director of Services
Kate Brunswick, CAE
AIAOhio Directors
Akron Director
James Dalton, FAIA
Cincinnati Director
Alan Warner, AIA
Cleveland Director
Christopher Tadych, AIA
Columbus Director
Chris Brim, AIA
Dayton Director
Alan Moody, AIA
Eastern Director
Greg Strollo, AIA
Toledo Director
Daniel W. Clinger, AIA
AIAOhio Associates Director
Brian McAlexander, Assoc. AIA
AIA OVR Associates Director
Jack Baumann,AIA
/ In this issue:
President’s Message
AIA Ohio Appoints 2008 Committee Chairs
Legislative/Regulatory Summary
Convention Article
News from the Ohio Board of Examiners of Architects
AIA Columbus Names New Executive Director
President’s Message
Terry Welker, AIA
The American Institute of Architects. A fitting name for a distinguished group of people making a difference in all walks of life. The word Institute comes from the Latin word institutum meaning facility or habit; from instituere meaning build, create, raise or educate. Every week I witness the unfolding of another story about an AIA member making a difference through their daily habits by building a practice, creating great architecture, raising awareness of the public or educating a younger generation of architects. Let me share the names of just a few people whose stories have inspired me over the past few weeks.
- Clarence Cross, AIA, whose mother was a humble house servant and descendant of African American slavery, is a paragon of diligence. His mother saw fit to find an educational path for her son to become an architect against the odds of discrimination. His education at Tuskegee was interrupted by military service as an airman in World War II but Clarence persisted until he passed the licensing exam in 1957. He’s an Emeritus member but still attends AIA Dayton meetings and insists on attending the AIA Ohio Convention.
- Marshall Purnell, FAIA, whom I met at Grassroots, is in his second month as the first African-American president in AIA history. Starting with his AIA duties, his commitment to community service is exemplary including serving twice as chair of the Washington D.C. United Way Campaign , board service to the Washington Urban League, and the D.C. Commission on the Arts amongst many others. In private practice for 28 years, he is a principal of Devrouax + Purnell Architects and Planners.
- Richard Fleischman, FAIA, from Cleveland is the new President of the Ohio Board of Examiners of Architects. I had the opportunity to hear his inspiring story at a recent retreat of the Architects’ board. A graduate of Cornell he became a Registered Architect in 1959. His passion for great design was eventually recognized in 1988 when his firm was awarded the AIA Ohio Gold Medal. At a stage in his life and career when most are retiring, Richard continues to give back to the profession with more passion than ever.
- Scott Betz, a high school junior, is at the other end of his architectural career. His grandfather was the architect of the KetteringGovernmentCenter (25 year Building Medal in 1995) where my office resides. Last year his father asked me to mentor him a bit on the AIA Dayton Student Design Competition. Another competition and a year later Scott and I still have some of the most intelligent design discussions I’ve ever experienced with a student. It’s no surprise that he wants to study architecture in college. The future of architecture is bright.
- Gary Balog, FAIA, of AIA Eastern Ohio and
- Michael Schuster, FAIA, of AIACincinnati.
Look around. It’s people like this who make the American Institute of Architects an Institute.
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AIAOhio Appoints 2008 Committee Chairs
AIA Ohio would like to thank the following individuals for volunteering their time, efforts and talents to help the profession.
2008 Awards Chair – John Kelleher, AIA
2008 Convention Chair – John Wheeler, AIA
AIAOhioCOTE Committee Chair – Alan Warner, AIA
OVR Associate Director – Jack Baumann, AIA
OVR Regional Directors – Tony Costello, FAIA and John Rogers, AIA, ACHA
and
OVR YAF Liaison – Adam Palmer, AIA
State Board of Architects Liaison – Amy Kobe, CAE
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Legislative/Regulatory Summary
By David W. Field, CAE, Hon. AIA
AIA-Ohio, Executive Vice President
Following is a summary of current state legislative activity of interest to Ohio architects as of the March Primary election.
Registration Board Bill:
The bill that would update many of the laws pertaining to Ohio architects, SB 225, has passed the Senate and been recommended for passage by the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee. It is endorsed by AIA-Ohio and is expected to pass the House when the General Assembly returns in March. The bill would:
• Change the name of the "Board of Examiners of Architects" to "Architects Board" to better reflect the board's responsibilities.
• Allow the board to charge fees for returned checks.
• Allow the owners of a firm to be registered design professionals in any state, not just Ohio.
• Allow an Employee Stock Ownership Plan to be an owner of an architecture or landscape architecture firm.
• Specify that the responsible party for work done by either a landscape architect firm or an architect firm must be a professional in the field and be registered in Ohio.
• Create two new categories of licenses: "intern" and "emeritus."
• Simplify the requirements for reciprocal licensure, establishing that an architect holding a Certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is eligible for licensure in Ohio without further qualification.
Interior Design Licensing:
After failing to pas the last eight (8) General Assemblies, Rep. Larry Flowers introduced another Interior Design Licensing bill, HB 340, into the current legislative Session. The bill was introduced in October and has received only a Sponsor’s hearing during mid-January. Last May Indiana’s Governor vetoed a similar bill contending it wasn’t needed.
Home Inspector Licensing Bill Amended:
HB257 would require certification of home inspectors and regulate the certification and performance of home inspectors. A Substitute HB 257 has been agreed to which changed "certification" to "licensed;" and made changes to standards of practice, inspection requirements and conflict of interest provisions as well as education, training and experience requirements. The bill would require the use of nationally recognized examinations; and it retainsexemptions for professional architects.
Security Systems Licenses:
HB 41 would establish a licensing law for Security System installers. During the hearing process an exemption was added for architects and “design” was removed from the definition of what such a licensee could do. The bill passed the House in October by a vote of 82-14 and was given a Sponsor’s hearing that month by the Senate Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee. There has been no further movement.
The following bills have had no recent hearings:
HB 40: which would create a Council on Sustainable Energy Development;
HB 322: which would require DAS to adopt construction and demolition debris recycling and water energy usage on public works projects;
HB 126: which would require local government to trace Bad Contractors; HB 171: which would have the Architect’s Registration Board determine which criminal offences are “substantially related “ to architecture.
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Architects as Master Builders Myth or Reality?
AIA Ohio 2008 Convention
Oct 2-4 ,2008
Akron, Ohio
You’ll definitely want to be in Akron, Ohio from Oct. 2-4, for the AIA Ohio Convention. Convention events are taking place at the JohnS.KnightCenter, the new AkronArt Museum( designed by Wolf Prix, and the Akron Public Library, among others. The host hotel for the event is the newly renovated Radisson Hotel Akron City Centre (20 W. Mill St., Akron, OH44308,
For more information about Akron architecture, go to:
Featured speakers include Charles Gwathmey, FAIA, of Gwathmey Siegel & Associates ( as our 2008 Design Speaker and Christine McEntee, Executive Vice President/CEO of the American Institute of Architects ( There will be thought-provoking educational sessions, a full exhibit hall with new and interesting products and services and plenty of your peers.
The AIA Ohio Call for Presentations will soon be distributed. If you haven’t received one, but would like to present, go to where you’ll find it posted. This year, the three educational tracks include:
Project Design Master:On the heels of the successful General Services Administration’s “Design Excellence Program” the profile of the Design Master may be stronger than in the recent past. In what ways does the Master promote good design for the consumer of architectural services? In what way does the Master affect design of neighborhoods, villages, and cities? With these difficult questions, can we ask, is the Master Builder a myth or a reality?
Project Delivery Master: Project Delivery has evolved to encompass historical and traditional approaches as well as single specialty and project management solutions. New tools augment old ones and the Master Builder has the advantage of many new programs. Technology and delivery methods impact the Master Builder. Do they erode or enhance the authority and effectiveness of the Master? Is the Master Builder a myth or a reality?
Real or Mythical Hot Topics:Re-using an existing building is the ultimate in sustainability. So is being “green” new or is it a traditional method of the Master? Federal Legislation, BIM, tax credits, new urbanism, livable communities, school demolition, and urban revitalization…are they Hot Topics? Do any of these issues impact the role of the “Master”? With mastery of these issues, is the Master Builder a myth or a reality?
Plan now to attend the AIA Ohio Convention!Back to top
News from the Ohio Board of Examiners of Architects
By Amy Kobe, Executive Director
Senate Bill 225
Senate Bill 225, which updates Ohio’s Architect’s laws, has passed the Ohio Senate and been voted out of the House Commerce and Labor Committee. It is possible that by the time of publication, the bill will have been passed by the full Senate and be on its way to Governor Strickland for signing.
Highlights of the bill are:
- Change the name of the Board to the Architect’s Board.
- Allow the Board to establish rules creating a new category of Emeritus Architect, which will exempt fully retired architects from the Continuing Education requirement.
- Allow the owners of an architecture firm to be registered design professionals in any state, not just Ohio. An Ohio-registered architect will still be required to be in responsible control.
- Recognizes Employee Stock Ownership Programs (ESOPs) as a form of firm ownership.
The Board now reimburses students in Ohio’s four accredited schools of architecture the enrollment fee for the Intern Development Program (IDP).
This change to the Board’s rules took effect in January. It is the result of language included in the budget bill, House Bill 119, as passed in 2007 by the 127th Ohio General Assembly, and which created the Architecture Education Assistance Program. Funding comes from fees paid by registered architects.
Applicants must provide proof of current enrollment in an architecture program at the University of Cincinnati, Kent State University, MiamiUniversity or OhioStateUniversity and verification of their National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Council Record number. Students must also meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in the IDP program.
The application is now available on the Forms section of the Board’s website at Upon approval, students will be reimbursed the $100.00 enrollment fee.
ARE Concurrent with IDP
Another rule change allows interns to begin taking the Architect Registration Exam (ARE) prior to completing the Intern Development Program (IDP). This change follows adoption of the ARE Timing resolution at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ (NCARB) Annual Meeting and Conference in June.
The NCARB resolution states, in part, “To begin taking the ARE, an applicant shall have fulfilled all requirements for eligibility established by his or her jurisdiction and shall have enrolled in IDP by establishing a Council record.”
Ohio becomes the 10th jurisdiction to allow candidates to begin taking the exam concurrent with IDP, joining Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, Texas and Vermont.
For exam candidates who wish to begin taking the ARE under Ohio’s jurisdiction, the primary requirement will be that the candidate holds a professional degree in architecture.
In addition, candidates must have a transcript of the professional degree sent directly to the Board by the institution which conferred the degree, provide verification of their NCARB Council Record number, and submit an application with a photograph.
The cost of the application is $50.00. The application, “Registration by Examination” is available on the Board’s website,
Skapin Newest Board Member
Jeffrey Skapin, Stow, Ohio is the Board’s newest member. He was appointed by Governor Strickland in December 2007. Skapin is a graduate of The Ohio State University, Knowlton School of Architecture. Besides his private practice, he is also a plans examiner for Summit County, Ohio. He replaced Leon Humphries, Columbus, whose term expired October 2, 2007. Board members are appointed to five year terms by the Governor and approved by the Senate. For more information serving on a Board or Commission, visit the Governor’s website at gov.ohio.
2007 License Statistics
Certified to NCARB46
New Reciprocal Registrants204
Reinstatements17
New Exam Candidates-Female27
New Exam Candidates-Male63
Total New Exam Candidates90
New Registrants by Exam--Female12
New Registrants by Exam--Male40
Total New Registrants by Exam52
New Certificates of Authorization86
Total Registered Architects7038
Total Architecture Firms1032
Total Dual Arch/Landscape Firms18
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AIAColumbus Names New Executive Director
Gwen Berlekamp, former member services manager, returns to lead organization
The American Institute of Architects, Columbus Chapter (AIA
Columbus), announced today that Gwen Berlekamp joins the organization as executive director.
Berlekamp most recently served as associate director of annual giving at the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and director of development for the Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCO). She also previously worked at AIA Columbus as member services manager.
“We are thrilled to welcome Gwen back to AIA Columbus,” said Lane J. Beougher, AIA Columbus president and SAO Special Services Manager, Department of Administrative Services, Office of the State Architect. “Her familiarity with our organization and experience in the arts, development, community outreach, special events, management and membership recruitment make her a perfect fit for our organization and our goals for the future.”
In her new position, Berlekamp will oversee fund-raising, sponsorship agreements, membership development, continuing education, community outreach and chapter marketing.
Before relocating back to central Ohio in the late 1990s, Berlekamp worked at PhilaPride, Inc., a non-profit joint venture between the City of Philadelphia and Greater Philadelphia First, an association of 32 business leaders, as project director and deputy director; Playboy Enterprises Inc. in Chicago as public affairs manager; and as a marketing/special events consultant. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from DenisonUniversity.
The AIA was founded in 1857; the Columbus chapter was founded in 1929. Through education, government advocacy, community redevelopment and public outreach activities, the AIA and its 80,000 members work to achieve a more humane built environment and a higher standard of professionalism for architects. AIA Columbus has 750 members, serving a 30-county area from
Mansfield to Marietta. For more information, visit
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AIAOhio
A Society of the American Institute of Architects
17 South High St. - Suite 200
Columbus, OH43215-3458
This information is provided exclusively forAIAOhiomembers.