President Spotlights
Outgoing Letter from 2022 President, Chris Warren
When a community decides to come together, it strengthens the bonds that underlay it. This allows the will of the people to manifest a new future. Watching our peers in the architecture community place their faith in AIA Hampton Roads and the vision we are striving to achieve is giving our organization the energy to reach new heights. For many years the biggest criticism of the AIA has been that people do not see what the AIA can do for them. In 2022, we started to tear down those barriers and reconnect with architects who were AIA in name only.
The AIA is our collective voice. The AIA is a platform for us to engage the public. The AIA is our advocate when nobody else will speak up. The AIA encourages us to grow personally, professionally, and as a community. But no organization is successful without people who believe in the mission. Our executive director, Bernadette Keplinger, joined us at the start of 2022 and quickly became our biggest advocate. She saw an untapped value in what architects have to offer society. It’s that passion that sparked interest. It’s that interest which brought people back. And it’s the mission which is getting people to stay engaged.
Our mission will be guided by our new Strategic Plan, which provides three key goals. Our first goal is to provide exceptional value and professional relevance of membership in the organization to firms, individuals, and affiliates. Our second goal is public engagement to make AIA Hampton Roads a trusted resource on design for citizens and entities addressing the physical and built needs of our coastal community. And our third goal is to make AIA Hampton Roads a model association by being a thoughtful, intentional, and sustainable professional society working toward the best interests of members within the context of a strong business ideal. Over the course of the next three years, we plan on achieving these goals and more.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you in 2022 as your AIA Hampton Roads president. And I’d like to thank my Board for all of their hard work and dedication. The year went by so fast but there was still plenty of time to create great memories and great friends. 2023 has the potential to be an even better year, but we need our member’s support. So please stay connected and stay tuned!
Chris Warren, AIA
