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In the event that you could not join AIA Philadelphia as it inducted the 2012 Board of Directors last week, President Keith C. H. Mock's remarks are presented below ... 

As incoming President of the Philadelphia Chapter, I have been frequently asked, “Keith, what can you possibly expect to accomplish as AIA President in one year?” My answer is simple, “A lot can be accomplished in one year. After one year, it is time for new leadership to shepherd the Chapter vision, a vision that is established by our members." The role and responsibility of the President and that of the Board, is humbling, protective and recognizes that our Chapter is set on a deep foundation established by past Chapter leaders. A stellar legacy that is over 150 years old -- created and built by generations of great architects, all nurturing, adapting and building our AIA institution, with the primary purpose of sustaining and strengthening the future of our Chapter and the success of our members. 

Over the past three years, our architectural profession has experienced the worst recession since the Great Depression. Because the foundations of our architectural heritage runs deep, we will slowly emerge, largely intact, but the scars are already evident. Over the past year we have all read articles and discuss with each other the “new normal”. We see architectural firms across the US in mergers and acquisitions, or simply choosing to close their doors. We see high numbers of trained and highly skilled architects without a job. This month’s study released by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce identified, among recent college graduates, the highest rate of unemployment had undergraduate degrees in architecture. This is a national picture and this is the picture of our Philadelphia region. It is a sobering picture and one that must influence how we move forward in 2012.

In this context, what must the leadership of the Philadelphia Chapter focus on in 2012?

An obvious task is we need to nurture and grow our emerging professionals. We know very well the pattern of past recessions when generations of talented architects left the profession. We need to learn, adapt and make changes that will meet the needs and expectations of our architectural students entering the profession, architectural interns now working in your offices and our newly registered architects. To help guide our emerging professionals, we need to embrace and exhibit a new sense of collegiality.

Another important task is we need to elevate the value architects provide to their clients and society. Over the past several decades, we have seen the competition for services and the tug-of-war for project leadership. As we look forward to the next decade, new technologies, new processes, social change and economic change will emerge. We need to provide our members the knowledge, the tools and the spirit to be innovators and leaders. To achieve this, we need to continue to provide a quality learning environment.

We also need to embrace the task of promoting and protecting our professions opportunity to practice our craft within society and our region. We are a humble profession of passionate professionals, with a primary purpose of seeking to better the built environment and solve the aspirations of our clients. That said we must increase our advocacy of the architectural profession at the local, state and national government levels, as well among our allied industries, our communities and our potential clients.

I believe in 2012 our focus should be centered on the three topics I just described – collegiality, learning and advocacy. These three pillars are not new to our Chapter or our Institution. These three pillars have guided our past and they will continue to lead our profession into the future.

The American Institute of Architects, as it has been for over 150 years, is the home of our profession, our family. It is the glue that keeps our profession together as we build prosperity for society. At our Philadelphia Chapter, our home, we are the recipients of much to be thankful for. The talent and skill of our architectural colleagues in the region; our Chapter events, educational programs and the bookstore; and the Center for Architecture -- all are the envy of peer Chapters and form the envelope of our home. Our home was built on a vision defined by our past Chapter leaders. Our home was built through the dedication, hard work and generosity of our members and our affiliates. Our home was built by a dedicated Chapter staff. As I look through our Chapter doors and at our accomplishments, built on a foundation of decades of work by many, I am left with an impression of extraordinary quality and effort.
• 22 Knowledge and Operating Committees, that last year delivered well over 100 quality programs, providing over 130 Continuing Education credits to more than 3,000 event attendees
• Premier events, such as Design on the Delaware, have attracted record attendance when compared to recent years, delivering content that was highly received.
• The CDC (Community Design Collaborative) and CHAD (the Charter High School for Architecture and Design), both non-profit institutions born by the Philadelphia Chapter, both nationally recognized and with whom we collaborate for the benefit of our community, continue to succeed and grow.
• This past year, our Center for Architecture was awarded the Green Building Council LEED Gold Certification. Since its opening just a few years back, the Center has weathered the economic storm and is emerging as the regional epicenter for architecture, the allied arts and our allied industries.
These are just a few of your Chapters accomplishments.

Our Chapter is thriving despite the recession, so we have a lot to be thankful for. With all good things that repeat themselves, we, the membership, have come to expect a lot from our Chapter. We expect that Chapter programs will be delivered at a high quality level. We expect the Chapter will incubate new programs and initiatives that address the issues confronting our profession. We expect the Chapter will set the bar higher each year, to support the aspirations of our members and for the betterment of our profession. And we expect the Chapter will support the pillars of our Institution - collegiality, learning and advocacy.

To ensure the Chapter is able to achieve these expectations, we need to become better communicators, collaborators, teachers and revenue generators. I will do my part. I will engage our Board, our Committees, our members and our higher education partners to spurn a new collegiality. I will encourage partnerships with allied professions and stakeholders to create new collaborations. I will focus on short term goals, including the completion of our Strategic Plan, the establishment of a Communications Plan and a Fundraising Plan. I will work to better support our Committees and staff so they can deliver higher quality programs and events in a learning and research environment. I will initiate long term activities to increase the exposure of the profession, our members and the Center for Architecture. I will represent and advocate for the Chapter and its members locally, state-wide and nationally. And last, I will focus on the retention of our emerging architects, energizing their interest in the Chapter, in an effort to limit the migration of talent away from our profession.

So, what can our members accomplish for the Chapter this year? What should we ask of you, our members?

I ask that you increase your participation in AIA events and programs, to advance your own ambitions. I ask that you support our Committees, join a Committee, participate on a panel to share your expertise, attend Committee programs and events. These are opportunities for you to expand your knowledge. I ask that you become an advocate of the AIA. Encourage non-member architects and non-member architectural firms to join the AIA. As well, ask your allied industry professionals and vendors to become Affiliate Members of the AIA. Be an advocate of your profession in your community and local government. These tasks are for your benefit. I ask that you do these things to expand the collegiality and collaboration of our Chapter. This is your Chapter and you should make the most of it. If you help your Chapter, you are helping yourself. So ask yourself every day, “What can I do to support my Chapter and my profession today for my future and that of future generations?”

To conclude, this year we look to continue our climb out of the recession. We will strengthen the core of our institution, incubate new initiatives and prepare ourselves for the “new normal”. A major priority this year is the completion of our Strategic Plan for both the Chapter and the Center for Architecture. We expect to complete a draft Strategic Plan in time for our Annual Meeting in April. Then following your input, our goal is to obtain final approval in the fall of each Plan by the Chapter and Center Boards respectively. We seek your input in the development of your Strategic Plan because our responsibility as Chapter leaders is to serve our collective vision. As we work together, moving forward with new optimism, we will have another successful year. But most important, together we will set the stage for next year, and the following year, and for the future generations of your profession.

Thank you, let’s have a fun year, and let’s do it.

Keith C. H. Mock, AIA
President, AIA Philadelphia Chapter