President
Ernest Joyner, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
Sink Combs Dethlefs
303.308.0200, ext. 139
joyner "at" sinkcombs.com
"The current economic climate has been challenging for our profession and for AIA, but it has forced us to look closely at what we do and re-examine how we serve our members statewide. In 2009, AIA Colorado completed a membership outreach survey that has given us vital information about what is most important to you:
- Protecting and Enhancing the Profession
- Delivering vital resources to our members
- Positioning architects for influence in the community
- Serving the needs of members to facilitate their success
The four points above are the four pillars of our new strategic plan, adopted in February 2010. Over the next three years, we will host an AIA National Convention, fight for our interests in the Sunset Review of the architect licensing statute and secure a home for the AIA office. It is my intent to use the principals of the strategic plan and to work with board members, staff members, and volunteers to provide the greatest benefit to you.”
Ernest is a principal at Sink Combs Dethlefs Architects. Past volunteer experience includes service to non-profit housing, architectural mentoring and his neighborhood association. He has presented sports and recreation topics nationwide at a variety of conferences and workshops, and has been a guest critic at the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Portland State University and the Art Institute. Ernest holds a Master of Architecture from Clemson University and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Washington and Lee University.
President-Elect
Mike Wisneski, AIA
303.249.3949
mwisneski "at" aol.com
"To paraphrase Charles Dickens, these are the worst of times, these are the best of times. Today, many of us are unemployed, under employed or not employed in the profession. The prognosis looks grim for the next several years because the economy is flat, construction financing remains difficult, and the market is highly competitive for few opportunities. Architects face legislative efforts to erode the value of the profession. The next generation of architects is diminished as they graduate without the prospect of internship. Yet, there is the promise of tomorrow! Tomorrow brings exciting opportunities to AIA Colorado. The Sunset review process for our license begins this fall, the AIA Colorado offices will relocate in early 2012, and the AIA National Convention returns to Denver in 2013. I will maintain a strong commitment to provide value to you, to continue the stewardship of the AIA Colorado resources, and to uphold the vision of AIA members as leaders in the built environment. I remain dedicated to AIA Colorado members to lead us out of these worst of times and into the best of times!”
Mike has committed over 18 years to AIA Colorado, serving in the roles of Government Affairs Chair, GAC Legislative Subcommittee Chair, Government Affairs Director on the AIA Colorado Board, and most recently, Treasurer of AIA Colorado. A graduate of Notre Dame, he was licensed in Colorado in 1991. In his free time, he can be found riding his bicycle, supporting his wife on her endurance runs, or playing with his two children.
Past President
Steven Schonberger, AIA
NAC Architecture
303.837.9007
sschonberger "at" nacarchitecture.com
"I am a principal with NAC Architecture in Denver. I began my career in Denver at W.C. Muchow and Partners. For the past 27 years I have been with AR7 Architects, until our recent merger with NAC.
Serving on the AIA Colorado board is a privilege I do not take lightly. AIA is the voice of the profession of architecture in Colorado, and the board is the voice of AIA. I enjoy the responsibility of representing our membership and the profession, listening to concerns and advocating for progressive solutions.”
Treasurer
Gail Pelsue, AIA
Pelsue Architecture, LLC
303.333.4079
gpelsue "at" pelsuearchitecture.com
Treasurer-Elect
Angela Van Do, AIA
Boulder Associates
303.499.7795
atvando "at" boulderassociates.com
"None of us have been spared the challenges of the current economy, and that includes AIA Colorado. It is my intention as treasurer-elect to uphold the fiduciary responsibilities of the position and serve as a financial steward for the organization and its members. AIA Colorado has a very exciting and promising future ahead, but one that will also have its challenges. Through continued responsible and careful budgeting, AIA Colorado will be better positioned to provide value to its members and ensure the financial viability and long-term success of the organization. It would be an honor to represent you and continue working to help AIA Colorado responsibly provide valuable services and programs to its members.”
A graduate of Clemson University (B.S. Design) and the University of Tennessee (M.Arch.), Angela has been a Project Manager with Boulder Associates since 2001. She has served on the AIA Colorado North Board of Directors in various roles between 2003 and 2008, including director, secretary, and AIA150 Champion. She served as secretary of AIA Colorado in 2011. Angela was awarded the AIA Colorado North 2007 Associate of the Year and the AIA Western Mountain Region 2008 Jason Pettigrew Memorial Leadership Scholarship.
Secretary
Kevin Eronimous, AIA
Shears Adkins Rockmore
303.436.9551, ext. 104
keronimous "at" shearsadkins.com
"I welcome the opportunity to serve our members by being considered for the position of secretary for the AIA Colorado board of directors. My experience in recent years of working with the AIA Colorado and AIA Denver boards and committees has been positive and productive and I am enthused about this possibility because of the integrity and commitment that I have seen from the architects, associates, and students participating in our leadership. I have seen the benefit this organization provides in many different respects and as we endeavor to develop programs, provide legislative input, and plan for the future, it is my hope that we can challenge each other creatively and continue to provide value for our membership.”
Kevin is a 1993 B.Arch. graduate of Syracuse University and has practiced architecture in Denver for 17 years, most recently with Shears Adkins Rockmore Architects. His recent involvement with AIA has included serving as the education chair and committee chair of AIA Denver Committee on the Environment (COTE), being instrumental in the planning and establishing of AIA Colorado COTE, serving as a director on the AIA Denver board, participation in the Fellows Nominating Committee, and supporting and developing the current AIA Denver AIA+2030 program.
These experiences of being involved on the board level as well as on active committees have fostered a record of establishing goals, programs, and member benefits that align with the objectives and strategic plans of our boards while balancing individual member needs and organizational responsibilities with professionalism and respect.
Director, AIA Denver
Ralph Hellman, AIA
Acquilano Leslie, Inc.
303.893.4130
ralph "at" acquilano.com
As AIA Denver 2012 President, Ralph will help the board explore opportunities to promote AIA benefits to its members, to heighten the public awareness or our profession and our work, to maintain the financial strength of the chapter and bring another highly successful national convention to the Rocky Mountains in 2013.
Ralph is a graduate of the University of Kansas, School of Architecture and Urban Design. He is a partner with Acquilano Leslie, Inc., a 13-person firm specializing in corporate interior architecture where he focuses on project and office operations, quality control and technical oversight. He has served on numerous building code committees for the Denver Building Department. He currently chairs the Interior Design Advisory Board at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, where he has taught as an adjunct faculty member and continues to serve as a guest lecturer and student project juror.
Director, AIA Colorado North
Justin C. Larson, AIA
VFLA
970.224.1191
justin "at" vfla.com
Director, AIA Colorado South
Adam Thesing, AIA
LKA Partners, Inc.
719.473.8446, ext. 118
adamthesing "at" lkapartners.com
"I am excited to continue my involvement with AIA Colorado South as president. I have enjoyed seeing the progress and momentum the chapter has experienced in the last few years. The development of an AIA Colorado South strategic plan has helped focus our goals and chapter direction. Moving these ideas forward and seeing the impact on our local communities and AIA Colorado South chapter members will be my major focus in the coming years. I look forward to serving on the AIA Colorado South board of directors.”
Director, AIA Colorado West
Jim Jose, AIA
path21 architecture
970.328.1632
jim@path21arch.com
"‘Making better architects and architecture a better profession is the commitment of AIA and I stand with that to ensure the quality and sustainability of our built environment.”
Jim has been engaged in architecture his entire life. Design and purpose behind the places we occupy and the life cycle of our built environment are the tenets of his practice. Jim holds a master’s degree in architecture and is Owner and Principal of an energetic and innovative architecture firm. Currently serving as AIA Colorado West chapter 2012 board of directors president, Jim believes that AIA is instrumental in defending and growing the profession of architecture.
Associate Director
Chuck Shifflett, Assoc. AIA
720.271.5702
cshifflett "at" mac.com
"As the AIA Colorado Associate Director, I’m looking
forward to the opportunity to serve the needs of the associate members of AIA in
Colorado and the profession as a whole. I hope to strengthen the connections
between practicing professionals and academia, while strongly supporting the
needs of interns and their pursuit of licensure.”
Chuck is a recent graduate of the University of
Colorado Denver with both Master of Architecture and Master of Urban Design
degrees. Besides his role as Associate Director on the AIA Colorado board, he
has been active on the AIA Denver Committee on the Environment (COTE), leading the
education task force, and is a member of the tours committee for the AIA
National 2013 Convention. He is also a board member for the Lower Downtown
Neighborhood Association.
In support of his previous career, Chuck also has a
B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and
an M.B.A. from Chapman University in Orange, Calif. He served as an intelligence
officer and program manager in the United States Air Force for 21 years and is
very excited to be starting a new chapter, and career, in the architectural
profession. He is a LEED AP BD&C and is certified as a Project Management
Professional by the Project Management Institute.
Associate Director-Elect
Cynthia Fishman, Assoc. AIA
713.269.5881
cynfish "at" gmail.com
"I am serving on the AIA Colorado board of directors because I want be an active member in the community by representing and assisting my fellow Associate AIA members towards reaching their goals.”
Cynthia is originally from Connecticut and New York but has spent the last ten years in the south and southwest. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Art History from Rice University in Houston along with her Bachelor of Architecture. While in a sustainability program in Prescott, Ariz., she became LEED Accredited. Cynthia then worked in Santa Fe, N.M., and was a founding member of the local chapter of Architects for Humanity, before moving to Denver last year. She has continued her commitment to AFH and is treasurer of the Denver Chapter.
Professional Affiliate Director
John Pittman, PA
Fransen Pittman General Contractors
303.783.3900
jpittman "at" fransenpittman.com
John Pittman is president of Fransen Pittman General Contractors, a firm he co-founded 17 years ago. In addition to his leadership role at Fransen Pittman and his AIA Colorado board position, he serves the construction industry as a board member for the Subcontractor Relations Committee of AGC Colorado. He also serves his community via roles with the Denver Area Council-Boy Scouts and the Rangeview Library District. John earned a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Colorado State University. When he’s not serving clients or his community, he’ll likely be found at the top of a fourteener and enjoying all that Colorado has to offer. John firmly believes in the continued success of the A/E/C industry in Colorado, and throughout the United States. He is serving on the board to volunteer his experience and skills to the industry he respects dearly.
Office of the State Architect Director
Larry Friedberg, AIA
State of Colorado, Office of the State Architect
303.866.3079
larry.friedberg "at" state.co.us
Larry
Friedberg, AIA, has the Colorado State Architect for more than 17 years. He is responsible
for the administration of state-funded Capital Construction and Controlled
Maintenance projects at all state agencies and most institutions of higher
education in Colorado.
Larry administers the selection process for design and construction services, establishes
standard contract language and approves all modifications, administers the building
code compliance policy, administers the Emergency Maintenance Fund, and
negotiates leases on behalf of the state. Prior to working for the state, Larry
practiced in architectural firms ranging in size from large to small, including
Skidmore Owings and Merrill in Chicago and Johnson/Hopson
& Partners in Denver.
Larry was also the in-house architect and facility manager for University Hospital
at the former University of Colorado’s Health
Sciences Center.
Larry
has served on the AIA Colorado board of directors since 2008.
University Director
Taisto Makela
University of Colorado Denver College of Architecture and Planning
303.315.2420
taisto.makela "at" ucdenver.edu
In 2009, Dr. Taisto H. Mäkelä was appointed Chairman of the Department of Architecture at the University of Colorado Denver. Mäkelä recognizes the need for the association to collaborate with the profession. After all, the future of the profession is the students and vice versa.
Mäkelä teaches in the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. He was educated by his father on construction sites beginning at age 14. At 16 he began working with a conceptual art group, the N.E. Thing Company. Mäkelä proceeded to garner a Diploma of Building Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a B.Arch. from the University of Oregon. He also attended the Architectural Association in London and then Princeton University where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Architectural History, Theory, and Criticism. To prepare architecture students for the global aspect of practice, he avidly promotes international education.
Student Director
Stephen Cole, AIAS
University of Colorado Denver
720.982.3251
stephencole81 "at" gmail.com
"I am serving on
the AIA Colorado board becauseI believe in the organization's unique ability to
advocate for the architectural profession. As president of one of the largest
AIAS chapters in the country (University of Colorado Denver), I continually strive to make sure that
students and emerging professionals have a significant voice in the profession.
My generation is poised and ready to emerge as the next leaders in
architecture, and I look forward to being a part of that change.”
Stephen is an
intern architect with the Bureau of Land Management, Branch of Architecture and
Engineering. He also serves as the AIAS UC-Denver Chapter President. Before
returning to graduate school, he worked with a small design-build firm in Golden
for a few years. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design
(Architecture) from the University of Colorado Boulder. He will graduate with
his M.Arch. in May 2012 and looks forward to continuing the path to licensure,
and serving the architectural community as an Associate AIA
member.
Government Affairs Director
D.A. Bertram, Esq., FAIA
The Bertram Law Firm
Society for Design Administration Liaison
Ruth Nestor, SDA
Hutton Architecture Studio
Ex-Officio
Sonia Riggs, Hon. AIA, CAE
AIA Colorado
303.446.2266, ext. 117
sonia@aiacolorado.org