Chapter Meeting

11 November 2004, Paris

Attendees:

Minutes

as recorded by Richard Anderson

1. Sandra Zettersten, AIA, President, called the meeting to order.

The Chapter’s thanks go to Pedro Balonas for organizing the Porto Conference. Thanks to Isabel Meinecke for section events to Roubaix and Chartres. Thanks to Maureen Reinersten, Lee Luxford and Gabriela Anion for the Novartis (section) event.

Personal efforts are what make the chapter special. Thanks to the Paris conference organizing committee now, before the start of the conference. Introduction of Werner Rüegger as the next Chapter President. Thanks to Jim Cowey for taking care of treasury. Thanks to Secretary, Richard Anderson, for the work on the web site.

Comments:

Anderson: the web site will continue to improve with member contributions.

2. Section Directors

Comments:

George Berg: Section directors need to help with membership committee. Encourage contact among them and members.

Zettersten: official committee on membership is headed by VIce President, with assistance from the Secretary. New, young and living(!) members are needed. Current Section Directors reviewed.

3. Nominating Committee

— Daniel Herren, Chair of the Nominations Committee

The incoming President is Werner Rüegger. The following slate of nominations is presented as:

One year terms, 2005

Two year terms, 2005-2006

Herren: officers with continuing terms.

Comments:

Schwartzman: noted that the current Section Director Eastern Europe is not well enough to continue his duties. Term will remain as is, however. Nóra  Demeter was mentioned as a possible replacement. [Secretary note: Demeter is not a member at the national level of the AIA.]

Zettersten: Marc DiDomenico has expressed his desire to participate in the future. Schwartzman noted that Ragni's term as Section Director Italy continues into next year.

Motion:

Daniel Herren, Chair of the Nominations Committee, moved that slate of as presented (see above, under “One year terms, 2005” and “Two year terms, 2005-2006”, be accepted. Seconded.

Vote:

Motion passed. Slate accepted unanimously. [ed. note: A revised list of officers will be presented on the web site at the start of 2005.]

4. Treasurer’s Report

—James Cowey, AIA

Sounds finances passed down from Tom McDuffie. Authority to access accounts transferred. Annual budget balanced. Cash reserves reviewed. Paris conference looks to have surplus but final numbers are unknown. The Chapter is in the black. Recruitment and keeping members remains important.

5. AIA National

Herren: Visitors from AIA National have joined us and he wished to ask that National give assistance in giving membership in our chapter some appeal. Once a year note that we are here would be a start.

Schwartzman: Introduction of Gene Hopkins, FAIA,AIA President, Doug Steidl, FAIA,AIA President Elect and Ellen Delage,Assoc. AIA Director, International Relations. Request they address our meeting.

Hopkins: National looking to address support for members around globe. Point of value important and known. Intellectual and financial share. More aggressive plan plated for years to come for better engagement. Encouraged us to make our voices heard.

Waldschmidt: AIA should seek input on international contracts from members of our chapter.

6. Conferences

Istanbul: Ahmet Alp, organizer. Section event as part of Union International of Architects Conference in June 2005.

Comments:

Hopkins: UIA Chair will be in Paris. Alp could discuss ideas with him (he is an Honorary Fellow of the AIA).

Zettersten: Asked for assistance from National.

Udine: David Jay Thompson, organizer. See Board Meeting Notes Ragni and Alhadeff assisting. 30 September — 3 October 2005. No budget yet but should be withint “normal” range. Thompson has presentation for later; he is arriving in Paris late tonight.

Helsinki: Hans Buchwald, organizer. May 2005. See Board Meeting Notes. No board decision was made about the conference.

Comments:

Buchwald needs assistance. Some assistance for manual work (e.g. for print materials) can be provided by Administrative Assistant. A full back-up person is needed. Koerner is helping some already.

Luxford: Asked for confirmation that Buchwald is in Stuttgart. How can he organize if he has health problems and meeting is in Helsinki?

Chapter needs to pay for Buchwald trips to Helsinki.

Herren: Concerns are valid but he looks to our creativity to overcome these concerns. Could Giblin, As Section Director Northern Europe be called upon to assist? Why not give him (Buchwald) a chance?

Zettersten: Volunteered to help with budgeting.

Miller: Concern with how this can be organized without being in Finland.

Motion:

Miller: We advance up to €2000 allowance needed as seed money to organize a two-day conference. Helen Giblin needs to be in contact with Buchwald. Second.

Comments:

Quick poll: At least 17 people in the room noted they would be interested in going to Helsinki for this event.

Vote:

Motion passed unanimously.

[End of meeting included a Helsinki update: Koerner had telephone conversation with Buchwald. A detailed program and budget will be prepared. Dates were selected as 12-15 May. 26 Nov 2004 note: dates have been changed to 26-29 May. A draft program is available for review and input.]

7. Secretary’s Report: Membership and Web site

— Richard Anderson

Review of member numbers and levels. Fielded questions.

Read the Secretary’s full report →

Comments:

Zettersten: Mention of tri-fold as resource for recruiting members and sponsors. Past conferences will be mentioned in the tri-fold in lieu of the current list of officers.

8. AIA National

— Alan Schwartzman

Presentation of issues regarding AIA Continental Europe representation on the National Board (as started by Tom Vonier). AIA Hong Kong has joined with Northwest Pacific Region through 2006 for their representation. Some discussion of bringing international chapters together as an International Region.

Hopkins: Noted that additional regional representation will be allowed on board (beyond current 35 members) but there is one bylaw restriction: 1.75% of the National Membership (±74,000 members) is required within any region to have a seat on the board. Any International Region would need to total ±1300 members. All told, internationally, we are no where near this number. Discussion continues at National though knowing that one size does not fit all.

Lischer (AIA London/UK, Unassigned AIACE): Asked if second level of expense and bureaucracy was a solution to our needs.

9. Architect’s Council of Europe

— Giancarlo Alhadeff

Alhadeff repeated the presentation given at the Board Meeting.

9. Goals and Visions

Miller: Concerned about commitment of people to the chapter. Where are the people who can step in for the first generation? Sense that the pool of people is smaller. London/UK is having the same problem.

Spano: Noted huge percentage that is eft peripherally.

Reinersten: Switzerland experience shows it is possible to bring new International Associates in the Chapter. Ten new Swiss members joined as result of Novartis event.

Hopkins: Much can be gained through membership at National level. Web site is wealth of information. Members must seek the information.

Luxford: Our conferences are a tremendous resource. Discussion continued with usability of AIA national web site and how it could or does not currently benefit our chapter.

10. Miscellany

Paris Conference: CIMbéton a late sponsor addition. A packet is available to add to registration packages already picked-up.

Latrobe Fellowship: Grant details are available at http://www.aia.org/fellows_latrobe_2005

11. Meeting adjourned

— Richard Anderson, AIACE Secretary