This time of year finds many of us planning for the holidays by either decorating our homes, addressing holiday cards or spending endless amounts of time shopping.  We might also spend part of our time trying to figure out which bowl game our favorite team might be playing in, or not, or who the team’s next coach might be, or not.  Regardless of what we might rather be doing, we find ourselves looking ahead to prepare for next week, next month or next year.   The same can be said for AIA Ohio.  While the regional convention held in October in Covington might seem like a long time ago, I can assure you much has occured since.  As most are aware, the website, in development since mid-September, was put online over the Thanksgiving holiday.  During the first week on November, AIAOhio and chapter representatives met to discuss member needs and to continue to plan programs and events for 2010.  In the past week, our fall newsletter was released, input and discussion occured on the proposed inclusion of the Ohio Construction Reform recommendations in HB318, and the preliminary agenda for the first meeting in 2010 was released to board members, chapter presidents and chapter executives for input and comments.  All of this “behind-the-scenes” activities take place with weekly discussions occuring between members, officers and staff with the simple goals of meeting our mission and improving the services we offer to our members.

As we move forward over the next several weeks, we will be meeting with the vice president of component affairs, releasing information to and planning more meetings of the Strategic Alliance Task Force, creating the request for proposals for a media consultant, and working to organize and implement programs and events for the coming months.  Over a year and a half ago, AIA Ohio created strategic goals, under the leadership of Paul Hollenbeck AIA, to guide us through the next several years.  These planning strategies will be integrated again this year with suggestions from the Strategic Task Force and the AIA Strategic Plan to better coordinate and focus programs and services through all levels of AIA.

AIA Ohio will continue to work with members, the legislature, and allied professionals to ensure that the needs of architects and the public are advanced through our support or development of programs, legislation, and leadership in construction.  We ask that every member support the efforts of your chapters, volunteer for porgrams, and work with your state directors to help AIA Ohio meet our mission and to continue to become an effective and important “Voice of the Profession”.