It’s been an honor for me to serve as your president this year. I have been fortunate to lead during a year where we began to return to some sort of normalcy. We were able to hold an in-person Conference in Chattanooga, our first in-person Conference in two years; we were able to celebrate with each other, in person, at the Design Awards; and we were able to meet with our legislators, in-person, during Day on the Hill and at various receptions throughout the year.
I am grateful for all these things and for the staff and volunteer effort throughout the year that made it all possible. It has been eye opening for me as president to experience first-hand the leadership and commitment of our committees and working groups as they worked together throughout the year to make a better AIA TN for all of us. From Bylaws revisions and Advocacy efforts to Juneteenth Celebrations and Design Celebrations, etc. it’s been a lot to fit in outside the workday, especially during these busy times, so thank you.
This year also brought about new Tennessee representation to AIA National. Congratulations to those selected: Josh Flowers as Strategic Councilor; Scott Busby, as Small Firm Exchange Representative; Katie Hunt, as Associate Representative; and Sarah Page, as Tennessee’s Representative to the Young Architects Forum.
I want to thank our lobbyists, Bill Nolan and Lindsay Spain who work with our Government Relations Committee and represent AIA TN on the Hill. This year and last year were record years for Capital Outlay for State of TN projects, including the doubling of the State’s Historic Development Grant to benefit Tennessee’s historic buildings. These wins underscore the importance of communication, outreach and relationship building on the Hill. We need to keep it up, lend our support, and be thankful for the project opportunities we’ve been given.
And lastly, but certainly not least, I would like to give special recognition and thank you to AIA TN’s staff: Ashley Cates, Molly Craig, and Lisa Bowler. They work incredibly hard on behalf of AIA TN, and I can’t say enough about that. As president, I had a front row seat to all they do to implement our many programs and initiatives.
Thank you to our AIA members for your support of our profession, and best wishes to our upcoming 2023 AIA TN Board!
Sincerely,
Linda Marzialo, AIA
President, AIA Tennessee