The 2019 SARA NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Chicago Grant Park | Doug Joyce
On October 30th – November 3rd, the Society of American Registered Architects held its 63rd National Conference in beautiful downtown Chicago at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. The conference greeted attendees on Wednesday, October 30th, with a Welcoming Reception and a brief history of the interesting and historic Chicago Athletic Association Hotel.
On Thursday, the group dived out into the unseasonal snow and cold in Chicago, and over to the community of Northbrook for a tour of WJE Associates’ Janney Technical Center, a preeminent Forensic Architectural Laboratory. In the evening, the group enjoyed a wonderful Happy Hour followed by two Lectures, beginning with Ian Chin, Vice President and Senior Principal of WJE Associates on the topic of “Architects and Lawsuits – Common Causes/Minimize/Avoid”, with the focus on their vast experience in the forensic sciences. Next lecture was: “Bold Plans: Redefining Chicago as the American City”, presented by Doug Voigt, Partner with SOM Chicago.
Friday started with a Neighborhood Tour of Local Libraries with SOM’s Brian Lee from as our Guide. These projects were part of SOM’s initiative into more community involved design. The projects were located the well established neighborhoods of Chinatown, Little Italy, and the West Loop. Lunch proved to be a hit where the group enjoyed real Chicago Style Pizza. Fully satisfied, the group enjoyed two CEU Seminars, “Metal Roofing, History, Material and Application” presented by David Weidl of ATAS International, and then “Installing Fenestration in Exterior Insulated Walls” with Adam Van Fleet of Pella Corporation. In the evening everyone enjoyed a spectacular Celebration of Architecture and Design Awards at VenueSix10, where 77 projects were showcased and recognized from 47 firms and 10 Students from across the County and Overseas.
The society’s National Board of Directors met on Saturday at the Offices of WJE Associates on LaSalle Street to conduct the Business of the Society as SARA looks forward to 2020. The Annual Assembly immediately followed the Board Meeting where the 2020 National Officers were announced and the Board welcomed their first Associate Member, Valerie Costa, Associate ARA from New York.
Saturday’s President’s Celebration held in the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel’s Stagg Court, a former Basketball Court turned ballroom. This event brought everyone together to celebrate the last year of the Presidency of Octavio Santurio and the welcoming to the Presidency to Dennis Dong, FARA, from Sacramento.
Part of the ceremonies included the Installation of 2020 National Officers include Dennis Dong, President, Walt Geiger, President-Elect, Abby Schwartz, Vice President, Simone Demirjian, Treasurer, Anthony Baker, Recorder, Mitch Abramowitz, Regent-at-Large, Directors, Patrick Banning, Valerie Costa, Melissa Dzielak, Carl Gramentz, Tim Hilkhuijsen, Tim Hao, Douglas Joyce, III, Ronnette Riley, and Kevin Whalley.