The AIA 2014 National Convention is a little over a week away and campaigns for the two candidates running for the office of secretary are heating up. The 2015–2016 candidates for secretary are Jerry Eben, AIA, and John Padilla, AIA.
Meet the Candidates
(responses in their own words)
Jerry Eben, AIA; AIA New Jersey
Background
I have been an active AIA member for 42 years, right from the beginning when I joined in 1972. I’ve served in every position in my local section and state chapter and I’ve served as a regional director. Administratively, for the position of secretary, I know about bylaws and rules of the board on all three levels of AIA. I know I can do that job very well.
Role Model
In my professional life, I worked for a long time for Thomas C. Lehman. The firm was Lehman Architectural Partnership. It was a century-plus-old firm that is no longer in existence. Mr. Lehman passed away in ’99, but he really was my mentor. I had several mentors coming up through the ranks, but he really was the person who told me that a phone call gets called within 24 hours or else, shop drawings get reviewed within 48 hours or else, and really how to service the client, making sure the client’s questions are answered. I’ve kept that in my own practice.
John Padilla, AIA; AIA Santa Fe
Background
I was involved in the AIAS at the University of Houston. In 1979, I was chair of the Forum 79, the annual student convention that was hosted by the University of Houston. That was an early engagement [with the AIA], but after that, my engagement truly started when I moved to Santa Fe, N.M. and became a representative of AIA Santa Fe in about 1992. From 1992 to now, I’ve been engaged in numerous capacities with the AIA—as a local chapter representative, AIA Santa Fe chapter president, president of AIA New Mexico and treasurer of the Western Mountain Region Board of Directors, and for three years as a regional director of the national board of the AIA. After that, I was elected to the office of vice president of the Institute in 2011 and 2012. It has been a commitment to the Institute and volunteerism. … Now it brings me to the opportunity to serve again as a candidate for the Institute’s secretary.
Role Models
My mom and dad have been my biggest role models in life and how to be a good person. Volunteerism really came from my mom and dad. On a day to day basis in my involvement with AIA, it has been our members and the commitment our members have to making their chapters and their members even better, providing them with the tools and resources they need to be successful. … My biggest role models are members that are engaged and willing to give their time freely without anything in return to make sure everyone is successful.
Check out what all eight candidates running for the top three AIA positions said about their goals for office and what they think the Institute can provide for current and future members.
Look out for more AIA candidate Q&As in ARCHITECT’s Countdown to Convention.
