When I was asked to write a tribute to Susan, it was hard to put into words what Susan Menghini meant to AIA Wyoming and to me! She has been the anchor for AIA Wyoming for the last 14 years, a great leader, mentor and friend. There really is not enough space in this publication to truly honor her and express everything she did for our chapter and for each one of us who is privileged to know her. Even so, I asked several other AIA Wyoming members to contribute words of gratitude to Susan … to put her in the spotlight … and to celebrate her as the best executive director that this organization has ever known! The words of each of these individuals would be echoed by the masses. Thank you, Susan, for all that you have done to make AIA Wyoming what it is today … for seeing the best in all of us … Thank you for being you! We are truly grateful! — Rachel Delventhal, AIA I first met Susan Menghini in Deer Valley, Utah, at a Western Mountain Region Conference. I was living in Colorado at the time, and Susan had just joined AIA Wyoming as executive director, a position she embraced with all her heart, soul and mind. I moved back to Wyoming that year and rejoined my friends at AIA Wyoming. At Susan’s prompting, I decided to join the board for a second time. Susan’s impact on my role as a leader was transformational. She not only encouraged me, but she also brought new life to AIA Wyoming. Her selfless dedication and award-winning smile brought credibility to the state, to our region and to the leaders in Washington, D.C. With Susan’s determination and support, Wyoming’s membership grew, and our reputation prospered. I will forever miss Susan’s promptings. We love you, Susan! — Dan Stalker, AIA AIA Wyoming board members always felt secure and safe with Susan. There is a lot to learn and know about the workings of an association. Susan took incoming board members under her protective wing and helped them learn and grow to become strong leaders and good team members. Understanding the dynamics of both the state chapter and the national organization is no small task, not to mention all the acronyms, committees and documents of each. Yet, Susan had a firm grasp of all of it and was always willing to be a resource for the incoming president to make them look good and gain the confidence they needed to represent AIA Wyoming well at state and national events. Susan set a high bar of excellence for AIA Wyoming. A standard that will forever be etched in the minds of those who she worked with. Her attention to detail and diligence put AIA Wyoming in a place of prominence at the national level despite our small size. The architects of Wyoming are highly engaged in the chapter due in large part to Susan’s promotion and gentle arm-twisting. She was an expert at maintaining the balance of not over-extending volunteers but, at the same time, not letting them off the hook when they had committed to participating. As an executive director, Susan was exceptional! As a person, Susan is fun and made the state conferences fun! We will all miss Susan’s energy and zeal for life. I wish her well in the days ahead! — Dale Buckingham, AIA A Tribute to Susan Menghini 8 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
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