11 recommendations of the 1988 Salt Lake City R/UDAT resulted in the policy changes that led to the development of Salt Lake’s near-west side, including the establishment of an Arts and Entertainment District, what became the Gateway Mall, and ultimately the Granary District. Like everybody else in graduate school, he also took Pro Practice. Craig Coburn taught him (and sent him a note later to congratulate Kevin when he was elevated to Fellow). When Kevin graduated, the U.S. was coming to the end of a recession, and jobs were difficult to come by. Kevin had interviewed and dropped off his resume at different companies but says he “could not find a gig.” However, he knew Stephen Smith of GSBS “from a previous life,” and participating in AIA Utah as a student allowed him to become acquainted with other GSBS principals: David Brems and Mike Stransky. They offered him a job when he was getting ready to graduate, and Kevin has been at GSBS ever since. After Kevin joined the firm, he found that everyone eligible was expected to join AIA. GSBS encouraged AIA involvement with time, money and moral support. Three months after he arrived, GSBS laid off 12 people. “I hoped they kept me because I was intelligent, working hard and doing well,” said Kevin, “but now I recognize that I was probably the cheapest guy in the room.” However, the layoff created opportunities for those who remained. They had been a middling-sized firm before the layoff, and now they were small enough that everyone did much more of everything. Kevin found he was exposed to different aspects of the practice and had the opportunity to take on responsibility. The firm has grown since then, but Kevin still benefits from the understanding he gained of the company, its culture and everything that makes GSBS what it is. Although Kevin was initially an associate, he could finally call himself an architect and put AIA after his name when he got his license. “That was a moment of arrival,” said Kevin. “It’s what you strive for. And now, being able to put FAIA after my name is humbling. I am pleased and proud about it.” For the first couple of years after Kevin was hired, he worked directly with all four primary principals and three or four other senior architects. This opportunity occurred because the company values mentoring and also because of GSBS’s size. Abe Gillies, another principal, was an especially important mentor to Kevin because they saw the world the same way. Abe was a wise and knowledgeable man. He made time for Kevin, brought him along, counseled him, and put him in situations where he could grow. “I hope my actions live up to what Abe did when he was here,” said Kevin. Mike Stransky and Stephen Smith also invested their time in Kevin. “Virtually everybody I interact with has influenced how I look at and practice architecture,” said Kevin. “They helped shape the architect that I am now.” Kevin became a shareholder in 1998. Of the founders who hired him, David Brem is the only one who is still an active practitioner, design principal and board member. The other three have retired. Kevin thinks AIA membership is important for several reasons. The relationships he built as a student helped him secure a job after he graduated, but Kevin also sees AIA as the vehicle by which architects enhance their profession. “Even though we all compete daily, there is a big picture responsibility to make the world better and improve it for architects, too,” he said. “Architects are not historically great at self-promotion, and the way we are valued is not commensurate with our contributions. AIA is an important vehicle to change that situation.” Kevin found his place in AIA on the national level. “I was engaged in my career and relatively introverted,” said Kevin. “I didn’t have much involvement because AIA didn’t seem like my cup of tea. But agreements, and the underlying structure of how they were held together, interested me. My former boss and partner, Mike Stransky, got me on the documents committee in 2008. I didn’t know he applied for me until I received a congratulatory email.” There are 24-34 members on the contract documents committee, depending on where the committee is on the cycle of document redrafts. “We have very similar interests, and we became friends,” said Kevin. “There are usually a certain group of people in a practice who are interested in contracts. But when they are interested, they are really interested. Those are the ones who do well on the committee.” One of the committee leaders asked Kevin to speak at a New Orleans convention. “I thought it would be good for me, and it was, but it was also hard,” said Kevin. “I’ve made presentations about risk management and contracts more than 30 times. I was more comfortable after 30 presentations, even though speaking was still tricky. Enthusiasm overcomes introversion. It is easy to talk when I am passionate about the subject, and I have a great deal of passion for helping practitioners practice in better ways and manage their risk.” There are six objects of nomination for AIA Fellows. Kevin was made a fellow because of Object Three, which has to do with leadership within the institute. “My contributions to the contract documents program influenced the construction industry,” said Kevin. “The assignment is usually a 10-year hitch, but they held me over for 14 years. I was the chair in 2015 and 2016 while we were doing the run-up to the 2017 document release.“ The pandemic made it impossible to have an FAIA ceremony for two years. Although some people were elevated to fellowship, they had no convention, ceremony or investiture. The medal came in the mail. When AIA was able to have a convention again, the FAIA awards ceremony was held in the historic Auditorium Theatre in downtown Chicago with — continued on page 12
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