6 REFLEXION | 2021-22 | AIA Utah Why did you become an architect? I love airplanes and originally wanted to be a pilot, but I also loved Legos. When I was 14, I realized how perfect vision is temporary and crucial for pilots. I worried that I wouldn’t always have perfect vision. So I switched career paths. There is magic in creating space and changing environments. The profession of architecture combines design and art, and it is tactile. I enjoy all of that. Please tell us about your studies at the University of Utah. What was the most important lesson you learned during your time there? My professors helped me think and explore. I gained the ability to critically think through problems, be confident in my thought process and find my ground. There were challenges and opportunities to test things I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. I learned about important practical skills such as communication with teams and colleagues. While there, I took two business classes because I was looking for additional skill sets, and I worked within the Kajima Lab, a 3D software lab hosted by a Japanese construction company. The professors taught us mechanical concepts, building science, structure and design. I learned how to communicate with clients and set priorities and needs. Who have your most important mentors been? I worked under Pat McLaughlin for six years, starting on day one. He taught me to always seek out options and to be openminded. He encouraged me to get involved with AIA early in my career. He moved to Portland before COVID to be closer to his daughter, but he continues to be a good influence. He also taught me how important it is to start saving for retirement early, time being your greatest asset. Dennis Cecchini, our former CEO and AIA past president, also mentored me. He instilled confidence in making necessary decisions quickly so projects could move forward. His passion for architecture and securing a client’s satisfaction has remained with me. And then there is golf – the etiquette and value of spending time with others; we’ve enjoyed many rounds on the greens! It’s rare to talk with someone who has focused on one company. Please tell us about how you arrived there and why you stayed. Until I came to Utah, I typically moved every two years; the longest I stayed anywhere was four years. Salt Lake City is welcoming, and we are very comfortable with Utah’s outdoors and the culture. My wife and I have had amazing careers here. I connect with the firm’s mission to create extraordinary environments, and there’s never been a lack of work or challenge. We fit here. I have also had the great fortune of working on projects that have captured my imagination. I have even gotten to design airports and revisit my love of that building type. When I was working on my master’s project at the University of Utah, my project was the Provo City Airport, and twenty — continued from page 5
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