2021 Directory

23 representatives will be from a different part of the state (i.e., one from San Diego and another from Sacramento). State Representatives will have the following responsibilities: Participate in a monthly conference call where we connect with the AIA KCs / MGs; contribute to outreach activities on Flipboard and Instagram; distribute information to state SFx groups; and, present information to chapters in their state about the SFx and their activities. A state rep serves for a minimum of one year and as many as five years. After this year, a state rep must serve for a year before applying to serve on the Board. If you are interested, please go to aia.org. Small Firm Board Members and State Representatives need to be a licensed architect, a member of the AIA, a small firm owner/leader and may be self-recommended or recommended by the state chapter leadership. Final selection for the board member or state representatives will be made by the SFx Executive Committee. The deadline for submitting for the SFx Board Member and State Representatives is October 31, with notifications sent to selected SFx members in November/December and positions beginning in January each year. SFx Sub-Committees The Small Firm Exchange has two sub-committees — Outreach and Conference. The Outreach Committee focuses on communicating curated content to small firm members. This effort includes sharing content on the following social media channels: Instagram: @aia_sfx Facebook: AIA Small Firm Exchange Twitter: @AIASFx Website: www.aia.org/sfx Flipboard: AIA SFx Magazine Small firms can share their projects to be distributed through the AIA SFx Instagram feed. If you are interested in having your work included, upload your projects to the SFx Instagram listed above. The Conference Committee works to curate content submitted to the AIA National Convention (A’22) and, where possible, submits programs of interest to small firms for the Convention. If you are going to A’22 in Chicago, look for the content listed above and opportunities to gather as small firms. SFx Special Projects There are times when the need arises for a special project directed by the Small Firm Exchange. These projects could include webinars like the two completed in 2021 — Ownership and Leadership Transition: Pathways to Success and Financial Management Basics for Small Firms: How to Improve Profitability, both of which are available on-demand at the AIAU website. SFx Chapter Groups In 2021, an SFx special project also included the preparation of a Toolkit to help local chapters start an SFx Group. Currently, there are no SFx groups in any of the chapters within the Western Mountain Region. As the incoming SFx Chair for 2022, one of my goals is to help encourage chapters to organize SFx Groups in their state chapters, and if needed, even regionally, help small firms connect, learn, and even collaborate with each other. Summary Small Firms play a significant role in the AIA and the profession as a whole. The Small Firm Exchange is ready to help you improve your practice by providing the resources and support you are looking for. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our 2021 Chair, Matthew Clapper ( mclapper@mad-start.com) or me ( bfallon@wpa-architecture.com) . b