Experience

AIA Arizona | A Component of the American Institute of Architects

• Executive Director

  • Jun 2021 - Present

  As Executive Director of AIA Arizona, a 501c6 member organization that is the statewide component of the American Institute of Architects, I am collaborating with the state board of directors to lead the state's dynamic architecture community and serve AIA Arizona members with quality programming, advocacy, and communications. In total, I work with three boards of directors: AIA Arizona, AIA Phoenix Metro chapter, and the AIA Southern Arizona chapter. For AIA Arizona, I lead sponsorship fundraising efforts, and orchestrate the logistics of our annual state conference and state awards gala. Membership has grown by 10 percent statewide in my tenure through 2022, to surpass new thresholds of more than 1,000 members in the Phoenix Metro chapter and more than 1,300 statewide. I perform all operational aspects of AIA Arizona's political contribution strategy through its Political Action Committee (PAC). Additionally, I am a registered lobbyist in Arizona, and I am charged with the management of all legal and regulatory requirements associated with lobbying and PAC disclosures at the state level. Email: john at aia-arizona.org



International Interior Design Association

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Deputy Director and Senior Vice President

  • Feb 2018 - Dec 2020

  IIDA is an association with ~14,000 members who are commercial interior designers, architects, as well as related design industry professionals with furniture and product companies. + Worked closely with IIDA EVP/CEO to lead the member organization: headquarters staff, IIDA international board of directors, IIDA Foundation board of trustees, and volunteer leaders of 31 chapters. + Streamlined processes and team workflows to oversee marketing and communications, membership services, industry relations, and advocacy. + Hired, managed, and mentored key staff, including a new Director of Member Services. + Expanded IIDA programming efforts, both in-person and then online during pandemic, appealing to a wide range of designers with resulting new sponsor revenue. + Managed the IIDA Foundation, its $2 million budget of scholarship funds, awards, and a dozen chapter educational funds in collaboration with IIDA Director of Finance. + Created the IIDA Impact Stipend, with the IIDA Foundation, for members in financial need in pandemic. + Initiated and planned IIDA-AIA Chicago Architects & Designers Talk Series in-person events, garnering positive industry buzz. I also obtained the majority of series sponsorship revenue.



Emerald

• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet

• Editor In Chief of Contract magazine

  • 2011 - 2018

  Parent Company: Emerald, previously Nielsen A national magazine, Contract was focused on commercial interior architecture and design in print monthly and online at contractdesign.com. With an audience of interior designers, architects, and related industry professionals, Contract published contemporary design including workplace, healthcare, hospitality, education, retail, and cultural interiors and architecture. + Revamped and revitalized brand for a new generation, based on a strategic plan to seamlessly melding digital and print. This enabled the sales team to increase ad revenue and sponsorships. + Oversaw print magazine redesign in 2012 and website relaunch in 2014, increasing brand recognition and readership. + Initiated and grew robust social media presence, increasing brand global attention. + Elevated stature and relevance of Contract award programs. Emceed the Interiors Awards (audience 700+ in NYC), Best of NeoCon Awards (in Chicago), and Healthcare Environment Awards annually. + Hosted, moderated, and developed content strategy for the Contract Design Forum, an annual design summit with renowned speakers and panel discussions. + Launched the Official NeoCon Product Preview, considered the must-read show guide. + Grew and diversified Contract Editorial Advisory Board of designer & client leaders nationwide. + Collaborated with designer Rick Valicenti of Thirst, who oversaw the magazine redesign, as well as Emily Oberman of Pentagram, who designed the visual identity and videos for the Interiors Awards. + All print issues can be viewed here: http://contractdesign.com/digital



The American Institute of Architects (AIA)

• United States
• Architecture and Planning
• 700 & Above Employee

• Chairman of the 2014 AIA National Convention

  • 2014 - 2014

  I served as the national chairman of the 2014 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Convention, held in Chicago in June 2014. Appointed by 2014 AIA President Helene Combs Dreiling, I worked with Dreiling and AIA national staff to develop the convention's theme and content direction, special programming, identify keynote speakers, and I oversaw the convention committee meetings. Keynote speakers included Jeanne Gang, Theaster Gates, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Ed Mazria, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, and a panel of thought leaders on design for resilience.



Wiley

• United States
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Acquisitions Editor, Architecture and Design

  • 2003 - 2011

  Wiley is a global publisher with a 215-year history. + Signed and published numerous books written for architects, interior designers, urban planners, and preservation and construction professionals. + Published timely titles in sustainable design and evidence-based design still considered influential in the profession. + Held P&L budget responsibility for my publishing list. Reporting to VP/Publisher, developed a strategic plan for book list, signing a certain number of new authors, and overseeing a book list that would generate a revenue growth annually. + Negotiated author contracts and partnership agreements. + Managed Wiley’s professional publishing partnership with the AIA and served as editor for the 2008 edition of The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice by AIA. + Oversaw Wiley publishing partnerships with International Code Council (ICC), Associated General Contractors (AGC), and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). + Select titles that I published included Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson; Sustainable Urbanism by Doug Farr; Sustainable Commercial Interiors by Penny Bonda and Katie Sosnowchik; Sustainable Healthcare Architecture by Robin Guenther and Gail Vittori; and Evidence-Based Healthcare Design by Rosalyn Cama.



Architectural Record

• United States
• Architecture and Planning
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate Editor

  • 2000 - 2003

  Architectural Record, then the magazine of AIA and published by McGraw-Hill, has a 130-year history. + Wrote and edited much of the magazine’s coverage of the 9/11 aftermath and subsequent Ground Zero planning. Multiple interviews with renowned architects and designers. + Editor of Record’s October 2001 news section, which was one of three finalists for a Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for best news coverage. + Collaborated as a member of the editorial team that won a 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence, largely for the coverage of the architecture profession post-9/11. + Traveled to Moscow in 2001 to write extensive stories on the new U.S. Embassy Chancery and new Russian architecture (February 2002 issue). + Reported directly to Editor in Chief Robert Ivy, FAIA (now the EVP/CEO of AIA national).



Urban Strategies

• India
• Real Estate

• urban designer

  • 1999 - 2000

  Urban designer with a highly acclaimed firm in Toronto, working on projects including master plan of Fan Pier in Boston (Pritzker family as client, with Spaulding & Slye Colliers) and Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York. For Kendall Square, a 10-acre site in Cambridge, Mass., I both worked on the master plan for six new buildings and managed the international architecture and landscape architecture competitions that resulted in selection of Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner for Genzyme headquarters (LEED Platinum) and Steven Ehrlich Architects for Kendall Square Biotech Laboratory.


Kahler Slater
• United States
• Architecture and Planning
• 100 - 200 Employee
• architectural designer

  • 1998 - 1999


American Institute of Architecture Students

• United States
• Architecture and Planning

• Editor in Chief

  • 1996 - 1998

  While in grad school, I was appointed by the American Institute of Architecture Students to a two-year term as editor in chief of its national journal, Crit. I oversaw all aspects of editing, design, and production of six print issues that were distributed to architecture students nationally. As Crit editor, I concurrently served a two-year term as a member of the AIAS national board of directors. While in grad school, I was appointed by the American Institute of Architecture Students to a two-year term as editor in chief of its national journal, Crit. I oversaw all aspects of editing, design, and production of six print issues that were distributed to architecture students nationally. As Crit editor, I concurrently served a two-year term as a member of the AIAS national board of directors.



E jj Olson and Associates

• planner

  • 1996 - 1998

  Urban planning and public health planning professional, working for Edward jj Olson and Dr. Constantine Panagis. Urban planning and public health planning professional, working for Edward jj Olson and Dr. Constantine Panagis.


Flad & Associates
• United States
• architectural intern

  • 1997 - 1997


American Institute of Architects

• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• research and editorial intern

  • 1994 - 1995

  In summers of 1994 and 1995, I was a research and editorial intern at the national headquarters of The American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. Reporting to the director of education and the editors of AIArchitect, I authored a number of articles for AIArchitect. In summers of 1994 and 1995, I was a research and editorial intern at the national headquarters of The American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. Reporting to the director of education and the editors of AIArchitect, I authored a number of articles for AIArchitect.



CNI Newspapers

• freelance writer

  • 1988 - 1995

  Wrote news and sports coverage for a chain of newspapers in the Milwaukee area. Wrote news and sports coverage for a chain of newspapers in the Milwaukee area.