Message from the Incoming AIAO President - Jake Zander, AIA

Jake Zander, AIA
2026-27 AIA Oregon Board President

Dear Colleagues,

I am honored to begin my two-year term as President of AIA Oregon following a rewarding year as President-Elect. Together with the executive board, we will build on the strong foundation already established and continue advancing the mission of our organization. Our recent Strategic Planning Retreat provided a clear roadmap for the future, and we remain committed to serving the diverse needs of our members and chapters across the state.

I am especially excited to support the ongoing work of our Emerging Professionals Committee and the newly formed CoPal Committee (Committee on Practice and Licensure), building on the success of the Project Almost Architect initiative.

We have an eventful year ahead, beginning in February with the Oregon Leadership Summit, followed by the AIA Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., where we will ensure Oregon’s voice is heard at the national level. In June, we will gather for the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in San Diego. Finally, save the dates for the Oregon Design Conference in Portland, September 23–26, featuring our Annual Oregon Architecture Awards—all alongside our exciting monthly local events held across the state

Our traveling board meetings will continue, and we look forward to hosting local meet ups and happy hours where we can connect directly with members, celebrate your successes, and discuss how AIA Oregon can best support you.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you’d like to bring to the board as we advance our member service initiatives.

Wishing you joyful holidays and a safe, happy New Year. I look forward to connecting with you in 2026.

Warm regards, 

Jake Zander, AIA

President, AIA Oregon

Spotlight on AIA Member - John Webster

John Webster, AIA
Eugene Section Director-Elect

Dear AIA Oregon members,

As we enter the final stretch of 2025 and the traditional season of giving, I’d like to share a small outreach project I recently participated in.

The firm I work for, Robertson Sherwood Architects (RSA), is currently digitizing our old record drawings and no longer has a need for more than 100 storage tubes. These tubes were destined for disposal or recycling, but I saw an opportunity to help students at the University of Oregon—my alma mater—protect their drawings while also raising awareness of AIA.

RSA’s leadership enthusiastically supported the idea. They provided the tubes, which I temporarily stored in my garage while gathering additional materials for the final package.

I reached out to AIA National, who generously donated stickers for branding and provided a flier to promote AIA. A big thank-you to Rye Jackson (Manager, AIA Design Shop) for making that happen! I also added chapter-specific information to the back of the flier to highlight what AIA Oregon offers.

Once all the parts were ready, I began assembling the packages. My daughter helped apply stickers while I packed the tubes with the fliers. The final step was finding a way to get them into the hands of the students who could use them.

During a recent AIA Eugene event (EP Game Night), I met Vig Madhavan, a Pro-Tem Instructor teaching a studio at the University this term. After I shared the idea, he offered his studio as recipients. I delivered the tubes just before Thanksgiving break. His students seemed genuinely happy to receive them—both for protecting their hard work during the Oregon rainy season and for the information connecting them with our architectural community.

I’m grateful to have been part of this small project. I believe it highlights the many opportunities available through AIA: connecting with national staff, building relationships with local members, and making a meaningful—if modest—difference in our community.

As we close out the year, I invite each of you to look for your own small opportunities to give back—whether by supporting students, mentoring emerging professionals, sharing resources, or simply reaching out to strengthen our professional network. When each of us contributes a little, we create a vibrant, supportive architectural community that benefits us all.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the end of this year a little brighter. Let’s carry this spirit of generosity and connection into 2026 and beyond!

Message from John Flynn, AIAO President

John Flynn, AIA
AIA Oregon President

Reflecting on Our Annual Meeting

Hello Colleagues,

Thanks to all of you who joined our Annual Meeting – whether online or in person. Attendance was small this year, about 18 people total, but the discussion reminded me of how much passion our members have for AIA Oregon and the profession we serve.

A big theme this year was connection – how we stay visible, relevant, and accessible statewide. We also talked about our financial recovery. Over the past three years, we’ve rebuilt reserves after the difficult experience of leasing and upfitting a Portland space we didn’t own. That experience taught us how important it is to let programming lead, not rent commitments.

We presented our 2025-28 Strategic Plan and gave an overview of the strategies and tactics we are committed to pursuing in the coming years. Here’s a link for you to get to the Strategic Planning Retreat Report.

During the meeting, we heard from members who’d love to see a space in Portland – and that’s great energy to harness. The Board’s goal isn’t to say “no” to that idea, but to make sure we do it the right way this time. That means designing the vision, programs, and partnerships first, so that any future space we create serves all members and stays financially sound.

Our next chapter as a statewide organization will keep focusing on professional development, advocacy, and impact – things that connect architects from every region. The best way to help move that vision forward is to participate: join a committee, attend a program, or bring an idea to your local section.

Thanks again to everyone who showed up and continues to care about where we’re headed. Together, we’ll keep building an AIA Oregon that’s strong, sustainable, and member driven.

See you soon,

John Flynn

President, AIA Oregon