New Year, New Goals: President’s Message
Happy New Year!
I am honored to serve as AIA Toledo’s chapter president for 2025 and am looking forward to what the year has in store for our chapter. We have five new Executive Committee board members, four who are new to the board entirely. We were grateful to have more people interested in joining the board than we had positions available, and we look forward to continuing this trend next year. Our board plays an active role in steering the direction of our chapter and how the value of architecture is perceived in our region. Being a board member also comes with opportunities to network, volunteer, and develop yourself professionally. Would you consider joining the EC board in 2026?
As we look ahead here are a few key events and details to be mindful of this year:
Our 75th annual High School Design Competition kicks off this week and culminates with the awards ceremony in April. This program plays a critical role in showcasing our profession to students and often leads to the pursuit of architecture by many who participate. Thanks to all who volunteer as mentors and participate in this one-of-a-kind program.
Walleye Hockey – Member Appreciation and Partner Social – Sunday, March 9th. Join us for a fun evening of camaraderie and cheer on the Walleye, who are 1st in their division and 3rd in the league!
In 2025 we will have another opportunity to allocate funds as part of our strategic initiative. This initiative, in general, seeks to align with our strategic plan and, specifically, is a way to add value to our membership. We will also be awarding the grants this year that were established last year as part of this same initiative. Look for more information on this soon.
Our biennial Design Awards will take place this year in October. The submission portal will open in early summer. In 2023 we had the most design submissions on record and 9 projects were awarded. Let’s continue to showcase our local talent and achievements in 2025!
Jake Miley, AIA, NCARB
Architect and co-founder of mADE LLC
2025 AIA Toledo Chapter President
We will continue to collaborate with like-minded organizations like the Toledo Design Collective, The Arts Commission, TSPE, BGSU, and the City of Toledo, among others. We will also advocate for the architecture profession at the local, state, and national level. A key component of our strategic plan is to promote the value of architects and to achieve this goal we need to work alongside others in our community and have active participation from our members.
As always, we want to hear from you. Your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. If you see an opportunity for our chapter to be involved with, let us know! If you want to get involved but aren’t sure how, let us know! We’re grateful to our members and looking forward to working together this year.
Cheers to a vibrant 2025!
With gratitude,
Jake Miley, AIA, NCARB