By: Cherika Garcia

The first quarter of the year has gone by in the blink of an eye. The organization is excited to have begun the year with various events that foster commitment, collaboration, and celebrations.

We elected a new set of officers and board members in January. Leading the organization is Tato Martinez as President and Mateo Matanane as Vice President. Elmer Prudente and Cherika Garcia are Secretary Pro-Tem and Treasurer Pro-Tem respectively. Dominic Lizama and Virgel Gascon are new Associate Board Members, who both want to promote, contribute, and serve the industry. Inna Wiese, immediate past president joins, Neil Paynter and Brent Wiese as Board Members. The new board vows to continue the commitment of the AIA Marianas to serve the community and its members through various programs, events and advocacy efforts. Board orientation and meetings have transpired and strategic planning is on the way.

An annual event that occurs at the beginning of the year is the celebration of the Engineer, Architect, and Land Surveyor (EALS) Week. AIA Marianas participates in this week-long event with the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). Members of the organization volunteer to give career presentations to local students- this year Joe Pangelinan and Inna Wiese of RIM Architects presented to upper level classes at Guam High and Simon Sanchez High School.

The organization stays relevant on the national level by attending annual events such as the AIA Leadership Summit, formerly called AIA Grassroots. This four day conference is the premier advocacy and leadership training event organized by AIA National. It is specifically designed for AIA chapter leaders, and aims to provide tools and resources to help attendees achieve their leadership potential within their chapters, communities, and the profession. Additionally, AIA National organizes “Hill Day”, an avenue for advocacy for the profession. Chapter representatives meet with their respective state leaders to discuss important legislation that affect architects and the practice of architecture. Inna Wiese, who has done a great job cultivating national ties, accompanied Vice President Mateo Matanane to the conference. They traveled more than a day’s worth to attend various sessions and meet with different key players. From various workshops and sharing sessions Inna attended, she realized components share similar challenges in membership, engagement and connectivity. In Mateo’s perspective, he realized the value of community involvement and the importance of promoting the role of the AIA and architects in shaping the built environment, all which continue to be a challenge today. More of the representatives’ take-aways will be shared at the first quarter general membership meeting in April.

AIA Marianas celebrates important individual milestones of two of its members who have served as its previous officers. We congratulate Aaron Burger as Guam’s newest registered architect and Inna Wiese as new principal of RIM Architects. Both these prestigious titles hold honor, responsibility, and personal meaning. With Inna’s achievement, she will continue to inspire, support, and advocate for pathways for emerging professionals to discover, thrive, and be leaders in architecture and the community. For Aaron, the process toward licensure took 18 years to complete. He attributes most of his success from hands-on experience working for engineers and construction management offices. Aaron passed his last exam in February, three years after passing his first, and became Guam’s 482nd Architect. He looks forward to doing what he can to help number 483 cross that same threshold in their career. Despite different journeys, it is proven that their passion and dedication for the craft and the community have allowed them to soar to new heights in the profession. We are excited and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Overall, the organization is proud of the contributions and achievements of its members individually and collectively as a whole. It hopes to continue creating impact to its members and society. Make the most of your membership by staying connected and involved!