To Our Members, Sponsors and Friends of AIA Monterey Bay:

Our biggest responsibility to our community is to diminish the number of cases in order to expand the amount of time medical providers have to ramp up capacity and care. That means curtailing interactions between individuals and remaining six feet away from others when in-person contact is required. AIA Monterey Bay is suspending all in-person meetings until further notice and all events are cancelled or re-scheduled until September. We will investigate topics for online seminars and panels that connect and support our members at this time and you will hear form us regarding new dates for re-scheduled events as soon as we are able to establish a reliable plan.

We are hopeful that by taking significant and rapid measures, all of us can reduce the impacts of the virus more quickly. Thank you for your contribution for our collective safety!

Best wishes,

Mary Ann Schicketanz
President

SHELTER IN PLACE

As all of you are aware, Monterey County now has a Shelter in Place order in effect:

MC WEEKLY

The Monterey County Weekly published a great summary of what is and what is not allowed under this order.

CDC WEBSITE

For Information on how to best protect yourself please refer to the CDC website.

MC HEALTH DEPT.

Additionally more information is included on the County of Monterey Health Department’s website.

2020 President’s message

Mary Ann Schicketanz
Studio Schicketanz

Our profession touches almost all of the planet’s 7.6 billion people who live, work, and play indoors. And our influence extends to how our communities are organized and their infrastructure. The importance of what we do cannot be overstated.

How well we build is not only closely connected to our individual physical and mental health, it is also closely related to the health of our planet. Our industry consumes vast amounts of resources and produces vast amounts of waste. Reducing both will be essential for the environment. All of us can contribute with every project, and no project is too small to make a difference.

We must stay informed with up-to-date means and methods, as well as regulations, to do our best work. While all the necessary information to stay informed is available on the web, personal interaction, information exchange, and collaboration are essential for innovation, to advance our careers, and to stay inspired. This is particularly important in non-metropolitan areas like ours.

Our chapter is striving to offer relevant events through our continuing education program and to assist young graduates with learning materials and study groups. Our committees do important work on government affairs. The Julia Morgan Alliance offers a special place for women architects to socialize and get inspired on different topics. This year, our Arts and Architecture program will present the work of great local architects of the past, including a house tour in partnership with the Carmel heritage society.

Our programs are in need of volunteers, and I urge you to get involved. I hope to hear from you with new ideas and to meet you at one of our many events. It is an honor to serve you, and I am looking forward to a terrific year!

Warm Regards,
Mary Ann