Rick Meyer, AIA, President and Architect, Meyer Brothers and Sons. “[The CRANawards are] a unique program, with few other CRAN chapters hosting their own awards, and we are proud to continue the tradition.”

Jeff Samuelson, AIA, NCARB, CEO and Founder, JZ Companies and ChalkLine4D. “We wanted to give architects more control of a project instead of having what can or can’t be done dictated by contractors.”

Allison McKenzie, AIA, Cincinnati Historic Conservation Board, and Principal, Director of Sustainability at SHP. “Not only is it personally rewarding [to volunteer], but boards like historic boards or zoning boards are essential to protecting the health, safety and desirability of our communities, and architects can, and should, have strong voices on these boards.”

John Russell, AIA, Village of Newtown, Ohio, Planning Commission: 1975-present; Village Council: 1976-1980; Mayor: 1980-1988; and co-founder and CEO Cole + Russell Architects (ndba CR Architects). “We all have divergent talents and personalities, but we all have to deal with the environment and the people that occupy our designs. Being involved with your local organizations […] always gives you a broader perspective on your community and the people we design for!”

At Oswald we are advocates for the design industry, with an average tenure of 15 years in the business, our team not only keeps a pulse on the insurance market but also the legislative and trade issues.

Steve Kenat, AIA, Board Member, Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, LISC, ULI Cincinnati, and YWCA Cincinnati, and Director of Community Development at GBBN. “As designers, our goals are rooted in the goals of our clients and understanding the communities in which we practice. I’m definitely a better architect for the skills I’ve learned volunteering in these organizations.”

Laila Ammar, AIA, Board Member, NEST (Northsiders Engaged in Sustainable Transformation), and Project Architect at MSA Design. “If you have any interest in community advocacy, Architects are well positioned to be heard. Even if you don’t join an organization, go to your neighborhood council meetings or our city council meetings—and when anything has to do with our built environment, your opinion could carry weight and help amplify voices that aren’t being listened to.”

Sheri Scott, AIA, NCARB, Springboro Historic Downtown Architectural Review Board, and Founder & Principal Architect at Springhouse Architects and Springhouse Structures. “As an architect, I can contribute in a unique way to the preservation of our downtown environment. Bringing to light alternate design solutions and construction processes leads the conversation in a productive way.”

Steven Gress, Sales Specialist & Architectural Wall Project Manager, Hansen Distribution Agency (Manufacturers Rep Group). “HDA regularly partners with some of the largest firms throughout the state of Ohio. I pride myself on doing whatever I can to make specifying our products as effortless as possible.”

Carl Sterner, AIA, Board Member of NEST (Northsiders Engaged in Sustainable Transformation) & Member of the Cincinnati 2030 District Advisory Committee; and Director of Design & Sustainability at Sol Design + Consulting. “Architects have unique expertise about the forces that shape the built environment, from codes and policy to cost and buildability.”