Washington, DC—Gordon E. Mills, FAIA, the 2008-2009 president of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), recently awarded the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service to five individuals who have made significant contributions to the protection of the public’s health, safety, and welfare through their service to NCARB and to the practice of architecture.

The 2009 medalists were honored at the close of NCARB’s 90th Annual Meeting and Conference held in late June in Chicago. The President’s Medal was first awarded in 1994 in order to recognize those individuals who dedicate a considerable part of their careers, energy, and wisdom to benefit the public and the architectural profession.

As director of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), Erica Brown, AIA, of Washington, DC, oversees all aspects of the seven-division test taken by all candidates seeking architectural licensure in the United States. She has guided the ARE—with determination, fortitude, and grace—through a milestone year that included overseeing the successful launch of the more candidate-friendly ARE 4.0 last July. Brown was honored for her dedication to upholding the quality and integrity the exam.

James P. Cramer, Hon. AIA, of Atlanta, GA, is chairman and chief executive officer of the Greenway Group and founding president of the Design Futures Council, a Washington DC think tank studying the future of the design professions. He is also founding editor of DesignIntelligence. A former chief executive of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Cramer’s focus on the “big picture” of architectural practice and knowledge of industry trends was instrumental in helping the Council create a new Strategic Plan in 2004. His knowledge of the complex issues linking architecture, the construction industry, and the public made him a vital member of the Practice Analysis Task Force in 2007 and the Interior Architecture Task Force in 2009. He was recognized for his many outstanding contributions to the Council and to the profession.

William M. Dikis, FAIA, NCARB, of Clive, IA, served on the Iowa Architectural Examining Board from 1983 to 1992, and was president of the Iowa Board for three of those years. His work at NCARB in those days involved efforts to move the paper-based ARE to a computer platform. Two years ago, he returned to NCARB to serve on the Procedures and Documents Committee and the Building Information Modeling (BIM) Task Force. This past year, he chaired the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Task Force, where his insight and meticulous attention to detail was invaluable to the Council’s efforts to refine the definition of “responsible control.” Dikis was honored for his career-long commitment to advance the profession of architecture.

For 12 years as the executive secretary of the Iowa Architectural Examining Board, Glenda Loving, of Des Moines, IA, has guided emerging professionals and architects through the Iowa registration process. She has been named to a number of committees and lent her perspective to a diverse range of Council issues and initiatives, including efforts to improve the Intern Development Program (IDP). Her significant contributions to the architecture profession include her efforts to promote the Six-Month Rule, help write the IDP Supervisor Guidelines, and update the direct supervision requirements. Loving was honored for her contributions to the Council and to the profession at large.

Edward F. Tredo V, PE, of Buffalo, NY, is one of the longest serving non-architect members of the ARE Subcommittee. A professional engineer, Tredo has an in-depth knowledge of both U.S. and Canadian engineering standards. For more than a decade, he has lent his expertise to the Structural Systems group, the General Structures group, and the Lateral Forces group as both a member and coordinator. Tredo was recognized for his long-time commitment to the quality and integrity of the ARE