Minneapolis, MN—The highest honor bestowed upon architectural professionals by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)—the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service—was awarded by 2011-2012 President Scott C. Veazey, AIA, NCARB to five deserving individuals at the organization’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN.

In announcing the recipients, Veazey commended the individuals for their commitment to the architectural profession and to the Council whose mission is to protect the public’s healthy, safety, and welfare by leading the regulation of standards for licensure and credentialing.

Stephen Parker, AIA, LEED AP, of Calverton, MD, has been a member of the Maryland State Board of Architects since 1999, serving as chair for several years. As an NCARB volunteer he has contributed to several initiatives, including the Architect Registration Examination, the NCARB Prize, the Interior Architecture Task Force, and most recently the 2012 NCARB Practice Analysis of Architecture. He also served on the NCARB Board of Directors from 2006-2008 as the director of Region 2, which represents Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Since 2007, Andrea S. Rutledge, CAE, has been the executive director of the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). She has served as NAAB’s liaison on NCARB’s Education Committee, keeping the committee informed on the accrediting process and assisting with training NCARB volunteers who serve on accrediting teams. She and her staff also oversee the Education Evaluation Service for Architects (EESA) process that reviews applicants for NCARB certification that do not have professional degree from a NAAB-accredited program.

Since arriving at NCARB in June 2007, Douglas J. Morgan has spearheaded the reinvention of the NCARB Records Directorate. As Director, Records, he has made it his primary business obligation to enhance customer service and transform the tools customers use to interact with the Council. He and his team have reduced processing times and added transparency into NCARB’s systems. During his nearly 20 years of experience with records management, he has specialized in modernizing operations through improved process management and technology implementation.

Guillermo Ortiz de Zarate joined NCARB in April 2007 as the assistant director, information systems. He has worked in the information technology field for nearly 20 years, leading the development of business software for companies in industries such as engineering, urban development, healthcare, banking, international commerce, marketing, and government. In 2009, he was promoted to director, information systems to lead the modernization of the Council’s technology including the website, line of business applications, infrastructure, and helpdesk. Ortiz de Zarate has brought technology and business together aligning them with NCARB’s mission and vision of the future.

Earlier this year, the President’s Medal was also awarded to Federacion de Collegios de Arquitectos de la República Mexicana (FCARM) President Adrian Alfonso Palafox Garcia of Mexico. He was honored for his contribution to the ongoing effort to implement the Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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About NCARB
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ membership is made up of the architectural registration boards of all 50 states as well as those of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCARB assists its member registration boards in carrying out their duties and provides a certification program for individual architects.

NCARB protects the public health, safety, and welfare by leading the regulation of the practice of architecture through the development and application of standards for licensure and credentialing of architects. In order to achieve these goals, the Council develops and recommends standards to be required of an applicant for architectural registration; develops and recommends standards regulating the practice of architecture; provides to Member Boards a process for certifying the qualifications of an architect for registration; and represents the interests of Member Boards before public and private agencies. NCARB has established reciprocal registration for architects in the United States and Canada.

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