Congratulations to TxA President-Elect

We’re very proud of our own Paul Bielamowicz, who has been named as the Texas Society of Architects (TxA) President-Elect for 2015. The appointment was announced on the first day of the recent 75th Annual Texas Society of Architects Convention in Houston. This will actually be a three-year commitment as TxA leadership terms are structured to promote overlap and continuity of leadership. In 2015, Paul will serve as President-Elect and Vice President of Operations, which coordinates the financial, administrative, and operational activities of the society. He then will step into the role as President in 2016, and in 2017 he will serve as chair for several administrative committees as all Past Presidents do.

Justin Oscilowski also was appointed as the AIA Regional Associate Director for next year. This role is a TxA position that serves as the representative to the national AIA organization on behalf of Texas’s emerging professionals. Justin’s passion for architecture was literally on display at the 2013 Texas Society of Architects Convention, where he championed the creation of “Craftsman Square”, a first of it’s kind exhibit celebrating materiality and craftsmanship that construction trades bring to our buildings.

Paul is very excited about serving TxA in 2015 because he’ll be working with then-President, Michael Malone of Malone Maxwell Borson Architects. According to Paul, Michael’s passion for design energizes people around him, and he actually inspired an architect who is currently at Page to join the profession.  Paul is looking forward to working with Michael on his initiatives for 2015, from leveraging best practices to reviewing the TxA organizational structure. In support of these, Paul will visit all 17 local AIA chapters throughout Texas, meeting with the local architectural leaders, and these discussions will help shape his own priorities for TxA in 2016.

Although it's too soon for him to say what his vision is for 2016, he does have some wishes for the industry at large that may come into play. He has spoken before of his desire for the industry to collectively elevate the general public’s understanding of the value of architecture.  Another of Paul’s interests is strengthening the talent pipeline by promoting architecture to students in schools and improving access to the profession in order to sooner cultivate tomorrow’s leaders.

One of Paul’s colleagues at Page once introduced him as, “one of the most flexible managers in the office.” He explains that he while he’s always enjoyed working in collaborative team settings, his experiences at Page managing diverse teams of consultants really elevated his abilities to better communicate and to be more open to the ideas of others. Paul credits this with helping him to be a better leader, both at work and in the AIA.

He first became involved with AIA in 2005 when he was encouraged to start a study group for the ARE licensing exam. That exposed him to both the fellowship and to the value of engaging in our professional organization.  Since then, he has held six other positions; three at AIA Austin and three at TxA. His duties have ranged from overseeing Interns and Associates to Membership to Government Affairs and most recently, Vice President of Advocacy and member of a task force appointed to update the TxA Strategic Plan.

Paul’s enthusiasm makes people want to volunteer with him too, especially when he explains, “You will meet the most energetic, creative and intelligent people in our profession, doing really, really cool stuff!  The mentoring, fellowship and friendships I have gained through TxA are invaluable, and these people have become a cherished part of my life.  …but you will never know how rewarding it can be until you invest yourself in it.”