Delegates to the American Institute of Architects National Convention in New Orleans elected Mickey Jacob, FAIA (AIA Tampa Bay), to serve as the 2012 AIA first vice president/president-elect and 2013 Institute president; Russell A. Davidson, AIA, and Debra S. Kunce, FAIA, each to serve as vice president from 2012 through 2013; and Gabriel Durand-Hollis, FAIA, as the Institute’s treasurer from 2012 through 2013.
Jacob, managing principal at Urban Studio Architects, a seven-person firm in Tampa, has more than 25 years of AIA participation holding numerous leadership positions with AIA Tampa Bay, AIA Florida, and AIA National. Following his term as president of AIA Florida in 2004-2005, he served as the 2007-2009 AIA Florida/Caribbean Regional Director on the AIA National Board of Directors. In 2009, he was elected to a two-year term as an AIA vice president.
Jacob also has been active in government advocacy, including serving as chair of the Florida Architects Political Action Committee, of ArchiPAC, and of the AIA Board Advocacy Committee. Participating in the development of several advocacy initiatives, including as a cofounder of the AIA Breakfast of Champions program, Jacob has helped raise the awareness of the importance of political engagement, and is a vocal advocate to position AIA members to attain leadership positions.
Davidson is former president of the AIA New York State (2007) and Westchester Hudson Valley (1999) chapters. He is president and managing partner at Kaeyer, Garment & Davidson Architects & Engineers PC, in Mount Kisco, N.Y., a 20-person architectural and engineering firm.
Davidson currently serves on the AIA National Board of Directors as the regional director from New York and is a member of the Board’s Communications Committee and Board Advocacy Committee, where he is chair of the Public Policies Subcommittee and former chair of the Public Engagement Subcommittee (2010).
Kunce is currently serving as Ohio Valley Regional Director on the AIA National Board of Directors. She is an associate with Schmidt Associates Inc., in Indianapolis, a full-service architecture and engineering firm.
Kunce’s national experience also includes board representative to the Strategic Directions Group and Board Community Committee; chair of the Integrated Media Task Force (2009-2010); AIAS Honor Awards Jury (2009); and member of the Young Architect’s Forum Advisory Committee (2003-2005). Kunce has been active in the AIA for more than 15 years, including service to AIA Indianapolis as the associate director (1995-1996), public relations director (1998-1999), secretary (2002), treasurer (2003), vice president (2004) and president in 2005. For AIA Indiana, she served as the treasurer (2006-2007), vice president (2008) and president in 2009.
Durand-Hollis, former president of the Texas Society of Architects, has been the regional director from Texas on the AIA National Board of Directors since 2009 and is also a member of the Board Finance and Audit Committee. He is president of Durand-Hollis Rupe Inc., a San Antonio firm. Other national AIA experience includes member of the AIA International Committee (1997-2000); chair, Small Projects Professional Interest Area (1995); member, Firm Benefits Task Force (1995); and member, Small Projects Professional Interest Area (1993-1995).
