The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Virginia Chapter, announced the list of individuals selected for the 2017 Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) program. Among them was Mason & Hanger’s Che Clark, one of sixteen professionals in Virginia, who was accepted into the year-long honors program. Incorporating real-world and client-based projects into the mix, the program cultivates leaders in architecture and the local community.
“This is a unique opportunity for people in our field to learn more about the ever-changing role our profession has in shaping the world in which we live and interact. I truly believe we should use our skills to not only solve problems, but to shape our communities. If we, as design professionals, can take up leadership positions throughout the places we live, we can be even more effective in shaping the future of our built environment,” said Clark.
Clark has been an avid community volunteer during his career start. In addition to serving on the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Committee and Bedford Falls River Architecture Review Board, he has dedicated countless hours to pro-bono work. Most recently, he has been heavily involved with “Camp Grom” - a 100% ADA-accessible water adventure park. His contribution to this massive community project involves providing pro-bono architectural design and site layout of the structures surrounding the lake area.
“We know the ELA program requires a great deal of commitment not only from the participants, but also from the firms where they work. I fully support Che' in this endeavor and so does the rest of our firm’s leadership,” adds Bruce Faudree, Director of Architecture.
