The Vice President of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Hong Kong Chapter, Eric Ho, is currently attending the AIA Leadership Summit in Washington DC

• The importance of creating resources and implementing programs and funding to activate the architectural community in collaboration with other sections and chapters.
• The significance of a coordinated effort among professionals, institutions, and government entities in disaster response to enhance resilience.
• The need to strengthen or establish the role of a city architect, incorporating community feedback and promoting design excellence, among other responsibilities.
• The challenge of engaging members post-Covid, which is a shared concern across various sections and areas.

Notable encounters during the summit included meetings with AIA 2024 President Kimberly Dowdell, President-elect Evelyn Lee, CEO Lakisha Ann Woods, and Managing Director Jennifer Schulueter. Eric Ho was also interviewed by the Future Focused series by AIA National, providing an international perspective on AIA. Furthermore, he had the opportunity to meet with members of the AIA International Community, such as Yew Kee Cheong, Anna Foden, Lester Korzilius, and Adam Pantelimon. Additionally, he made new acquaintances, including AIA Rochester President Jamie Bucci, AIA Illinois President Jeff Janos, AIA San Francisco President-Elect Anton Foss, AIA Silicon Valley President-Elect Leticia SooHoo, AIA Brooklyn President Sarah Drake, and AIA New York Candidate for At-Large Director Varun Kohli.

A special mention goes to Sherwin Williams, the corporate affiliate of AIA Hong Kong Chapter and presenting sponsor of the event. The hope is to bring back valuable insights and foster potential collaborations to benefit the Hong Kong Chapter.