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AIA Rochester Honor Awards
Nominate
AIA Rochester recognizes exemplary members who advance and enhance the profession. Nominees are considered on an annual basis and are celebrated at our Annual Business Meeting each autumn. The call for nominations takes place during the summer months ahead of the meeting.
Nominations are open and due by August 24, 2026.
Nominate yourself or a colleague!
Email Ben Deuel, AIA with questions or to suggest a nominee.
Medal of
Distinction
AIA Rochester's
highest honor is
awarded to architects
who have made a lasting
impact on the profession,
the chapter, and the
community. It recognizes a
lifetime of achievement and leadership in advancing architecture in greater Rochester, New York.
Past Medal of Distinction Recipients
2011 Bill LaDue
2012 Rich Pospula
2013 James Durfee
2014 Roger Brown
2015 Jules Chiavaroli
2016 Tom Zimmerman
2017 Robert Healy
2018 Joseph Istvan
2003 Myron Starks
2004 John Fayko
2005 Bob Macon
2006 Mike Doran
2007 Stuart Chait
2008 No recipient
2009 Anne Chaintreuil
2010 Frank Grosso
2019 Jennifer Takatch
2020 Peter Wehner
2021 Bud Knapp
2022 Dave Beinetti
2023 Rick Hauser
2024 William Dean
2025 Laura Cooney
Laura Cooney, AIA
2025 Medal of Distinction
Emerging
Rochester
Architect of the
Year
Sponsored by RIT
This award
recognizes emerging
architectural leaders
who have made
meaningful volunteer
contributions to the
profession, the chapter, and
the community. Nominees are judged on their impact through service, advocacy, and professional growth, excluding any paid work.
Past Emerging Rochester Architect of the Year Recipients
2009 Allen Rossignol
2010 Michelle Murnane
2011 Daniel Edgell
2012 Nicole Martin
2013 Jason Streb
2014 Ken Glazer
2015 Michael Short
2016 Kristin Purdy
2017 Dustin Welch
2018 Jessica Kruse
2019 Jamie Bucci
2020 Barbara Burke
2021 Stacy Welch
2022 Sara DeSalvo
2023 Elizabeth Reynolds
2024 Bryan Toepfer
2025 Christina Fluman
Christina Fluman, AIA
2025 Emerging Rochester
Architect of the Year
Mentor
of the
Year
This award
celebrates chapter
members who have
made a significant
impact by mentoring and
guiding the next generation
of architects. Nominees will be
evaluated on their willingness to share knowledge, support growth, and to beyond the typical supervisory roles with both paid and unpaid mentorship considered.
Past Mentor of the Year Recipients
2025 Barbara Burke
Barbara Burke, Assoc. AIA
2025 Mentor of the Year
Volunteer
of the
Year
This award
recognizes chapter members who have
generously volunteered
their time, skills, and effort
to advance AIA Rochester's
mission. Nominees are
evaluated based on their unpaid contributions to events, committees, and organizational tasks, with a focus on meaningful involvement.
Past Volunteer of the Year Recipients
2024 Samantha Towner
2025 Sara DeSalvo
2021 Michael Trapanovski
2022 Christina Fluman
2023 Danielle I. Rupert
2023 Lisa Fingar
2017 Caitlin Ellis
2018 Max Auklin
2019 Barbara Burke
2020 Jason Streb
Sara DeSalvo, AIA
2025 Volunteer of the Year
P.O. Box 22851 | Rochester, NY | 14692 585-232-7650
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