AIASMC is very proud to announce that Philip Bona, FAIA has joined the College of Fellows. Phil was a founding member of the AIA San Mateo County Chapter and the 2000 AIASMC Chapter President.
Here is a Thank You reply to AIASMC from Phil on his accomplishment :
Thank you! I lived 57 years in and around San Mateo before moving to San Diego in 2007, so all of my education and most of my career was happily spent in the Bay Area. Truly, I left my heart in San Mateo. The past 13 years has been valuable in my journey more on the State and National levels. AIA San Diego has also been a wonderful resource to engage the community. I am most proud of my role in helping to found AIA SMC way back in 1983!
Join us for the March 24th Fellowship Meeting with Mark Christian. The Social Meet & Greet starts at 5:45pm and Phil will be joining us! Come and congratulate Phil and share memories from the past.
A message to all from Phil.
My Dear Colleagues and Sponsors,
Hoping you are well and taking all precautions to stay healthy during this time of Pandemic. I wanted to share with you some good news, and express a big thank you to my 2021 Fellowship Sponsor, Chris Smith FAIA, for holding my feet to the fire and keeping my sentences short.
In 1976, while in my Master program at U.C. Berkeley, I first learned about The AIA, and especially the College of Fellows being the culmination of one’s successful architectural career. I told myself then that getting my “F”AIA would be my singular focus to know that I was successful in my career. Naïve, I know. None the less, I filtered my career around achieving that primary goal. So, on top of a full time architectural career, I worked 8-20 hours every week in AIA Leadership since 1978. In the last 5 years, I have been very involved with the AIA National Strategic Council. I wrote two important Institute resolutions and in 2021 will finish my third term as AIA National Chair of the Equitable Communities / New Urban Agenda Taskforce. I guess it made a difference because I have just received my successful 2021 Fellowship notice.
At age 70 and retired-ish, I am proud of my career, my buildings, my accomplishments and especially my professional relationships. So with this elevation to Fellowship (after 9 attempts), I am most proud and fulfilled by my many personal (AIA) relationships. I have been truly blessed during my 43 years of Institute membership. Most specifically that includes all of you! Thank you for your support, letters of recommendation, collegiality and friendship over the past 20 years. It finally paid off and the partying can almost begin.
I thank you all and my wife Letrice Sherrillo AIA for your valuable support in my endeavor. Looking look forward to when we can come together in person to celebrate.
God Bless!
Phil
Philip J. Bona, FAIA
Architect / Planner / Educator
AIA, NCARB, APA, ULI
American Institute of Architects National – Chair
Equitable Communities Taskforce – Healthly Urbanism
HN1M Founder
Housing the Next 1 Million – Preparing Leaders for Change
YIGBY San Diego Co-founder
Yes In God’s Backyard – Solutions for Homelessness