Ann Arbor, MI – December 6, 2006– Gene Hopkins, FAIA, of SmithGroup, has been awarded the American Institute of Architects (AIA) highest honor bestowed upon its members, an AIA Gold Medal from the AIA Detroit Chapter.
The ceremony took place in mid-November during the AIA Detroit Chapter’s annual “Celebration of Excellence” at the Detroit Athletic Club. The medal is awarded to one recipient annually, who has clearly demonstrated distinguished leadership and made notable contributions to the profession over an extended period of time. The award was presented by AIA Detroit President, Victor Saroki, FAIA.
Hopkins’ has been recognized with numerous AIA honors including the AIA Michigan Young Architect of the Year award in 1992; he was also elevated to the College of Fellows for design excellence in 1997 and in 2002, he received the prestigious Robert Hastings FAIA Award from AIA Michigan.
During his extensive career, Hopkins’ has taken on many impressive leadership roles and initiatives in the design industry, including his former role as president of AIA National. As an advocate of preservation, Hopkins’ opened many doors during his tenure in Washington, D.C., leading to efforts that renewed the AIA/National Park Service/Library of Congress partnership; saved the historic Frank Lloyd Wright Farnsworth House and advanced the integration of historic preservation principles into the architectural curriculum of colleges and universities. He also protected the 10% historic tax credit for preservation of historic buildings when it was threatened in the JOBS/Tax bill.
Previous AIA leadership roles Hopkins’ has taken on include vice president and president of the AIA Huron Valley Chapter in Ann Arbor, MI and vice president, treasurer, secretary, and president of AIA Michigan. This marks Hopkins’ second Gold Medal win. In 2003, Hopkins’ received an AIA Gold Medal from AIA Michigan.
Hopkins’ received an associates degree in architectural drafting (1972, highest distinction) from Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI. He completed his education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, earning both a bachelor of science degree (1974, high distinction), and master of architecture degree (1975, high distinction).
SmithGroup (www.smithgroup.com) ranks as the nation’s 7th largest architecture and engineering firm (Building Design & Construction, July 2006) and employs 800. The firm is composed of client industry-focused practices serving the healthcare, learning, workplace and science & technology markets. SmithGroup has offices Ann Arbor, MI, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA; Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh-Durham, NC; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, D.C. Established in 1853, SmithGroup is the longest continually operating architecture and engineering firm in the U.S.