February 18th, DOUBLE TROUBLE - Thorman & Vince Iosso

I can only assume that probably our Vocational Director, Stan Roe, introduced Architect David Thorman to the Assemblage. I do have notes, from David that are below, only very slightly modified.

Architecture/David Thorman

February 18, 2014 

"Architecture  ("builder, carpenter, mason") is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings and other physical structures. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art. Historical civilizations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements.  i.e. “Master Builder”  “Computer architecture”.

Examples: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Roe, Frank Gehry, Le Corbusier, and I.M. Pei

Architecture has to do with planning, designing, and constructing form, space, and ambiance to reflect functional, technical, social, environmental, and aesthetic considerations. It requires the creative manipulation and coordination of materials and technology.  Architecture also encompasses the pragmatic aspects of realizing buildings and structures, including scheduling, cost estimation, and construction administration. 

Documentation produced by architects, typically drawings, plans and technical specifications, defines the structure and/or behavior of a building or other kind of system that is to be or has been constructed.

Recent decades have seen the rise of specializations within the profession. Many architects and architectural firms focus on certain project types (for example, health care, retail, public housing, event management), technological expertise or project delivery methods. Some architects specialize as building code, sustainable design, technical writing, historic preservation, accessibility, and other forms of specialist consultants.

Many architects elect to move into corporate facilities planning, project management, construction management, program management, interior design or other related fields.

Education/Professional: Professional degree is a five or six year program with normal basic courses, design, structures (engineering), specifications, interior design,and  landscape design. There is a three year apprenticeship. There is a tough licensure. The  American Institute of Architects is the professional organization.

Personal:  My track was away from design into management.

Dad was a Renaissance architect in El Paso (1914-1964): architect, furniture builder, artist , and contractor.

I Started in traditional architecture, small firms, then larger;( one man firm, 20 man firm, 3,000 man full service firm) (architecture/engineering/planning/construction management/program management).

My Career evolved from traditional architecture to project management, business development and executive management.

Projects:  I have worked mostly on school, community college and university projects across the country and in the Middle East, Turkey and Mexico.  Also worked on federal/state/county/municipal projects as well as some hotels and commercial projects nationally. 

Most of the work was from Houston.  I came to California in 1994 to head up Kitchell’s office in Sacramento.  In California I was the program manager for the New Prison Program, and several school districts (including Berkeley, San Jose, Sacramento, Monterrey Bay,and  Santa Cruz. 

My Largest program managed was Dade County (Miami) $1.5B.

The last five years before retiring in 2010, I was as the State Architect of California.  My work involved managing a staff of 350 architects, engineers and support staff, reviewing plans and construction for the 1,000 school districts of California, overseeing access compliance and sustainability.  I also worked with the Building Standards Commission on updates to the California Building and Administrative codes.

How can we doubt that President Thorman, after running all those big projects, would not be capable of running our little Rotary Club. No wonder he signed on for another year as President.