WASHINGTON (Oct. 7, 2021) — The American Institute of Architects (AIA) EVP/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA, has been recognized by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) with the Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award is the highest honor NIBS confers to someone who has demonstrated a lifetime of dedication to the mission and goals of the organization, which include advancing building science and technology to ensure buildings and communities remain safe. Established in 2011 and named after the first member of NIBS, this award is bestowed upon those who exhibit the passion upon which NIBS was founded. “Robert’s work over the course of his career has elevated the entire profession of architecture,” said Lakisha A. Woods, CAE. “Beyond designing buildings and spaces, Robert’s ability to effectively communicate with audiences from different backgrounds is a model for all leaders working in the built environment.”
Appointed as AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer in 2011, Ivy has overseen major changes within the organization: digital transformation across all its platforms; Board of Directors restructuring to encourage nimble debate and decision making; an ongoing public awareness campaign; a reconstituted philanthropic foundation; and a consistent, assertive public voice based on architects’ values. Rebounding from the challenging 2008 economy, under his tenure, AIA achieved fiscal stability and growth and reached 95,500 members residing in over 200 chapters and components in the United States and around the world — its highest total membership level since the association’s founding more than 160 years ago.
“Robert has not only positioned the organization to best serve architects but has laid the foundation to create a more welcoming and inclusive profession for the future,” said AIA 2021 President Peter Exley, FAIA. “His leadership has also been instrumental in realigning the organization to address society’s most pressing challenges, including climate action and racial and ethnic equity.”
Ivy was formerly Editor-in-Chief of McGraw-Hill's Architectural Record prior to joining the AIA. Under Ivy's leadership, Architectural Record became the most widely disseminated architectural journal worldwide and garnered numerous awards, including the National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Ivy also led McGraw-Hill’s design and construction media during its explosive growth in China — where he launched a Mandarin version of Architectural Record — and the Middle East.
Ivy’s authoritative biography Fay Jones: Architect was published in 2001 and is now in its third edition. The book showcases the work of the American architect who was a devotee of Frank Lloyd Wright. The Art Library Society of North America cited Fay Jones: Architect for "the highest standards of scholarship, design, and production."
Ivy was previously honored by the national architecture fraternity Alpha Rho Chi, for his effectiveness in communicating the value of design. He shares the designation Master Architect with iconic architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Richard Buckminster Fuller, and I.M. Pei. He is one of seven to receive this honor in the fraternity’s 100-year history and the only architect selected in the 21st century. In addition, in 2017, Ivy received the Dean’s Medal from the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture.
After earning his Bachelor of Arts in English from Sewanee: The University of the South, Ivy attended Tulane University where he received a Master of Architecture degree. Prior to becoming an architect, Ivy served as an officer in the U.S. Navy.
