Nancy Somerville

Nancy Somerville, the new EVP of the ASLA comes to the association with over 20 years working in government and at the level of national association management. Her initial exposure to landscape architects came through an interprofessional council on environmental design, which she led. She says that the connections she made through these professional contacts gave her an enormous respect for the ASLA leaders and that she felt very comfortable and familiar with the profession by virtue of their working to accomplish similar goals.

However, it was her experience in leading efforts to achieve licensure for the AIA that was perhaps one of her most attractive qualities to the trustees. Her publication of the 1985 landmark AIA study of qualifications-based selection and competitive bidding as well as her direction of the AIA's web-enabled membership platform demonstrate that she has the temperment and focus of a specialist, who is able to operate with the "big picture" mentality of an association manager.

Although Somerville was congratulatory of the efforts that had been made toward achieving licensure thus far she believes that she can take these efforts to the next level. "It has room to grow and develop," said Somerville, although she was guarded about revealing her strategy in detail.

Regarding her immediate goals for advancing the society, Somerville intends to continue the ASLA's program for focusing on "environmental issues and livable communities". Her reliance and confidence in the senior staff also seems to be a factor in her decision to advance the existing platform.

The big question is whether Somerville will be able to break free from her allegiance to the AIA and agressively pursue the interests of the ASLA, even if those interests conflict at times. Somerville was quite candid about this issue.

"The AIA and ASLA can, and should be partners--there are areas where we will be completely aligned, and others where we will disagree," commented Somerville. "You make coalitions around common interests."

Leonard Hopper

Len Hopper, ASLA President

The ASLA's new president, Len Hopper, works for the New York City Housing Authority where, in his years of dedicated service, he has tried to involve the City's residents in meaningful design participation. His incorporation of 3-D models into the workshop format has represented just one of his innovative strategies for communicating site plans and design concepts with the lay community.

"As soon as [Paul Friedberg] gave his presentation I knew what I wanted to be."

Establishing a direct connection with people so that they can share the experience of creative design has always been Hopper's passion. As a second year architecture student at New York City College, Hopper had an experience that some refer to as a "Eureka moment". It happened when visiting scholar, Paul Friedberg, gave a lecture to Hopper's class and shared examples of some of his work. "As soon as he gave his presentation I knew what I wanted to be," said Hopper. He was very taken with the manner in which people enjoyed the work that Friedburg has done. "People don't enjoy a building the same way," says Hopper. He has been making connections with people through landscapes ever since. Hopper emphasizes the necessity of having places of refuge within the urban environment. A New Yorker through and through, Hopper unabashedly proclaims his attraction for the urban landscape. The East River and Hudson River Esplanades and, of course, Central Park are his favorites. "They contrast with urban life, they give relief," comments Hopper. Also indicative of his New York background, Hopper looks forward to the pressure and stress of his presidential term in office. "It is a rather intense period is a person's life. The way it's set up is ideal," said Hopper. Judging from Hopper's take-no-prisoners attitude he should be a worthy successor to Jan Schach's capable leadership.

Jim Tolliver

One of the constant agents of stability in the ASLA for the last three years has been Jim Tolliver, the new deputy EVP. Both Hector and helper, he has led the organization, while guidling the search for a new EVP.

Educated in business management and economics, Tolliver has been working in association management for 20 years, the entire length of which has been in Washington D.C. Tolliver says of his years of experience in Washington, "I've been involved with an array of government affairs, membership services and development, communications, and finance . . . It has served me well."

Tolliver is currently working on an expedition project with the board and executive committee to help identify areas they would like to grow or enhance. Student exposure is one of the areas he would like to focus on, regulating agencies are another. Tolliver explains that there are a number of issues to be addressed in a phased-in fashion. These issues are complexified by the fact that the ASLA operates at the state and national level. However, he has great hopes for developing the ASLA as an electronic platform for member services that would help to bridge some of these boundaries.

Dennis Carmichael

Dennis Carmicheal, ASLA Vice President of Information

Dennis Carmichael is the new VP of information, whose credits include such projects as the Dulles Corner office park in northern Virginia; Ross's Landing Park in Chattanooga; Louiville Downtown Improvements; Penn State Research Park; Sallie Mae corporate headquarters, and Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta to name just a few. His design accomplishments have earned him over two dozen awards and his work has been published extensively. Carmichael traces his fascination with landscape architecture back to his high school days. It was during the 1960s at the height of the eco-revolution that Carmichael's social conscience was ignited. It was a time when, according to Carmichael, it appeared as though, "the planet was going to careen into the abyss."

Amidst the cultural milieux of environmental activism and coincident with the first Earth Day, Carmichael read Ian McHarg's "Design With Nature". The book was transforming for Carmichael. From that point forward he had a mission. McArgh offered him a vision of how "Landscape could combine high art with conservation."

Ian McHarg, FASLA, author of "Design With Nature

Unlike many children of the sixties who paid lip service to the cause of environmental protection, Carmichael has remained true to his principles, and has transformed youthful idealism into a mature profession. Today, one of Carmichael's primary interests is in forwarding the profession as a resource for land development on a national scale.

"Every year it's getting a little bit easier-We're at the head of the table for land use and public development," he said. Getting an equal footing with architects and engineers when it comes to making public policy decisions is one of Carmichael's key interests.

Stephen L. Carter

Stephen L. Carter, ASLA, elected vice president of membership, is a senior landscape architect/planner who has worked with the Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for 18 years. He was honored as USACE's Landscape Architect of the Year in 1995 for his distinguished service to the Corps, which involved managing environmental restoration, flood control, and other major water related resource projects. However, Carter's passion for small, intimate landscapes is what inspired him to become a Landscape Architect in the first place.

Carter was working toward a master's degree in education when he was called to service during the Vietnam war. He had planned on becoming a high school principal and was looking forward to a career in education when he met Gregory Page, a Landscape Architect from the University of Michigan.

"Vietnam was a blessing in disguise," said Carter of his chance meeting with the Landscape Architect. Page showed Carter his portfolio of work, which immediately impressed Carter. As an art student, skilled in landscapes and portraits, he was struck by the idea of translating his artistic musings into living creations. He returned home from Vietnam with a new sense of direction and a desire to transform the natural world.

Although Carter has earned a reputation for his large scale projects he finds particular satisfaction in designing small spaces. "I love creating views," says Carter who characterizes his human scale courtyards as "small jewels". The spacial arrangement of Carter's landscapes are faceted with angles that avoid straight lines of sight. The entire image of the landscape must be resolved by moving through it, which offers brief flashes of color, fragrant odors, and bubbling rivulets.

Carter admires the businesses that can sustain this kind of small scale work, but he acknowledges the need to expand the purview of the profession. "To stay competitive we have had to get into the environmental arena," said Carter.

Carter's immediate goals are to expand the membership by 10 to 15% over the next two years. He intends to accomplish this by taking advantage of new communications technology that would enhance member outreach and make the ASLA an e-association. Carter gives a great deal of credit to his predecessor for making these goals approachable. "Bob Callans has done alot to set the stage," he says.

Carter also emphasizes what he refers to as the "smart growth" of the organization. Without programs and incentives to encourage member participation he warns that the ASLA could lose current members. That is why Carter will be working to coordinate with the membership body as well as the chapter presidents to ensure that the organization continues to serve its members efficiently and proactively.

C. Edward Curtin

Similar to Stephen Carter's holistic approach to landscape architecture, C. Edward Curtin, the new VP of finance, has incorporated his personal interest in public parks by developing areas for public recreation.

Unlike Carter, however, Curtin favors wide open spaces and broad brush strokes painted on the expansive canvas of nature. His favorite landscapes are Central Park and John Muir Woods, interestingly enough. One, a model of urban fantasy, the other, a touchstone of environmental preservationism. This apparent contradiction is representative of the state of the profession.

Landscape Architects are torn by the dual requirement of developing facilities for public and private use, while attempting to preserve pristine wilderness.

Carter describes himself as fiscally conservative although he has personally experienced three consecutive years of solid growth. He says he would like to see that all funds are automatically included in the reserve without "dipping into the fund." This cautious approach to investing ASLA funds is consistent with recent economic forecasts which predict a gradual cooling of the economy.

Curtin's career spans 20 years as a Landscape Architect. During that career he has served in most offices of chapter government including the position of Chapter Trustee. Since 1997, he has been Assistant to the Director of the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, where he oversees all capital improvement projects, short and long-term planning and the department budget. He has also been credited with achieving a consensus with engineers on practice legislation while working with the Indiana Federation of Landscape Architects.

Passing the Torch:

A Note from Jan

Jan Schach, FASLA President 1999-2000

I am happy to report that ASLA has used the incredible momentum from its centennial celebration to launch many new and exciting initiatives this year. Over the past year, ASLA National and its Chapters have positioned ASLA as a national and state leader in a number of public affairs arenas. In partnership with two congressional leaders, ASLA has taken a leadership role in the debate surrounding smart growth by sponsoring a symposium on livable communities including representatives from allied organizations such as the National Society of Professional Engineers, American Institute of Architects, American Planning Association, the National Home Builders Association, and the Trust for Public Lands to begin to define the essential components of community livability. Many ASLA Chapters have sponsored similar symposiums to discuss growth management issues in their regions.

The ASLA Board of Trustees has been very active on Capitol Hill working to help influence the passage of important legislation related to livable communities including the Conservation and Reinvestment Act which would include $1 billion for coastal conservation fund, $900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and $350 million for wildlife conservation and education programs. We have also developed new working relationships with a number of federal agencies including the EPA, US Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, General Services Administration and the National Park Service.

Most recently ASLA has contributed to the discussion of genetically modified ornamental plants. ASLA has petitioned the USDA to place a moratorium on field tests of genetically modified grass and plants and is conducting discussions with the Scotts Company on the potential impacts of release of genetically modified ornamental plants on the environment.

ASLA leadership has also charted a new, exciting course for the organization. This new course has three major thrusts. The first thrust, "Advancing the Profession", continues to work to position Landscape Architects in the center of public policy development and community leadership related to smart growth and community livability issues. An important part of this effort will be to expand landscape architecture registration throughout the country.

The second expedition, "Growing the Profession", concentrates on increasing the quantity and quality of Landscape Architects to meet the burgeoning demand for Landscape Architects as predicted by Bureau of Labor Statistics in the next ten years. ASLA National and Chapters have been working with universities across the country to increase the number of students entering and graduating from landscape architecture programs.

The third thrust, "ASLA - An Electronic Association", utilizes electronic communications to fundamentally transform the way ASLA and its members communicate and do business. Over the next few years, ASLA will be making substantial investments in its Web site to create a dynamic portal to educational opportunities, public and legislative affairs, member networking, product information, and practice management services. The Web site will also serve as a way for clients and the public to learn more about the profession. Our goal is nothing less than making ASLA's Web site an indispensable daily tool for all Landscape Architects.

I am incredibly proud of ASLA, this profession, and its many devoted members. With the leadership of Nancy Somerville as our new Executive Vice President, ASLA is ideally positioned for even greater things. Through my many visits across the country, I have continually been overwhelmed by the realization that while we (the profession) may be small in number, our influence in the community is large. We are in demand. Now is the time to grow the profession and ASLA even larger...grow in numbers, grow in influence, grow in practice areas, and grow in our expectations for ourselves and our profession.