Leadership & Legacy
by Mary-Margaret Zindren, Hon. AIAMN, EVP/Executive Director of AIA Minnesota
Dedication and care. Grace under pressure. Strategic thinking. High standards. Humor. Fun! And most of all, leadership.
Beverly Hauschild-Baron, Hon. AIA is my predecessor in this role and she set a high bar for what it means to lead this organization.
How do you follow someone who is so revered? So impactful? So loved by so many? And who served in the role for 38 years??!! As I’ve told folks over the years, they literally write white papers on why it is a terrible career move to be the first to follow such a long-tenured and beloved CEO; they predict short tenures for people like me.
More than 10 years in, I could write a new white paper to counter that conclusion; it was absolutely the best career move of my life. And Beverly has had a lot to do with that.
Yes, the first few years were a barrage of “You’ve got big shoes to fill” and “Oh, you’re the new Beverly.” That wasn’t always easy for me. But over time I came to realize 1) it was harder for them than for me; and 2) it was true!
The base Beverly built – the standards of excellence, the commitment to being a (if not THE) leading chapter of the AIA, and the genuine care and love she has for the members of Minnesota’s architecture community and the staff team – is a base I have been privileged to sustain and to build from.
Beverly and I regularly meet for a glass of wine to connect on how things are going here in Minnesota and with the AIA nationally. Being able to talk candidly with someone who has dealt with the same or similar challenges is invaluable.
This is why programs like Leadership Forum – created during Beverly’s tenure and where I facilitate several sessions today – are so important. Those tapped for leadership in their firms gain so much from being able to share their experiences with others.
It’s why the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit is such a transformative event for so many. Women leaders are able to find strength from each other’s experience – the challenges and the triumphs – to return to their roles with new insights and renewed energy.
The Beverly Hauschild-Baron Leadership Fund of the MAF recognizes Beverly’s continued legacy. It funds scholarships to Leadership Forum and to the Women’s Leadership Summit. It funds leadership development for AIA Minnesota staff. And it funds leadership keynote speakers at our Annual Conference, bringing forward people whose lives and ideas are inspiring and motivating, energizing conference attendees to continue in the difficult yet rewarding work of architecture.
Please join me in giving to the BHB Fund during the campaign underway to recognize its 25 year anniversary.
If your career in architecture has been influenced by Beverly’s leadership, please give.
If your career in architecture has been influenced by my leadership, please give. My own impact has been possible because of the strong legacy left by Beverly and the ways she has provided a compassionate ear and words of encouragement to me along the way.
There are many ways to give, and all amounts are welcome. You can donate on the MAF website, and you can add the BHB Fund into your own legacy planning by talking with Amber Allardyce.
Thank you, Beverly, for your leadership and service, and for your friendship. And thanks to all of you who honor Beverly’s continuing legacy through your gifts to the BHB Fund Campaign.