COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Certified Professional Building Designers David Blay, Ted Hake, and Keith Welsh are the newest members to be inducted into the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) College of Fellows.
The honor of membership in the College of Fellows may be bestowed upon a professional member of the American Institute of Building Design who has notably contributed to the advancement of the building design profession by excellence in design, or by excellence in design in combination with excellence in education, literature or public service.
David Blay is the first licensed Residential Designer to be inducted. In addition to his design excellence, David has been active in the oversight and maintenance of the Nevada Residential Designer licensing program. He owns Par 3 Design Group in Reno while volunteering his time over the past (35) years in the design-build of Quick-Build Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Ted Hake, owner of Hake Custom Design in Canton, Ohio, is the current chairman of the AIBD’s American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) program. He has been an active leader of his local AIBD chapter and in the Ohio State Society. Ted works with Habitat For Humanity to provide beautiful, energy-efficient, and safe home designs. He has taught building design at local high schools and served as an industry advisor to Oregon State University’s Housing Studies program within the Department of Design and Human Environment.
Keith Welsh, of Welsh Drafting Services in Sparks, Oklahoma, has been a builder, designer, and building official for over 50 years. Beginning with AIBD in the California Society, Keith was president San Diego/Lajolla chapter from 1985 thru 1987 when the California AIA was able to get Legislators to pass an Architectural Act to abolish Registered Building Designer status. This was accomplished under the political guys that Registered Building Designers would be Grand Fathered in under the Act (Assembly Bill #2196) as Licensed Architects and AIBD Building Designers would cease to exist. He spent countless hours and money contacting legislators, building officials, other
designers, inspectors, and contractors to inform and educate them of the issue at hand to educate them of the knowledge and professionalism of Building Designers. Keith relocated to Oklahoma in 1989, soon thereafter joining the Oklahoma AIBD Society.
Nominations for this honor may be made by a member of the College of Fellows, a chapter, an institute director, or by a professional member of the Institute. The nominations are then evaluated by a jury composed of three “Fellows.”
Chancellor James Wright of Columbus, Ohio, chaired the induction ceremony that took place at The Antlers Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event is a part of the American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) gala dinner, held this year on July 31, 2021.
The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD), a nonprofit professional organization established in 1950, strives to protect and enhance the practice of residential building design. AIBD is committed to providing certification and quality continuing education to ensure that our members remain current with technology, materials, and building codes.