AIA Detroit Names Two Honorary Members

Detroit, MI, December 25, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Two Southeast Michigan leaders were added to the list of Honorary Affiliate Member of the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Terese Ireland, Executive Director of Pewabic Pottery and Daniel Zechmeister, PE, head of the Michigan Masonry Institute, joined a roster of people who are not architects but have made important contributions to the Detroit area’s quality of life.

Under Terese A. Ireland’s leadership Pewabic Pottery has grown significantly in its service to the community in the last decade. The Pottery now advances cultural and heritage tourism for Detroit by welcoming 45,000 visitors to its expanded campus. Pewabic brings ceramic art instruction to Detroit Public Schools and teaches 11,000 under-served kids each year. The Pottery also teaches 1,200 adults annually in its historic education studio.

Importantly, Pewabic serves the creative community by providing employment opportunities for artists and by giving them a place to exhibit and sell their ceramic art. Pewabic’s well known handcrafted tiles and pottery are now sold at 100 locations throughout the U.S. as well as on its web store.

A lifelong Michigan resident, Ireland is a graduate of University of Detroit with a degree in business. She co-owned a marketing consulting firm specializing in small business marketing needs prior to her assuming her role with the pottery. She also taught at Wayne State University in the Business School.

Daniel S. Zechmeister, P.E. is the Executive Director for the Michigan Masonry Institute and it has been his mission to educate architects about the ancient art of masonry construction and for taking the resources and talent of his organization into the community. He was successful in opening up the structural masonry design course at Lawrence Technological University to design professionals and the Masonry Institute is an AIA approved registered provider in AIA’s system for continuing education.

Zechmeister joined the Masonry Institute’s staff as a structural engineer in a joint venture with the LTU School of Architecture as a lecturer. In 1990, he became the Executive Director.

Dan has brought the resources of the institute into the community to help restore the masonry at the Shrine at Our Lady of Providence in Northville, to build a labyrinth for the Boys and Girls Republic in Farmington and, working with the Livonia Career Technical Center, taught students to brick veneer the front of a new Livonia home. The Institute has also helped to keep the masonry of the AIA headquarters, circa 1850, Beaubien House, intact.

Zechmeister is a registered professional engineer and is active with several professional societies. He was recently elected as a director on the Building Enclosure Council of Greater Detroit in association with AIA Detroit.

###