The AIA has announced that William J. Bates, FAIA, has been elected the 2019 AIA President. He will succeed Carl Elefante, the 2018 AIA President.

Having served as a member of the Board of Directors since 2011, Bates has a good deal of experience working with the organization. He also served as president of AIA Pennsylvania twice, in 1991 and again in 2010.

"As a profession, we solve our clients’ problems by listening and synthesizing solutions," states Bates in a press release. "These are the skills that we need to apply internally to make our profession more prosperous and inclusive for the next generation."

Bates is the vice president of real estate at Eat’n Park Hospitality Group Inc and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon. He received his B.Arch. at Notre Dame and graduate degrees in Construction Management from Penn State and Harvard.

Other appointments announced include Patrick P. Panetta, AIA, as the 2018-19 Treasurer and Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, as At-large Director.