AIA Florida Recognizes 2020 Citizen Architects

Orlando – The Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects recognized seven architects as Citizen Architects at its 2021 Convention & Trade Show July 14-18 in Orlando.

These architects play an important part in shaping the world through leadership in their communities through service on nonprofit boards, government offices or boards, design charrettes or any other effort that demonstrates the leadership of the architect as a citizen in the community.

The 2020 class is:

Fred Forbes, AIA, AIA Florida Southwest. Forbes served on the Bonita Springs Fire District board and is now a member of the Bonita Springs City Council. He is also a member of the Florida League of Cities Legislative Policy Committee on Utilities, Natural Resources and Public Works; vice president of the Southwest Florida League of Cities chapter; and was a Florida League of Cities Home Rule Hero Award recipient, 2018 and 2020.

Roxanne Horvath, AIA, AIA Jacksonville. For more than 25 years, Horvath has been a public servant. She serves on the St. Augustine City Commission and as served on every St. Augustine city board as well as the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council, the Florida Regional Councils Association and Resiliency Florida.

Jeff Huber, FAIA, AIA Fort Lauderdale. Huber is the lead coordinator for Broward County in Operation PPE, a collaboration between the Broward Community Foundation, Florida Atlantic University and AIA Fort Lauderdale. He also participates regularly in AIA Florida’s Legislative Day, AIA National Grassroots congressional meetings and is a member of the Fort Lauderdale Downtown City Council. He was a co-leader of the Riverwalk Charrette, served on the Fort Lauderdale Sustainability Advisory Board, and lead teams in the Resilient Redesign 2 Workshop in 2014 and 2015.

Brett Moss, AIA, AIA Miami. Moss, who serves as vice mayor of Key Biscayne, has also served in several other positions with the city, including council member, council liaison to the Key Biscayne Underground Utility Task Force and the Key Biscayne Vision Board, and as the council representative to the Key Biscayne Youth Council and Zoning Code Revisions panel. He also participated in AIA Active Design Miami, was the chair of the Village of Key Biscayne Education Advisory Board, served on the board of directors of the Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and was the secretary of the Key Biscayne Historic and Heritage Society. Moss is also on the board of the Miami Center for Architecture and Design.

John Thompson, AIA, AIA Tampa Bay. Thompson chairs the Barrio Latino Commission, advocating for the preservation of the Ybor City Historic District. He was a member of the Hillsborough Arts Council, appointed by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, and is also a member of the Ybor City Development Corp.

Brian Spencer, AIA, AIA Florida  Northwest.  Spencer served eight years with the Pensacola City Council and ran for mayor of the city in 2018. He’s also served on the Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency and was chair from January 2014 to November 2015.

George Williams,  AIA,  AIA  Florida  Northwest.  Williams serves on the city of Gulf Breeze Board of Adjustment and also spent time on the Gulf Breeze Development Review Board. He served on the United Methodist Church Board of Trustees, as past president of AIA Florida Northwest and was on the city of Pensacola Enterprise Zone Advisory Board.

The Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects, headquartered in Tallahassee, represents the interests of more than 3,900 members in Florida and the Caribbean. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public and colleagues of an AIA-member architect’s dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.