Where Smart Architects Manage Risk^®

As the premier risk management resource for AIA members, the AIA Trust focused its 2018 efforts on continuing to educate and encourage members to manage their risks by enhancing its library of online practice resources and launching several new programs. All AIA Trust programs and resources are available 24/7 on the AIA Trust website to assist members with their practices. The AIA Trust website is organized by career stages to make it easy for AIA members to find pertinent benefits and resources no matter where they are in their careers.

2018 Highlights

Member Benefit Programs: Creating Member Value

• Launched new MyEWellness, a website offering online health management and guidance free for new AIA members, including an offer of one year free $15K term life insurance with an additional $35K upgrade option. In addition, the AIA Trust offers six months free of LegaLine to first-time new members to assist as their ‘Practice Coach’.
• Finalized new personal lines program from Nationwide for AIA members and component staff offering special member benefits on auto insurance.
• Developed a new AIA Trust travel plan (trip cancellation insurance) in coordination with AIA staff, now promoted directly to tour participants upon enrollment for maximum benefits.
• Expanded Long Term Care insurance program with new complimentary add-on benefits for members.

Free Practice Resources: Creating Member Value

Published an array of new risk management resources including:

• “Designing for Hedonism” white papers: one about designing marijuana facilities and another about brewery design;

•  The Perils of Substitutions
• Several Risk Management Guides: An Architect’s Guide to Flood Insurance and An Architect’s Guide to Managing Cyber Threats.
•  New firm owner insurance checklist, a new resource for new and growing firms.
•  An article about the importance of relationships to the design professional – and several articles for architects interested in becoming a firm principal on a page filled with ownership transition resources.

Other AIA Trust practice resources in 2018 include:

• Developed, promoted and conducted two webinars: Virtual Architectural Practice – An Alternate Reality, in conjunction with the PMKC and four speakers with 55 participants offering 1.5 LU credits; and Retirement Reality a webinar with AXA Equitable presented to 25 participants offering 1 LU credit. Both webinars are available on the AIA Trust website. Also offered another 69 members continuing education credits through AIA Trust LegaLine seminar and self-assessment tests.

• Publishing ongoing quarterly newsletter updates about the changing association healthcare plan regulations and potential for a future health plan offering. Updated a web page full of AIA Trust healthcare resources

AIA Trust and the AIA

 To familiarize AIA members and components with the many AIA Trust practice benefits and resources available to them, the AIA Trust works in partnership with the AIA, sponsoring many programs and events.  The 2018 collaboration included:

• The 19th year for the AIA Trust-CNA/Schinnerer Component Grants Program, awarding another $15,000 directly to AIA Components and bringing the total to more than $300,000 in total grant awards! The 2018 program grant winners were AIA Connecticut, AIA Seattle, AIA Boston, AIA Kansas, and AIA Colorado.
• The 2018 Grassroots awards luncheon in San Diego, sponsored in conjunction with CNA/Schinnerer.
• The 2018 AIA Strategic Council luncheon, sponsored in conjunction with CNA/Schinnerer.
• The CACE Annual Meeting in Chicago, sponsoring in conjunction with CNA/Schinnerer the reception for all attendees at Perkins+Will in the historic Wrigley Building and briefing them on the ever-expanding library of free risk management resources and benefit programs available to their members and their components.
• Small Firm Exchange sponsorship including regular SFx Scan newsletter contributions and participation in their AIA Conference schedule, highlighting the many resources and programs of interest to small firms.
• Knowledge Leadership Assembly (KLA) Conference roundtables sponsored to discuss attendee recommendations for AIA Trust practice resources and programs.
• Practice Management Knowledge Community (PMKC) Digest and email sponsorship, contributing articles and information on a variety of risk management topics such as cyber risks, firm culture, and designing for sustainability. Managed a joint webinar presentation to 55 members about Virtual Practice.
• The A’18 AIA Trust conference exhibit showcased the wide variety of risk management resources available free on the AIA Trust website, offering seated massage and free gifts along with benefit program information for members. In addition, the AIA Trust-sponsored “Starting a Firm” seminar that attracted more than 300 attendees.
• Early in 2018, the Trustees met with members of the AIA Risk Management Committee to coordinate resources development for the year. The two groups continue to coordinate activities to maximize efforts to assist AIA members with risk management.
• The AIA Trust quarterly electronic newsletter, Managing Your Risks, providing timely insights on evolving risks and practice tips to those AIA members running firms, with this year’s articles on topics including indemnification, employment lawsuits, firm transitions, work-life balance, condominium project issues, retirement planning, and more. Articles are available on the website for future reference, organized by topic, and may be reprinted in AIA component publications with a link to the AIA Trust.

About the AIA Trust

While the AIA Trust was started as an insurance provider for AIA members, it now focuses on offering member benefits and value by creating practice-related benefit programs and resources available 24/7 in its growing online library. The AIA Trust serves as the premier risk management resource for AIA members.

The AIA Trust is one of the largest enterprises allied with The American Institute of Architects and currently maintains more than 10,000 policies and plans––many serving additional members within firms and member families, with a dollar volume of more than $100 million managed by AIA Trust providers. In addition, the AIA Trust resources are accessed tens of thousands of times annually to assist members in their practices. The AIA Trust operates on a break-even basis, using no AIA dues dollars and reimbursing the AIA for all overhead costs. The net of operating expenses is frequently invested in AIA Member and Component activities and benefits, including the development of practice resources. For a complete listing of all AIA Trust practice resources, click here.

The AIA Trust was established 66 years ago to provide quality benefits to AIA Members.  It was formed as a separate entity from the AIA due to IRS regulations governing ERISA trusts. The Trustees, who are AIA members and one component executive, along with the Executive Director, work with independent consultants to evaluate new and ongoing programs to ensure the best available plans are offered to members and components. The AIA Trust negotiates and monitors these agreements and serves as a member advocate. For a complete listing of all AIA Trust programs, click here.

John Rogers, FAIA, FACHA, Chair

Stephan Castellanos, FAIA, Chair-elect

Thomas Bradley Benjamin, AIA, Secretary-Treasurer

Terrence O’Neal, FAIA, Trustee

Anne Marie Decker, FAIA, Trustee

Amy Slattery, AIA, Trustee

Sara Kay, Hon AIA, Trustee

Ann Casso, Hon AIA, Executive Director

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

It shall be the purpose and the policy of the AIA Trust to develop and make available at the greatest possible value, insurance and benefit programs for members and components of the American Institute of Architects; and to serve as a risk management resource for the practice of architecture in cooperation with the Institute.

GOALS OF THE AIA TRUST

1. Identify & address current and future AIA member and component needs for benefit programs.
2. Offer risk management tools to enhance members’ architecture practices.
3. Be recognized as a valuable risk management resource and benefits provider within the Institute.
4. Remain financially stable.

AIA TRUST 2019 PLANS

1. Continue to add value to AIA Membership through the expansion of its online library of risk management resources for members.

Working with member knowledge communities, the AIA Risk Management Committee, the Center for Practice, and other member groups, the AIA Trust continues to identify ways to strategically meet members’ risk management needs, developing and offering webinars, guides, articles, and other resources about emerging risks, such as blockchain, to better understand and manage them.

2. Emphasize member value.

1. Working with outside expert-consultants, the AIA Trust evaluates marketplace opportunities and current program offerings to ensure the highest level of quality and responsiveness to members.

3. Emphasize member service.

1. Working with its program providers, the AIA Trust identifies program enhancements to assist members in their practices by addressing member needs promptly and accurately.

To learn more about the AIA Trust, visit our page About the AIA Trust and view the short video overview.