OAA Council serves as the board of directors for the Ontario Association of Architects. With election season kicking off later this fall, the OAA asked Councillors what made them want to run in the first place.  

Bill Birdsell is a Guelph-based Architect and a past-President of the OAA. He chairs the Right Angle Journal and is a director with the Built Environment Open Forum. He holds one of the Province of Ontario seats. 

1. Why did you first decide to run for Council? 

I was the chair of the Grand Valley Society of Architects in 2008 when Sean O'Reilly, the OAA President of the day, recommended I put my name forward. I enjoyed the public aspect of working with other architects and representing our issues to the public to raise the profile of architects, architecture, and the built environment. I joined council in 2009. As I stepped into my role as a Councillor and began understanding the decisions we make, I quickly realized I could make a difference. As a sole practitioner, each year your life gets smaller. Starting out on your own, quality-based selection tends to limit the types of projects you are allowed to design. Business considerations tend to lead you to design projects that will effectively support your income. Once I joined the Council, it was like all the doors were thrown open. I was invited to learn about and advise on decisions that were much broader than I was used to. I also found out that I was good at it.

In my second year, I was elected Vice President of Practice and was introduced to chairing meetings and collaborating with architects who held much more subject knowledge than I did. You certainly learn a lot quickly, including that your role is not to speak, but rather to facilitate a smooth, balanced meeting. I then became Senior Vice President/Treasurer and I learned that I could recognize business patterns and opportunities. I demonstrated to the Council the opportunity to pay off the mortgage and save hundreds of thousands of dollars. I then became President and modelled my two terms on improving the efficiency, the impact of the OAA supporting other related organizations, and amplifying the voice of the OAA to the public. In support of this I was interviewed widely, I represented the OAA at government hearings and commissions and many design juries, and we published the OAA 100+ 25 book. 

In short, it has been an incredible ride. After I left the Council, I became the chair of the board of Pro-Demnity Insurance Co., and became an impactful influence on other important decisions. When I left that role, I returned to the Council. I'm still maintaining an important voice in the consideration of matters important to the profession. I have also enabled the work of many Local Societies. 

2. What do you enjoy or appreciate about the experience? 

What started as merely as a way to broaden my interests has become a serious part of who I am. I enjoy making a difference in serving my fellow Architects and the many young professionals that I mentor.

3. What would you say to someone thinking about pursuing a nomination for the very first time?  

The OAA is driven and influenced by the members that get involved. It is the backbone of a self-governing profession. Don't worry about your knowledge level. You will learn by doing and there is a great deal of support and camaraderie provided by other Council members and, most importantly, the support of the great OAA staff. 

This year, there are five seats for Architects and one seat for a Licensed Technologist to join Council and guide the Association in regulating the practice of architecture to protect the public interest. To learn more about running or the general processes, visit the Council Elections page.