Six individuals have been awarded the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s (NCARB) highest honor, the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. The medals were bestowed by 2015- 2016 President Dennis S. Ward, FAIA, NCARB, at the organization’s 2016 Annual Business Meeting.

President Ward commended each of this year’s recipients for their commitment to the architecture profession and NCARB’s mission to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.

“These individuals embody the level of devotion that NCARB seeks to provide,” Ward said. “I applaud them for their dedication and hard work, and am honored to

present them with this award.”

2016 Recipients:

Jon Alan Baker, FAIA, LEED AP, of San Diego, Calif., was recognized for his distinguished service to the California Architects Board and NCARB, including his leadership of several committees and Region 6. Baker has been a dedicated member of the California Architects Board for over a decade. He has also contributed greatly to NCARB, serving as the Region 6 director on the Board of Directors in 2010-2012, chair from 2008-2010, and currently as vice chair. In addition, he has been involved with the Examination Committee, where he assisted with Site Planning & Design, as well as with the Internship, IDP Advisory, and Regional Leadership committees. He also served on both the AIA San Diego Chapter board and AIA California Council board. Baker was particularly instrumental in the development of the ARE 5.0, serving as the chair of the ARE 5.0 Case Study Task Force.

Dawne Broadfield, of Cranston, R.I., was recognized for her service to the State of Rhode Island Board of Examination and Registration of Architects, Region 1, as well as her dedication to NCARB and service on numerous committees. Broadfield became the board executive of the Rhode Island Board of Examination and Registration of Architects in 1997 and the executive of Region 1 (the New England Conference) in 2013. She has been a dedicated volunteer on the Member Board Executives, Regional Leadership, Procedures and Documents, and Professional Conduct committees. In FY14, Broadfield served as chair of both the Member Board Executives Committee and the Credentials Committee. Through her service on these committees, Broadfield helped improve the effectiveness of NCARB’s services to its Member Boards and assisted with the implementation of the Council’s Regional Summit, among other accomplishments.

John E. Cardone Jr., of Lake Charles, La., was recognized for his many years of service to the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners and NCARB, including his leadership of several committees and Region 3. Cardone has been a dedicated public member of the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners for 14 years. He has held numerous positions on the state board and served two terms as the chair. Cardone has also filled many roles for NCARB, including his service as the chair of Region 3 and his position on a multitude of committees, including the Education, Internship, IDP Advisory, Procedures and Documents and Regional Leadership committees, as well as the Public Member Task Force. In June, he was elected as the public director of the NCARB Board of Directors. Cardone has devoted much of his time to the profession of architecture and helped shape many of NCARB’s policies and procedures.

Ricky L. Engebretson, AIA, NCARB, of Fargo, N.D., was recognized for his distinguished service to the North Dakota State Board of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and NCARB, including his leadership of several committees and Region 5. Engebretson has been a dedicated member of the North Dakota Architects Board for over a decade. He has also devoted much of his time to NCARB, serving as the Region 5 director on the Board of Directors. In addition, Engebretson has had roles on several committees, including the Procedures and Documents and Regional Leadership committees, where he helped meld Council policy with regional practice. He also served on the Education, Professional Conduct, Professional Development, Continuing Education, and Practice Analysis Steering committees, as well as the Future Title and Governance task forces.

Maribel Fisher, FCARM, CONARC, APEC, AIA, was recognized for her significant contributions to the implementation of the Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement for International Practice between the United States (NCARB), Canada (CALA), and Mexico (FCARM). Fisher served for two terms as the executive coordinator of the Consejo Nacional de Registro de Certificacion (CONARC), the organization responsible for the certification of architects in Mexico. With her support, CONARC and Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de la Reupublica Mexicana (FCARM) were able to finalize details and complete the pilot program of the Tri-National Agreement. She also served as Mexico’s representative to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Architect Program. She is a member of the certifying committee of her local Colegio, and practices architecture in Ensenada, MX. Fisher is also currently a professor in architecture and graphic design.

Jared Zurn, AIA, NCARB, of Manassas Park, Va., was recognized for his leadership to NCARB and the Examination Directorate, including his guidance of committees, motivation for continuous improvement, and advocacy for examination openness. As a steward of the Examination Directorate, Zurn’s leadership has implemented significant changes to the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), from expanding candidate support and transparency in the examination to overseeing the development and upcoming release of ARE 5.0. His guidance of multiple subcommittees and task forces has led to refinements in exam development processes that contribute to the overall strength of the ARE while expanding volunteer opportunities for architects to engage in examination development. His energy and enthusiasm for improving NCARB’s programs and serving all its stakeholders continue to advance both the organization and its mission.