Hugh Boyd's skills and energies as an architect and urban designer are devoted to enhancing the role that architects play in the decision- making and consensus-building process that improves the public realm and positively impacts our lives. He effectively leads multidisciplinary teams to establish planning principles of economics, function and design that result in significant, highly visible and successful public projects. His work has received national and international recognition and numerous design awards.

Hugh Boyd is a nationally recognized expert on public markets who has helped communities throughout the country develop, revitalize and improve their public markets and the neighborhoods around them. As a designer and advocate for small farmers and local food producers, he has profoundly influenced their ability to complete in today's changing marketplace. Through his practice, he has been actively engaged in the national dialogue on the preservation of farm land and the reconnection of urban dwellers with their agricultural roots.

Hugh has been operating, as a sole proprietor, out of Montclair for the last 20 years. He has been married to his wife, Amy, for 27 years and they have one daughter, Megan, a senior at Montclair High School .

David Del Vecchio, AIA, earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1987. He is the first graduate of NJIT to have been elected as President of the Chapter and as Regional Director. He is a licensed architect in New Jersey and New York , holds an NCARB certificate, holds an RCS building inspector's license, and is a Certified Interior Designer.

Dave was an Associate of AIA Jersey Shore in 1998 and has been a member of AIA Newark and Suburban Architects since licensure in1991. He served in various elected offices and committees of the Section including President; he served as Chair of the Section's Legislative and Government Affairs Committee since his first meeting as a new member.

Mr. Del Vecchio was President of AIA New Jersey in 2003 after serving on numerous committees of the Chapter including, Legislative Affairs, Long Range Planning, Nominations, Communications, Web Page, Newsletter, Handbook, Bylaws, and Budget & Finance Committees.

He assumed the Chair of the Legislative and Government Affairs Committee while Immediate Past President. As Chair, he drafted comments on proposed Interior Design regulations, directed legal counsel to draft and submit a petition for rule making to the State Board to clarify the educational requirements for certification as interior designer and the definition of the practice of interior design. If the Board rules favorably, the regulations will allow all licensed architects to become certified as interior designers by virtue of their architectural license.

David's drafted and edited AIA New Jersey's current Public Policies, and published a legislative brochure called, “A Report to the Legislature” stating our public policies and positions. While President, he re-organized the New Jersey Architects Political Action Committee and secured a method of funding the NJAPAC through an annual membership dues contribution; 97% of the membership contributes annually to this very successful program.

David has represented AIANJ at the Institute's State Government Network for several years. He is stepping down from the L&GA and SGN in 2008 to serve a three-year term on the Institute's Board of Directors representing the Region of AIA New Jersey, where he hopes to remain active in AIA's Government Advocacy program.

Celebrating their 35th year, NK Architects is recognized as a regional design firm providing architecture, structural engineering, planning and interior design services. While maintaining a diverse project portfolio, NK has achieved recognition as specialists in the planning and design of healthcare, education, research and urban redevelopment projects.

The Morristown, New Jersey firm, founded in 1972 by Raymond Nadaskay, AIA and Allen Kopelson, AIA has grown to 60 professionals and in 2002 opened our office in New York City to meet the needs of a growing regional and national clientele. The firm remains committed to providing the highest level of professional design services to its' clients through the delivery of innovative, effective, and sustainable planning and design solutions. A studio environment which fosters innovation, teamwork, and professional development supports a client-focused organizational structure enabled by adaptable business development strategies.

Each of the firm's leaders has obtained a notable reputation for their expertise in one or more of NK's market focus areas. Collaborative leadership within the firm and support for local communities and not-for-profit institutions are embedded within the culture of NK Architects.

The Principals of NK Architects are:
Allen R. Kopelson, AIA Chairman & CEO
Stephen P. Aluotto, AIA President
Ben P. Lee, AIA Principal
Paul J. Drago, AIA Principal
Russel H. Sage, PE Principal
Mark C. von Bradsky, PE Principal
Raymond Nadaskay, AIA Founding Principal Emeritus
Walter Kneis, AIA Associate Principal
Suzanne Brown, AIA Associate Principal

Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, CID, has dedicated her short career to providing high quality design, cost effective solutions and mentoring interns. She has also supplemented her professional work with a variety of teaching opportunities to educate NJ children in creative problem solving and appreciation of the build environment.

Stacey has her own business in architecture and interior design; provides design consulting for her husband, Gary Kliesch's firm, gk+a Architects, PC; teaches at two local colleges; and mothers her two daughters Payton Alana, 4 years old and Skylar Mackenzie, 2 years old. Stacey and her family live in Ridgewood , NJ in a 100 year old Victorian with their two dogs, Penny and Bailey.

Danielle Matuch is an exceptional candidate for the 2007 AIA New Jersey Intern Architect of the Year award due to both her unique educational and professional experiences as well as her strong character. Danielle began working at KSS in June 2005 and had an immediate impact on the firm, surpassing her superior's expectations

with her skill and insight. Her dedication, work ethic and willingness to assist her co-workers were immediately evident. In addition, Danielle ventures outside the office to enhance her skills through participation in various architectural design competitions and by volunteering for local community groups.

A graduate of Syracuse University , Danielle has acquired a solid understanding of the theoretical and fundamental principles of architecture. Most admirable, however, is her desire to seek out non-conventional educational experiences. Danielle attended a masonry camp at which she was given the opportunity to physically construct and create structures in a hands-on setting. Her experience was further broadened during two consecutive years of study in Florence , Italy . There, at La Scuola di Design e Fotografia, she studied urban planning and architectural issues of 20th century Florence . Some of her photography was displayed in the BSF Gallery in Florence . Danielle is engaged in intensive language studies as well, including work as a translator in Florence .

Danielle's unique architectural perspective and design objectives are resultant of undergraduate degrees in Italian Studies and Art History. In an effort to continue her professional development, she has participated in two architectural design competitions in the last year, completed over three quarters of her Intern Development Program (IDP) hours, and regularly attends AIA lectures and conferences.

In the last two and a half years Danielle has worked on over 100 projects for KSS in various capacities, including being a project architect, assisting with project management, and working directly for all the partners of the firm. This has given her the opportunity to gain exposure to a broad range of projects and clients. Danielle's ability to multi-task and achieve seemingly impossible deadlines is evident daily. Her drive and dedication to produce exceptional work has been consistent on every project, regardless of her role on the team. Her professionalism, adaptability and exemplary work ethic make her a valuable asset to every team. Although a young intern architect, Danielle has proven to be flexible throughout the various challenges of a project while embracing each obstacle as an opportunity to learn. Danielle's commitment to her craft has motivated her to lecture for various age groups regarding the profession of architecture. She participated in the AIA 150 teaching seminar and lectured at the University of Mary Washington in the spring of 2007. At UMW, she held a day long seminar speaking to students from the Art History Department and Historic Preseveration Department about the relationship between having an B.A. degree in Art History and a Masters degree in architecture. In addition, she spoke to the students about the general attributes of a career in architecture.

Not only did Danielle create a study group within the firm for employees to study for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) exam, she is also a regular and active participant in environmental cleanups with the Navesink Water Shed Community Group and Clean Ocean Action. In order to really understand the environmental problems in the state of New Jersey and beyond, she believes it is important to be an active participant in the world and work with people outside of the architectural profession. Her desire to embrace each experience as an educational opportunity has influenced co-workers to begin utilizing sketch books as a means to capture thoughts and record their daily activities.

Recently, Danielle has participated in another community event that helped to raise funds for the Princeton Community Housing Authority. The group requested local artists design and build birdhouses that could be placed in local storefront windows and then auctioned off to raise funds for their non- profit organization. Again, Danielle took the lead and formed a team within the office to work together to design and fabricate the birdhouse to assist the community. Danielle has produced work for a variety of clients, including but not limited to AMB, Panattoni, Brandywine Realty, Forsgate Industrial Partners, the New Jersey Economic

William S. Haines, Jr. is serving in his 13th year as a member of the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He also has served as Freeholder Director twice. An aggressive advocate for the county's Farmland and Open Space Preservation Programs, Haines was a driving force behind referenda approved by voters in 1996 and 1998 to create and expand a dedicated fund for the preservation of farmland and open space, and to build a new county parks system. In 2006 voters overwhelmingly approved extending the fund until 2036.

Under his leadership, Burlington County continues to be a national leader and the statewide leader in farmland preservation, having preserved upwards of 25,000 acres -- more than any other county in New Jersey .

At Haines' urging, the County also embarked on an open space acquisition program, and, in 1999, created a Parks Department to create and manage a new parks system. At last count, more than 6,000 acres had been acquired, five parks had been opened to the public, and three more parks were in the planning pipeline.

Burlington County achieved another New Jersey “first” in the summer of 2007, with the opening of the first County-operated Community Agricultural Center in Moorestown . The 68-acre Center includes a seasonal farmers market and a community garden, and also will become home to a community supported agricultural program in the spring.

Haines was an early proponent of the County's highly successful regional “smart growth” planning initiative. This includes the Route 130 Corridor Revitalization Program – which has led to the creation of a new “ River Route ” logo for the 12-town region – as well as an ongoing regional planning program in Route 206 Corridor.

A fiscal conservative, Haines joined the freeholder board in January of 1995, and, in 1997, first served as freeholder director, crafting a county budget which produced the lowest per capita spending among New Jersey 's 21 counties for the third year in a row. He was reelected to successive three-year terms in 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006.

As freeholder director in 2004, Haines produced a county budget which called for a decrease in the county tax rate of nearly three cents which, at that time, was the largest decrease since 1991.

Haines was a major player in State and local government prior to his election as a freeholder. He served as a member of Governor Christine Todd Whitman's Economic Recovery Team during her campaign and later chaired her Transition Team on Environmental Protection.