2009 Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference

February 4 -  7, 2009
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel
Washington, DC

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More than 800 AIA leaders, including component presidents and presidents-elect, component executives, members of the national board of directors, knowledge community leaders, emerging professions, AIA national staff, and other member groups will participate in the 2009 AIA Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference. True to its tradition, the conference will provide opportunities for continuing education, networking, advocacy, celebrations, leadership skills development, and knowledge sharing among members and groups within the AIA family.

Conference Highlights

• Participate in numerous networking activities with peers
  
• Advocate for AIA's legislative agenda on Capitol Hill
  
• Gain new ideas from knowledge community and emerging professionals & colleagues
  
• Sharpen and refine leadership skills by participating in interactive workshops with component presidents, presidents-elect, and CACE members
  
• Share your experiences and challenges through Best Practices sessions
  
• Articulate your ideas and positions during the Leaders Issues Forum

   

  Accommodations

  A limited block of rooms has been reserved at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel at 1000 H Street NW in Washington, D.C. Reservations must be received no later than January 28, 2009, for the group rate; however, the block may sell out prior to that date. You are responsible for making your hotel reservation. Contact the hotel directly at 202-582-1234 or by calling Central Reservations, 888-421-1442; mention that you are attending the AIA Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference to receive the group rate of $229 for single/double occupancy plus 14.5 percent state and local taxes. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card when you make the reservation. Cancellations made prior to 72 hours before arrival will be subject to a $50 fee; cancellations made within 72 hours will be charged one night's fee.  Reservations can also be made online.

  
  

  Conference Registration

  
  

  Registration Fees:  $295

  
  

  Please choose one of three ways to register

  Online

  Mail the completed registration form with payment

  Grassroots Registration

  PO Box 64591

  Baltimore, MD  21264

  Please make checks payable to the American Institute of Architects

  Fax the completed registration form with payment to 202-626-2569.

   

  
  

  Special Needs

  The AIA is committed to making meetings and conferences accessible to all to the degree reasonably possible.  Please notify us a tthe time of registration if you have special accessiblity needs or dietary requirements.  Contact Christine M. Klein, Managing Director, Meetings or (202) 626-7453.

   

  Registration Confirmations

  Registration confirmations are sent electronically weekly.  If you do not receive a registration confirmation within 10 business days after you register, please contact AIA Meetings.  If you fax the registration form, please keep the fax transmittal confirmation for your records.

   

  Registration Policy

  Registrations postmarked after January 16, 2009, will not be processed in time to be included on the attendee roster.  Registration and nametags will be produced on-site.  All registrants will receive confimation via email within 10 business days of sending your registration.

   

  Cancellation Policy

  Refunds, less a $50 cancellation fee, will be made for cancellations received in writing by Friday, January 23, 2009.  The AIA will not issue refunds for cancellations received after January 23, 2009.  Fax your cancellation requests to AIA Registrar, at 202-626-7365 or email AIA Meetings.  Please allow four to six week after the conference for the refund to be received.

   

  Travel

  The AIA is pleased to offer discounted airline and car rentals for this conference. 

   

  American Airlines

  American Airlines offers special rates and numerous discounts on round-trip fares in teh United States.  Attendees will receive a 5 percent discount off coach and first-class fares by using discount code A7429AW.

  You can book your flight in one of three ways:

  1.  Contact your travel agent and advise them to call the American Airlines Meeting Services Desk toll-free, 800-433-1790, and refer them to discount code A7429AW.  The hours of operation are 5 a.m. midnight Central Time every day.  Reservations for the hearing and speech impaired are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a wekk, at 800-543-1586.

  2.  Call American Airlines Meeting Services desk directly toll free, 800-433-1790, and refer to discount code A7429AW.

  3.  Online. Reservations may also be made directly through the American Airlines website

   

  Delta Airlines

  Delta is offering a 5-10% discount off eligible published fares to AIA members.  Choose the options below for your booking method.

  1. Online--Book direclty through the AIA website AIA Delta Online Booking (no service fee)

  Promoting Delta's Online Best Fare Guarantee*

  NOTE: If you go directly do the delta.com website you *will not* be eligible for a discount.

  2. Call Delta's Association Desk booking fee applies)

  • o Phone -800-455-2720

  • o Hours 9:00 am - 5:30 pm EST (Mon-Fri)

  • o Reference number:  DP4J>

  Train
  
  

  Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount off the lowest available rail fare to Washington, DC from January 29 - February 12, 2009.  Although convention travel cannnot be booked via the Internet, you can make your reservation through the AIA's official travel agency, Travel Technology Group, 800-866-8845 (or 312-527-7300 for international callers).  Please be sure to refer to covnention fare code X28V-952 when making your reservation.  Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela service for all departures seven days a week except for holiday blackouts.  This offer is not valid on Auto Train but it is valid with sleepers, business class, and first class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges.

   

  Car Rental:

  Hertz:  Special meeting rates are yours with Hertz/  Hertz operates in more than 150 countries with almost 1,800 locations in the United States alone, including more than 1,000 suburban locations.  Call 800-654-2200 to make a reservation.  To receive the special meeting rates, use code CV#022Q3890.

   

  Hertz Green Collection:  Now you can reserve fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly cars that are easy on the wallet and suitable for families and small groups traveling together.  Reservable by specific make and model, with an EPA highway fuel efficiency rating of 28 miles or more per gallon.  Please note the Green Collection is available in select cities and based on availability.

  AVIS:  Avis is pleased to offer special discounts to all AIA meeting attendees.  Reservations can be made directly with Avis by calling 800-331-1600 (refer to Discount Code A991499) or visiting the Avis web site.

   

  Airport Ground Transportation

  Metro - we encourage attendees to take public transportation from National Airport.  Take the Blue line from the airport to the Metro Center stop.  There is an entrance to the Grand Hyatt Washington in the station.

  For additional information on the Washington, DC Metro click here

  For a Metro system map click here

   

  Taxi cab fares:

  National Airport - approximately $15 and estimated travel time is 20-25 minutes based on traffic.

  Dulles Airport - approximately $60 and estimated travel time is 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours based on traffic.

  Supper Shuttle is offering a discounted service to and from the downtown Washington area hotels:

  • $1 off from Reagan National Airport
  • $2 off from Dulles Airport
  • $3 off from Baltimore/Washington International Airport

  To get pricing or to make a reservation click here and use discount code JM54J.

   

  Greening the Meeting

  To help create an environmentally sustainable conference and reduce waste, the AIA is not distributing printed handouts or printed attendee rosters.  As an alternative you will receive the advanced attendee roster via e-mail a week prior to the meeting if you register by the January 16, 2009 deadline.

   

  You are encouraged to do your part as well to assist in greening.  For example, offset travel emission by participating in a "carbon balanced traveler" program such as www.my-climate.com or www.greentagusa.org.

   

  Continuing Education

  In compliance with the AIA Continuing Education System, learning units will be given to course sessions that affect architects in practice only.  AIA members earn 1.5 LUs for sessions and workshops, unless otherwise noted in the program descriptions.  A participant will not be eligible to receive credit for LUs unless we have received a completed registration form and payment.

   

  Force Majeure

  The performance of this agreement by either party may be affected by force majeure (including but not limited to, acts of God, acts of war or other acts of enemies, government regulation, disaster, strikes, floods, civil disorder, curtailment of transportation facilities, or other emergency or event beyond the control of the parties), thus making it inadvisable, unsafe, illegal, or impossible to provide required accommodations and/or meeting facilities, hold the meeting, or travel to the meeting.  In event of force majeure, either party to this agreement may terminate the agreement upon providing written notice to the other party without penalty or obligation.  Such right of termination shall not be unreasonably exercised.

   

  In addition, the AIA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel this meeting.  In that event, the AIA shall refund to you all registration fees that it has received from you for this meeting, but shall have no further obligation to you of any type, whether monetary or otherwise.  Accordingly, the AIA shall in no event have any liability to you based on claims for indirect , special or consequential damages of any type whatsoever, and shall have no obligation to you of any type except as expressly stated in the preceding sentence. 

   

  SPAM

  To ensure you receive the necessary conference materials (registration confirmations, conference updates, advance and final attendee rosters,etc.) PLEASE white list aia.org in your email program.