Note: This is a breaking news story that will be updated as new information is available.
AIA New York (AIANY) released a terse statement this morning abruptly announcing the immediate resignation of executive director Fredric “Rick” Bell, FAIA:
“AIANY and Center for Architecture Executive Director Rick Bell has offered, and the organization’s Board of Directors has accepted, his immediate resignation. An interim Executive Director will be named next week and a search to find a new Executive Director will also begin at that time.”
A recipient of
the AIA’s 2014
Edward C. Kemper Award for public service, Bell has served as AIA New York
executive director since 2001 and helped found New York’s Center
for Architecture in 2003. As head of
AIANY, Bell worked on several New York post-disaster programs, including the
design coalition New York New Visions, which developed rebuilding recommendations after the Sept. 11 attacks, as well as the conference
that created the Post-Sandy Initiative report. He also developed the FitCity and FitNation programs to promote physical activity and health in design.
