Lee Kelly was celebrated as afo’s 2016 Honored Citizen on October 13 at the Oregon Convention Center. Friends and colleagues paid tribute on video, in a panel discussion, and with a standing ovation.

Lee Kelly: Poetry in Steel, produced by the evening’s emcee and videographer, Jeff Gianola, tells the life story of our honoree and the impact of his work in Oregon and beyond. Watch the video here.

And thanks to our friend, Adam Simmons, Maryellen McCulloch and Larry Schaeffer, can enjoy a 4-minute drone visit to Leland Iron Works here.

A community of nearly 700 friends of design was on hand to celebrate Lee, to greet old friends and meet new ones.

Highlights of the evening included Lee’s Memory IX, 2008 on the stage with a backdrop of dramatically lit “floating” cyclone fencing; smaller Kelly sculptures on the sponsors’ tables; Barry Johnson moderating a discussion of Lee and his work amongst Ann Edlen, Carol Mayer-Reed and Rod Ashley; and a musical tribute, MJQ For You by the Darrell Grant quartet.

Photographer Andie Petkus’ images from throughout the evening are on view in her gallery here.

A special appeal was made by former afo Board member and ZGF Partner, Kathy Shaloo Berg and her son Mason, seeking volunteers and financial support for the Architects in Schools program or a contribution to help meet Brooks Gunsul’s $100,000 challenge gift to the afo endowment fund.

Design professionals are still needed. If you can help, register here.

If you still wish to make a gift for the current Architects in Schools program, you may do so by initiating or adding to your afo membership, here.

If you would like to make a contribution to sustain the Architects in Schools program in perpetuity and help match Brooks’ challenge grant, sign up here.

It does take a village, and volunteers were out in force to guarantee the evening ran smoothly and with the hospitality for which it has become known.

Everyone at afo extends their undying gratitude to all of the smiling envelope stuffers, set builders, greeters and load-out champions whose contributions of time, talent, muscle and spirit combine for a successful evening.

Late last Spring, when Lee Kelly was announced as this year’s honoree, friends throughout the afo community volunteered to sponsor this year’s event.

Our deepest gratitude to Event Sponsors:

• DJC Oregon
  
• Gerding Edlen

to Supporting Sponsors:

• ARC Document Solutions
  
• Fortis Construction
  
• The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
  
• Hoffman Construction
  
• Skanska
  
• Al Solheim
  
• Stantec
  
• Turner Construction

to Table Sponsors:

• Anderson Krygier, Inc.
• Benson Industries
• Bora Architects
• Catena Consulting Engineers
• Deschutes Investment Consulting
• DLR Group
• Elizabeth Leach Gallery
• FFA Architecture and Interiors
• GBD Architects
• Geffen Mesher & Company, PC
• General Sheet Metal
• Glumac
• Hacker
• Hennebery Eddy Architects
• Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company
• Interface Engineering, Inc.
• JE Dunn Construction
• JH Kelly
• KPFF
• Lease Crutcher Lewis
• Leland Iron Works / PNCA Artist Residency Program
• Dorothy Lemelson
• Mayer/Reed
• McCarthy Andersen
• Michael McCulloch
• Melvin Mark Companies
• Mortenson
• North Coast Electric
• On Electric Group
• Otak
• Pacific Northwest College of Art
• PAE Consulting Engineers
• Performance Contracting Group
• PLACE
• PlanB Consultancy
• Richard Brown Architect
• Rosendin Electric
• Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
• Solus Inc.
• SRG Partnership, Inc
• Stoel Rives LLP
• ZGF Architects LLP

and to Supporting Table Sponsors

• Ankrom Moisan
• DeaMor Associates, Inc.
• Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP
• Mackenzie
• Merryman Barnes Architects Inc.
• Rosendin Electric
• Yost Grube Hall Architecture

and for providing the beautiful Lee Kelly sculpture to grace the evening, Elizabeth Leach and Elizabeth Leach Gallery.

And now, in the immortal words of our honoree, “You’ve heard enough about Lee Kelly. Let’s just all get on with our lives!”