Happy National Volunteer Week! To celebrate the occasion, CSI would like to give a resounding round of applause to all of our current and past volunteers. All week, we are putting the spotlight on CSI members who go the extra mile for their friends and colleagues.
Today’s spotlight is on Gustavo Lima, CCCA, CDT, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP, NCARB. You’re invited to learn how to become a CSI Volunteer or opt in to the CSI Volunteer Pool to easily apply for opportunities that are a match for your interests and availability.
https://www.csiresources.org/communities/volunteer
How did you first decide to volunteer, and what is your particular area of expertise?
I am an architect with expertise in the areas of Construction Administration/Management, Construction and Building technology, Project Management and Business Development. I’ve conducted seminars and lectured on these topics for many years within the large A/E firm I used to work for and in institutional settings. When I retired at the end of 2019, the opportunity to volunteer at CSI came as a natural continuation of what I’ve been doing for a long time.
Why is the work you do as a volunteer important to you?
I’m an immigrant who arrived in this country three and a half decades ago with only my degree and no money. The architectural profession, my local community and the country as a whole have all been very good to me, and I feel the need to “pay back” some of the benefits I have so graciously received. Also, throughout my career I’ve been a believer in “paying it forward.” The “forward” part, at this point, is the next generation.
What impact have other volunteers had on your career?
Huge. The volunteering spirit is larger in America than in most other societies around the world, and early in my life here I benefited enormously from it.
How might other AECO professionals volunteer in their community, and why might you encourage them to do so?
There are opportunities in every community. AECO professionals have valuable expertise, from technical to organizational, that are highly sought after by the hundreds of not-for-profit organizations in our communities. Additionally, the AECO community itself needs a lot of help in order to educate new generations of leaders who can help build a sustainable and just environment, especially in minority and disadvantaged communities.
Favorite podcast or book?
“Throughline”, “Planet Money”, “Science Friday” and in general everything from NPR, “The Economist”. Books: Managing Project Risk, Jim Atkins and Grant Simpson.
Hobbies?
Golf, tennis, squash, bowling, pickleball, platform tennis, ping-pong.
Is there anything else you would have liked me to ask you?
We need to do better for women and minorities in our professions.