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This year, CSI welcomed Charles Hendricks, FCSI, CDT®, to the 2025 College of Fellows.
Hendricks is a partner at The Gaines Group Architects in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is one of only four distinguished professionals in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry named to the 2025 class. Hendricks was nominated through a rigorous application process, then elected by the Jury of Fellows for membership, one of the top honors given by CSI.
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Hendricks is a CDT® advocate and has held positions at the chapter, region, and national levels of CSI. He served two years on the CSI Middle Atlantic Region Board of Directors and as president of the CSI Central Virginia Chapter.
What does being a member of the 2025 College of Fellows honorees mean to you?
I am honored to join the CSI College of Fellows. This recognition from industry peers, based on my work as a mentor, advocate, and educator, reinforces my desire to serve others through architectural design. I look forward to continuing to give back what CSI members have given me: mentorship, friendship, and an understanding that we all sit at the same table as equals in the construction industry.
Fellowship acknowledges contributions to the advancement of construction technology. Of all your contributions to CSI, which of them are most significant to you?
As an advocate for environmental design, I have worked hard to understand a common-sense approach to building science that can be incorporated into every project. I have presented over 150 lectures to share my knowledge, and I am an active blogger on the subject of building science. I have worked with high school students to build a LEED-Certified modular home, helped bring EarthCraft Certification to Virginia, designed multiple net-zero and carbon neutral homes, and written numerous articles for national publications to encourage others to design for a better future. I believe the most significant thing I have done in my career is sharing my knowledge and passion for healthy, energy-efficient, durable, and beautiful design solutions.
What was your first job in the AECO industry?
My first job in the AECO industry was as an architectural intern with Raymond Gaines Architect in 1999 at a small office in Charlottesville, Virginia. Most of my work during the first couple of years with Ray, Woody Parrish, and Roger Bryant included learning how to create technically accurate and beautifully drawn designs that could be built efficiently. I had the opportunity to sit in on client meetings, hear phone calls, and see how design happens. During that time, I also built a website for the firm, designed a new logo and business cards, and asked a lot of questions. Ray encouraged me to attend CSI Chapter meetings and allowed me the space to make mistakes and learn.
What has been your favorite aspect of making your career in this field?
Through design we can make a better and more inclusive world for everyone. With each client who hires us, I get the opportunity to solve complex spatial problems to make their lives more enjoyable, equitable, and in many cases healthier. We get to create design solutions that provide opportunities for businesses to grow, for families to make memories, and for all of us to have a better environmental future. I love getting to work with clients, hearing their hopes and dreams, and translating that into a built world.
However, my work is not limited to architectural creations. I also love the work I get to do as a mentor to the next generation of leaders in our industry, those younger and older than me. Having the flexibility at our firm to go out and offer pro-bono design services to area nonprofits, or to sponsor a children’s choir, or to support community prosperity by serving on a board is a gift that not everyone has through their employment. My work allows me to invest in community, people, and the environment in a way that will provide benefits for many years after I am gone.
How has being a member of CSI informed your life and career?
CSI has empowered me to be a mentor, trust in my design instincts, and value technical expertise in the construction industry. At the first National CSI Conference I attended, Bob Molseed, FAIA, FCSI, took me around and introduced me to other CSI members who greeted me, not as a young person, but as a peer in the industry I had just entered. Bob and many other CSI members taught me the importance of hearing everyone’s voice around the table as an equal.
Ray Gaines, AIA, FCSI, my first industry boss and now business partner, often said about CSI, “If you want to see something happen, you need to put in the time to make it happen.” He encouraged me to learn leadership skills by allowing me to put time into CSI and encouraging me to take on challenges that I did not think I was ready for, such as joining the Central Virginia CSI Chapter Board just after graduating from the University of Tennessee.
Mitch Miller, FCSI, at my first regional conference, stopped a room full of experienced professionals discussing a topic and said, “We need to hear from Charles now.” He showed me that leadership is not just speaking up; it is allowing others to speak. From being a selected speaker at National CSI conferences, to the local chapter trusting me to serve as president, to serving on a variety of local, regional, and national CSI committees, CSI has consistently shown me that they value all members of the construction industry. Each of us, no matter our level of experience or profession, are treated as equals. CSI has empowered me to trust that my opinions and instincts mattered even from a young age in an industry where older voices often carry more weight. The most important lesson I have learned from CSI is that you need to build a strong network of trusted peers to advance in the industry and build a career.
Is there anyone you would like to recognize for supporting the work you do?
First, I want to thank Raymond Gaines and Adrienne Stronge for putting together this nomination and for the Central Virginia Chapter of CSI for putting it forward. I greatly appreciate all the time and effort such a venture takes and I am blown away that you thought enough of my work to give your time to this nomination.
I could not do my work without my family and their support, allowing me to pursue my passion for serving community. My partner, April, and our kids, Hannah, Sophie, Isaac, Sylvia, and Micah, all ground me and offer support and motivation for my work. Both my parents and April’s parents are constant cheerleaders for my work. There are many in my community outside of the construction industry that click links to blogs, “like” posts, and share my information, making it possible for me to pursue this career. Our team at Gaines Group Architects and our clients are critical in their trust in my knowledge and skills. I have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and have gotten the right breaks to create the career that I have enjoyed.
I also want to thank CSI staff and the CSI Board of Directors for all their work keeping the organization moving forward. The work you are doing to enhance communication within the construction industry, advance technical knowledge, and empower membership to thrive in the industry is appreciated.
There is a long list of CSI members who have allowed me to learn with them and through them over my years in the industry. The Central Virginia Chapter has constantly let me take risks and learn from my mistakes. The Middle Atlantic Region of CSI has also supported me and encouraged me to stretch my comfort zone and allowed me space to grow. I have so many mentors and friends across the country through CSI who have been willing to say yes when I asked them to speak on Zoom during a pandemic where I created a virtual community through CSI, attended presentations I have done even when they were the actual experts, and supported my growth from student member to today. I don’t want to forget the CSI staff members who have kept me up to speed when doing committee work and even joined me doing presentations. I would hate to leave anyone out as there are so many who stand out over my years in CSI. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you who has offered words of encouragement, clicked “like” on a post, given a lunch presentation to advance my knowledge of your products, asked me to speak at your conference, and sponsored events when I had an idea to share with the community.
What advice would you give to new CSI members just entering this industry?
CSI is a large organization, and it could be easy to just be a member who pays dues. If you want to see the real value of this organization, then find your mentors, jump into conversations that might feel just beyond your comfort zone, and advocate for the changes you want to see. Trust that this organization is only as good as you make it. We need you to step forward and lead us into the future. We all should have an equal voice at the table as we strive for a better future for all.
What do you think the most significant changes, or opportunities, will be in the construction industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
I think the most important thing we can all do in the construction industry over the next five to 10 years is to care deeply about the impact of our work. With technological changes, building science advancements, AI tools, and robots/automation changing how our industry functions, we must infuse empathy and passion into our work. We have the ability to make lives better through our actions. The products we use impact health and happiness. The spaces we create change lives and empower those of all abilities. The work we are doing matters for not only the current users, but also the future generations who will use the spaces and be impacted by energy usage, indoor environmental quality, and durability of materials. The most significant opportunity we have in the industry is to create a better and more inclusive environment for everyone to live, work, worship, and play.
Is there anything else you's like to add?
I think it is incumbent on each of us to guide the future of our industry and I believe that the best organization to bring us together is CSI. The focus of this organization and the work we do moving forward should be to improve communication between each of us and for our clients. We have an obligation to create the best world possible for everyone. There is so much fighting and labeling, when at the end of the day we are each just humans who want to live a full and meaningful life. I think our organization can help with that more than most. I hope that each one of us does something to help someone else today, even if it is just sharing a little joy with others—smile, and maybe that will bring smiles.