AIA|LA: Architecting the Future: People, Process & Profit

AIA|LA: Architecting the Future: People, Process, & Profit is an incredible series of professional development workshops that will serve as a forum to give architects and designers insight and access to tools and resources. This year’s series will focus on HR & ACCOUNTING. These hands-on development workshops will help attendees organize and operate a successful architectural & design practice.

We will have TWO presentations (50-minute talks + 20-minute interactive Q&As). Please see below for more details on our workshops!

Attendees will receive 4.0 Approved AIA CES Learning Units

HR Boot Camp

The HR Boot Camp is a broad view of the very deep world of human resources and employment law. Focused on both the risks and rewards of having employees, HR Boot Camp gives employers tools to reduce liability and improve outcomes for them and their team.

Speaker

Joe Cangelosi, Affiliate AIA|LA – Founder + Principal, Tee Lex

Joe Cangelosi is an Operations Leader with over two decades of experience servicing clients in creative industries. Starting as a lighting designer, he built and sold two successful companies, eventually moving on to finance and operations management in the agency sector. Fueled by a passion for design and architecture, Joe founded Tee Lex to help creative firms work more efficiently and solve real-life challenges. He lives in Topanga Canyon with his husband and a smooth Fox Terrier named Lexi.

Learning Objectives

1. Recruitment & Retention

2. Payroll & Benefits

3. Compliance & Risk Mitigation

4. Hiring Contractors

5. People Operations vs. HR

Financial Mastery for Architecture Firms: Tech-Forward Strategies to Maximize Enterprise Value

Architects are trained to design with precision, but many are held back by outdated tools, reactive processes, and gut instincts when it comes to managing firm finances. This session is built for firm leaders who want to modernize their financial operations, unlock sustainable profitability, and maximize enterprise value.

Led by SPRCHRGR, a tech-forward team of fractional CFOs and outsourced accounting experts, we’ll explore how architecture firms can level up their financial systems and strategy to achieve best-in-class performance – to increase profits and the firm’s value in the process. From syncing your tech stack to forecasting cash flow with AI-powered tools, you’ll walk away with the playbook to transform your back office while turning your data into a competitive advantage.

Speaker

Mark Wald – Founder & CEO, SPRCHRGR

Half engineer, all business. Mark Wald is an innovative problem solver who values simplicity, efficiency, and collaboration between people and organizations.

Mark is the Founder and CEO of SPRCHRGR, a team of tech-forward accounting + finance engineers who supercharge their clients’ operations and help them make data-driven decisions faster.

Mark grew up in Silicon Valley, studied economics at UCLA, then developed an extensive background in advanced management reporting, financial modeling, data analytics, and computer programming in a variety of accounting, finance, ops, leadership, and software development roles across large enterprises, SMB, and venture-backed startups.

“Your firm’s financial infrastructure should be as dynamic as your client engagements. We architect systems that seamlessly integrate project economics, resource allocation, and technology so you can see several steps ahead.” – Mark Wald

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
1. Identify and apply modern accounting practices tailored to project-based architecture firms, including real-time dashboards and automated reporting.
2. Diagnose and correct common financial pitfalls, such as inconsistent cash flow, poor data integration, and profitability blind spots.
3. Evaluate and optimize integrated systems to ensure seamless data flow across financial, time-tracking, and proposal tools.
4. Understand when and how to leverage outsourced back-office partners for business process outsourcing, financial planning, compliance, and strategic initiatives.
5. Build a modern financial tech stack that supports scale, reduces manual effort, and improves firm profitability.

PDF Presentation

Financial Mastery for Architecture Firms

Parking

Street parking is available. Please be mindful of the signs.

Thank you to our sponsors Justworks, SPRCHGR and WorkOrb! Your generosity allows AIA|LA to provide these seminars FREE OF CHARGE to our membership!

*Note to all registrants: When purchasing a ticket, please double check that the address + zip code that you provide matches the billing information on the card you are using.*