Community involvement and education are two top priorities for the staff at ACAI Associates, a leading architectural firm in South Florida. Adolfo Cotilla, president of ACAI, was a recent presenter at the Broward Education Foundation’s annual Hall of Distinguished Alumni. The event honors and recognizes alumni of Broward County Public Schools, who have returned as teachers or administrators.
“Our firm wanted to be a part of this because we admire those people who decide to return to their educational roots and give back,” says Cotilla. “It makes their contributions more significant because they are part of the fabric of our community.”
ACAI staffers also give back by helping to educate young people. “We are actively involved in fostering interest in architecture as a profession,” says Cotilla. “We lead many programs and initiatives throughout the community to help students at the high school and college level understand how rewarding a career in architecture can be. Young people, who are often interested in sustainability and technology, will find that designing green buildings is meaningful and rewarding work. They are often surprised at how deeply technology and architecture are linked.”
Cotilla, founded the South Florida architectural firm, that bears his initials, in 1985 and has been instrumental in the firms growth and community outreach programs for the last 30 years. With a Master of Arts in Architecture and a Masters of Fine Arts in Architecture from the University of Florida, Cotilla is a NCARB Certified Architect in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico, and a Certified General Contractor in Florida. Active in the industry, Cotilla’s memberships include the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the Roofing Consultants Institute (RCI), and the US Green Building Council.