My mentor is Doug Traver with Traver Construction. I met him through NARI a few years back when I first joined the association. We were just very compatible and became good friends right away. He encouraged me to take a leadership position in NARI, and I became a board member and leader of the Contractor’s Council. He also does design/build remodeling. We both learned volumes from each other and worked together to develop systems to run our jobs more effectively. He has a degree in architecture and I have one in construction science & management. We were able to teach each other. He has more experience in construction, being 17 years older, but he appreciates my greater computer skills.
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Chris Black, president
CB Construction Co., Dallas

My mentor is Robert A.M. Stern. Stern takes the traditional approach to architecture and adds his personal style to each building, creating his own architectural language. Stern is never typecast to a particular style; however, one can always pinpoint a Stern-designed home. His architecture is almost artistic and whimsical, while still respecting the classical foundations of historical architecture. He knows how to push the envelope — creating timeless, unique architecture, and paying respect to all details, interior and exterior. His design philosophy is based on balance, vistas, massing and proportion, and is always unique to its context. These ideas and concepts are important and influential to how I approach all of my projects.
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Paul Samartino, Associate AIA, lead designer
Dominick Tringali Architects, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.