LS3P's Matt Barnett has been chosen as president of the AIA Wilmington board of directors for 2020, according to a news release.

Barnett, a project manager at the firm's Wilmington office, has worked on a diverse portfolio of projects nationwide, including commercial, residential and mixed-use, stated the release.

AIA Wilmington represents The American Institute of Architects (AIA) within Southeastern North Carolina.

Barnett is the incoming president and a new board member for 2020, said Michelle Marks, executive director of AIA Wilmington and administrative assistant at LS3P.  He joined LS3P a year ago and "he is new to the Wilmington market also," she said.

The other longtime board members are: Taylor Simms, Matt Williard, Ernie Olds, Eric Jabaley, Peter Martin and Michael Kersting, she said.

Barnett's focus is on "producing contextual, high performance buildings with certifications such as LEED Platinum, Living Building Challenge, net-zero energy, and carbon neutrality," officials said in the release.

Barnett's projects have won more than 20 AIA awards.

Barnett's recent projects include the northern gateway development and a sports complex for the city of Wilmington and the N.C. Coastal Federation’s net-zero headquarters.

Barnett also serves on LS3P’s internal knowledge teams focused on innovation, design excellence and high-performance buildings, stated the release.

He earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville and directed the school's chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Freedom By Design. 

He was also named Torchbearer by the university's chancellor, its highest honor.