Bill Lawrence has been an architect for more than 30 years, most of that time designing school buildings all over the Midwest. Now, as he begins his new role at Shive-Hattery Inc., as well as becoming the new president of the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects, he hopes he can help educate the public that an architect is more than just a person who draws pretty buildings.

What is your new job?

I came into the firm as senior education architect. My role will be to help the firm expand its regional and national practices in the education marketplace. That would include public and private K-12 schools as well as higher education.

How did you first become interested in architecture?

I started off as a mechanical engineering major in college. I had an uncle who was an architect, and from the time I was little I had the ability to draw and sketch. I was accepted at Notre Dame, and while I was there I had a friend who was an architecture student. In the middle of the first semester of my sophomore year I stopped down to see him and very quickly took notice of what those students were doing. I said, “This is what I want to do,” and I changed majors. So, in reality, I kind of fell into it.

Where are you from originally?

I’m from the Quad Cities. I grew up in Rock Island and my wife grew up in Moline.

How did you end up at Notre Dame?

I’d been accepted at Iowa State, and really thought I was going to go there, to major in engineering and play baseball. Then Notre Dame called, and I had the potential to get a scholarship at Notre Dame.

Did you play baseball at Notre Dame?

Just for the first year and a half. Architecture took too much time.

So you gave up your baseball career right there.

Well, actually, I played semi-pro ball during the summers. Until I tore my rotator cuff.

Where did you get to play?

All over Iowa and Illinois primarily. It was a team that had a bunch of guys between minor league teams. Most of them were AA players. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it.

Do you ever still play?

I was a pitcher, and my right arm is dead.

You’re not the ringer on the company softball team?

Oh, no. … I could never hit, and there is nothing left in this arm.

Any other extra-curricular activities in college?

I was a musician. I played tenor sax. I had a little eight-piece band back when I was single right after college that was modeled after the group Chicago. We did stuff from the Big Band era all the way up to disco.

What was the name of the band?

Main Event. My brother also had a band, and we ended up consolidating the two bands when he lost his horn section and I lost my rhythm section. So that worked out.

Do you have a favorite building that you’ve designed?

Back in 1997, I had the opportunity to work with the East Grand Forks, (Minn.), schools after the Red River Floods. I assisted them with master planning of the rebuilding of their school district. I spent 22 straight weeks up there, five days a week. When the funding was approved, I happened to be in the superintendent’s office, and he walked around his desk, came up to me, shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said ‘Thank you.’ That’s been the most rewarding moment of my professional life. I had goose bumps.

Tell me about your new position with the AIA.

I was president of the Western Illinois chapter back in the 1980s. I became active again when I moved here in 2003. I was eventually asked to fill a seat on the board, which led to becoming second vice president, then first vice president and now president-elect. As president, your main role is to advance the platform of AIA national and local. That includes quality design, livable communities and sustainability. So that is the main role, as well as to help educate the public about what architects do and try to give back to the community.