About AOC

On February 24, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Mr. Ayers to serve as the 11th Architect of the Capitol. On May 12, 2010, the United States Senate, by unanimous consent, confirmed Mr. Ayers, and on May 13, 2010, the President officially appointed Mr. Ayers to a 10-year term as Architect of the Capitol.

 

Mr. Ayers is responsible for the facilities maintenance and operation of the historic Capitol Building, the care and improvement of more than 460 acres of Capitol grounds, and the operation and maintenance of 17.4 million square feet of buildings including: the House and Senate Congressional Office Buildings, the Capitol Visitor Center, the Library of Congress Buildings, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, and other facilities. He is responsible for the care of all works of art in the Capitol under the direction of the Joint Committee on the Library and is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of murals, outdoor sculpture, and other architectural elements throughout the Capitol complex. In addition, he serves as Acting Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Garden under the Joint Committee on the Library. The Architect of the Capitol also serves as a member of the Capitol Police Board and the Congressional Accessibility Services Board, as well as an ex officio member of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission. 

 

The Architect of the Capitol also is a member of the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Capital Memorial Commission, Art Advisory Committee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and the National Institute for Conservation of Cultural Property. 

 

Under Mr. Ayers' leadership, the AOC has, through a variety of initiatives, reduced carbon emissions, improved energy efficiency, and implemented sustainable design practices throughout the Capitol complex. Mr. Ayers is also committed to supporting small businesses in order to help facilitate competition and to support local communities, and has implemented several programs to actively award contracts to companies that reflect the diversity of our country. The Architect of the Capitol has approximately 2,600 employees and an annual budget of nearly $600 million. 

 

Mr. Ayers completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture at the University of Maryland and received his Master of Science degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California.

 

After attending Officers Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, Mr. Ayers was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and assigned to Edwards Air Force Base in Edwards, California. While stationed at Edwards, he served as a Staff Architect with the 6510th Civil Engineer Squadron managing numerous design and construction projects. He was promoted to Design Team Chief and progressed to the rank of Captain. Mr. Ayers was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his military service and after five years of active duty, decided to pursue a career in public service in another way. 

 

After working in the architectural and engineering community in the Washington, D.C., area, Mr. Ayers joined the Voice of America in Washington, D.C., as a General Engineer in 1991. In 1992, he transferred to Rhodes, Greece, to lead design and construction efforts at several Voice of America sites in Greece and Germany. Mr. Ayers returned to the United States in 1997 and joined the Architect of the Capitol as an Assistant Superintendent for the Senate Office Buildings. In 1999, he was promoted to Deputy Superintendent. He was then promoted to Superintendent of the Library Buildings and Grounds in 2002.

 

In October 2005, Mr. Ayers was appointed as the Acting Deputy Architect/Chief Operating Officer. In March 2006, Mr. Ayers was selected as the Deputy Architect/Chief Operating Officer. In February 2007, Mr. Ayers began serving as Acting Architect until his appointment as Architect of the Capitol in May 2010. 

 

Mr. Ayers is a licensed architect in California. He also is an Accredited Professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. He is a member and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a member of the National Historic Trust for Historic Preservation and the George Washington Chapter of Lambda Alpha International. His other professional memberships include the Construction Users Roundtable; Construction Industry Institute; Construction Management Association of America; International Facility Management Association; and National Institute of Building Sciences. Mr. Ayers is the recipient of the Construction Industry Institute’s 2011 Carroll H. Dunn Award for Excellence.

 

In addition, Mr. Ayers is a member of the Washington Building Congress Board of Governors, a member of the Construction Management Association of America Board of Directors, and a member of the board of directors for the ACE Mentor Program of the Greater Washington Area, Inc. 

 

He is actively involved in his church and community. He resides in Maryland with his wife and two children.