Dallas, March 10, 2026 - Speakers - Facades+, Premier Conference on High-Performance Building Enclosures.

Co-Chairs

Ian Zapata

Principal, Director of Design

Corgan

Ian Zapata

Principal, Director of Design

Corgan

RA, LEED AP

Ian Zapata is Corgan’s Director of Design, leading the growth and recognition of the firm’s design presence and guiding Corgan’s engagement with the design community. With over 25 years of experience, he is known for his ability to create compelling, transformative designs while building lasting client relationships. Ian believes every project—big or small—deserves the same level of attention and care. His thoughtful collaboration and passion for meaningful design make him a true mentor and leader.

He is inspired by the description of cities as “ships that ferry one generation to the next,” a concept that has fueled his love of travel to learn how people have, over time, solved the problems of daily life. He’s learned that good design is the skillful solution to a problem, but great design goes further—it solves problems while forging meaningful connections with people. At its core, it’s about human experiences, and everything we create is built around that principle.

Ian’s experience spans planning and design for major airport, hotel, office and corporate headquarters projects. He’s led a global practice focused on building transformation and is devoted to advancing our understanding of how we can future-proof our cities, create work destinations that drive engagement, navigate the complexities of ESG, and build a carbon-neutral future.

Ian earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University. He has served on the board of the Dallas Architecture Forum since 2012, where he has been President of the Board and chair of the Dallas Design Symposium.

Cory Dear

Vice President

Corgan

Cory Dear

Vice President

Corgan

Studying architecture in both Italy and Portugal, Cory offers a diverse background and believes design should be sensitive to and inspired by place. “When we respond to obvious geographic circumstances, solutions can feel tired, cheesy, or pandering — my favorite contextual clues are typically found in the small details which can provoke surprising results and a chance to be fresh,” he explains.

In his more than sixteen years as an architect with Corgan, Cory has provided a unique perspective by collaborating on designs for multi-dimensional commercial projects including the Wells Fargo and Toyota Headquarters as well as the American Airlines Credit Union, winner of the Texas Society of Architects Design Award. His role as a leader is to propel Corgan’s design output, nurture our culture, and provide numerous platforms for our team members to contribute their valuable input.

The following beliefs guide Cory’s design practices:

– Artistic prompts invite non-standard responses.

– Gray areas support life’s interesting moments (as opposed to black-and-white thinking).

– Collaboration uncovers diverse design approaches.

– Deadlines create momentum.

Cory says the architect choreographs the user experience through sensing how people are constantly “on the move” and ever-growing and changing. “It’s exciting to be a small part of guiding a practice in motion rather than one that is ossified in place and afraid of change.”

Andrew Pries

Director of Innovation + Technical Sales

Boston Valley Terra Cotta

Andrew Pries

Director of Innovation + Technical Sales

Boston Valley Terra Cotta

Andrew Pries, Director of Innovation + Technical Sales at Boston Valley Terra Cotta, holds a BS in Architecture from the University at Buffalo and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. With a focus on design development and leveraging diverse fabrication methods to expand the applications of terra cotta, he has played a pivotal role in high profile projects such as the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and 120 Stockton. As one of the coordinators of the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW), Pries spearheads design development with the workshop teams, as well as the fabrication and construction of successful mockup assemblies.

Dionne Darling

VP of Brand Partnerships

The Architect’s Newspaper

Dionne Darling

VP of Brand Partnerships

The Architect’s Newspaper

Dionne Darling has been with The A|N Media Group for over six years. As VP of Brand Partnerships and Associate Publisher, she manages A|N’s Texas headquarters and handles accounts in the West, Southwest and Europe territories. Dionne has over 28 years of direct B2B sales, management and business development experience.

Alejandro Daras

Vice President of A&D Projects

Neolith

Alejandro Daras

Vice President of A&D Projects

Neolith

Alejandro Daras is Vice President of A&D Projects at Neolith and has extensive expertise on Rainscreen systems and solutions. Leading Neolith’s international expansion since 2021, he played a key role in the company’s growth. With dual master’s degrees in architecture from Valencia and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Alejandro transitioned from independent architect roles to the Construction Materials industry in 2016. His career spans Valencia, Munich, Chicago, New York, and Dallas, understanding of architectural intricacies on a global scale.

Mike Augustine

Director of Architectural Promotion

SAFTI First

Mike Augustine

Director of Architectural Promotion

SAFTI First

Mike Augustine has over 20 years of experience in the architectural glazing industry. As the Director of Architectural Promotion at SAFTI FIRST®, he brings his extensive knowledge and expertise of fire rated glazing systems and fenestration in general when working closely with architects, specifiers, glazing contractors and code officials. Mike is a dynamic presenter and speaker who has been delivering the company’s AIA-registered presentation to various architecture firms, AIA local chapters, CSI local chapters, and at other architectural and glazing industry events.

Aaron Alterman

Consultant Support Specialist – US & Canada

STI Specified Technologies

Aaron Alterman

Consultant Support Specialist – US & Canada

STI Specified Technologies

Aaron joined STI in 2015 as a Territory Manager in the Gulf South. In 2018, he was promoted to the Curtain and Facades Specialist role, working with glaziers, fabricators, curtain wall consultants and perimeter fire containments contractors in the Midwest, Gulf Coast, Texas and Central Canada. In 2024, Aaron became the Curtain Wall and Facades Consultant Support Specialist for North America, working with curtain wall consultants, architects, engineers and code officials.

With over 30 years in a variety of fields in construction, Aaron has become a critical partner for many of the top CW Consultants in North America. With his knowledge and expertise of perimeter fire containment systems for all types of construction including Mass Timber, backpan or non-backpan glazing systems, precast, GFRC, and Steel Stud/EIFS assemblies, Aaron can assist from design conception to project close out while meeting critical life safety requirements for a better project outcome.

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Aaron is now a proud resident of the great city of New Orleans.