Norma Merrick Sklarek

[1][2][3][4] Her notable works include the United States Embassy in Tokyo, Japan (1976) and the Terminal One station at the Los Angeles International Airport (1984).

[2][3][8] After four years of dissatisfaction with the position, Sklarek registered for the New York State architect's licensure examination, hoping that this certification would allow her access to employment at an architecture firm.

[1][3][9] Within a year of attaining her license, she was hired at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, a position that exposed her to hands-on, skill-building projects.

[3][7] In 1960, Sklarek accepted the position of the first female vice president for Gruen and Associates in Los Angeles, where she would work for two decades.

[1][3] Sklarek was responsible for hiring and supervising associates, while simultaneously facilitating major design projects, such as California Mart, Pacific Design Center, Fox Hills Mall, San Bernardino City Hall, Leo Baeck Temple and the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo.

[1][3][5][11] From 1980 to 1985, Sklarek worked at Welton Becket Associates where she served as the project director of the $50-million construction for the Terminal One station at the Los Angeles International Airport.

[1][3] After leaving Welton Becket Associates in 1985, Sklarek co-founded her own firm with Margot Siegel AIA and Katherine Diamond FAIA.

The firm, under Sklarek's direction, would go on to complete a wide range of projects across southern California, including the Student Counseling and Resource Center (1988) and Early Childhood Education Center (1989) at the University of California Irvine, as well as the Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Tower (1995).

[4] Hoping to work on larger projects again, Sklarek left the firm in 1989[1][3][11] to join Jon Jerde Partnership as principal.

[15] The Terminal One station at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was another major accomplishment by Sklarek with Welton Becket Associates in 1984, who served as the project director.