Draftsman, Jack Allen Charney, AIA, Architect, Beverly Hills, CA, 1962-1964; Principal, Chester A. Widom, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1964-1968; Partner, Widom and [George] Wein, Architects, Santa Monica, CA, 1968-1977; Partner, Widom, Wein and [Adrian] Cohen (WWC), Architects, Santa Monica, CA, 1977-2000; Partner, Widom Wein Cohen O'Leary Terasawa (WWCOT), Architects, Santa Monica, CA, 2000- ; WWC merged with O'Leary Terasawa Architects to form WWCOT. WWCOT had three mergers after its combination with O'Leary Terasawa, and this conglomerated office, with offices in Santa Monica, Riverside, CA, Palm Springs, CA, Modesto, CA, and Shanghai, China, was later absorbed into the DLR Group. Widom retired from WWCOT in 2008. Senior Advisor, Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles, CA, 2008-2011; at this time, the Los Angeles Community College District had a budget of $6.1 billion. Governor Jerry Brown appointed Widom the California State Architect in 12/2011. In this role, he supervised 300 employees who maintained and built the state's public schools and community colleges.

President, American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Organization, 1994-1995;

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1990. Honorary Fellow, Japan Institute of Architects, 1995; Member of Honor, La Federación de Colegios de Arquitectos de la República Méxicana, 1995; Distinguished Alumni Award, USC School of Architecture, 1996; Executive Committee, American Institute of Architects (AIA), College of Fellows, c. 2010. Edward Kemper Award, American Institute of Architects (AIA), 2011.

B.Arch., University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, 1962.

Member, City of Los Angeles, Board of Building and Safety Commissioners, Los Angeles, CA; Member, State of California Hospital Building and Safety Board.