I’ve heard it said that the task of a leader is to get people from where they are to where they have not been. I have tremendous respect for those who drive to build something out of nothing, inspiring so many others to leadership along the way. At the core of the design industry, ASID strives to inspire leaders who want to leave the world better than they found it, using design principles to help ordinary things and places become extraordinary.
I’m proud of our volunteer leaders, industry partners, and staff who made the Design to Lead Summit a success. This inaugural event, held earlier this month in Atlanta, showcased thought leaders from practice and industry alike who inspired emerging professionals, mid-career designers and students to address the challenges we face in our world today. Speakers engaged attendees in a dialogue around ways they can use design skills to become leaders — in their firms and in their communities. Check out the blog posts from our Design to Lead speakers, including Victor Ermoli and Marty Neumeier, and look for a video recap of the conference soon.
In a few short weeks ASID will represent the profession at NeoCon in Chicago. Throughout the show, we will focus on workplace design — how it has changed over time and the implications of technology, demographic shifts and new products and materials. If you’ll be in attendance, be sure to stop by the ASID booth to contribute to the dialogue. Check out our full schedule of events, which includes a panel discussion in the Interiors & Sources Materials Pavilion, a tour of Cannon Design’s new office, and our ASID Career Exchange. Also at NeoCon, we will release our Industry Outlook report — an improved research tool designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of our industry, its trends, and the role we play as designers.
Later in June we will gather in Los Angeles for the Chapter Leadership Conference (CLC). Bringing together elected leaders from nearly all of our 48 chapters, the three-day event offers leadership training and strategic planning guidance to ensure we as a Society have a unified voice and offer consistent programs that anticipate the needs of our members and provide value to our industry broadly and in the communities where we live, work and play.
CLC coincides again this year with Dwell on Design, where ASID will communicate the value of working with interior designers and offer consultations to conference attendees. Also in Los Angeles, we will host Celebration, our national awards gala, which recognizes ASID award winners from four categories, our Elevate award recipients as well as our newest class of Fellows. I invite each of you to attend as we celebrate the impact our profession has on society and as we honor the individuals and organizations that make that possible. It is worth the trip!
From representing ASID on the board of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers, to which ASID Fellow Gary Wheeler was recently named, to joining over a dozen organizations in the built environment making a commitment to ensuring resiliency is a top consideration for our infrastructure now and in the future, I am proud of the Society’s continued leadership in the industry.
As May is graduation month, it is important to be thoughtful about the next generation of leaders. ASID makes it easy for our student members to make the transition into allied membership through our advancement program. Learn more about it and be sure to spread the word. An ASID membership is a fantastic gift for new graduates! Remember, May 31 is World Interiors Day. Don’t miss our #SpaceMatters Instagram competition where you can celebrate design’s influence on society and the built environment by sharing spaces that matter to you.
Interior design faces a highly competitive marketplace. The success of our organization and our profession depends upon our willingness (and enthusiasm) to go where we have not gone before. As we work to assert the relevance and importance of interior design, we are going to have to continue to lead others in new ways through our policy work, research and education programs. As always, I’m grateful for the legacy of our thoughtful leaders and for the talent, ingenuity and commitment of our members. Together, these are the elements that drive our success.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Schoessler Lynn, FASID, CID, LEED Fellow
ASID National President
