ASID Illinois Chapter To Host 75th Anniversary Celebration

Furniture World Magazine

Celebrating its 75th diamond anniversary this year, the American Society of Interior Designers - Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) announced plans for a celebration and annual meeting to commemorate the event on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006, at Chicago's Merchandise Mart in the Steelcase Showroom, Suite 1032, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. The 75th anniversary bash, titled "Denim, Diamonds and Dazzling Designers", will feature music, great food and drinks, a feature presentation called "Changing Rooms" by Paul Taylor, editorial director of Trends magazine, plus ASID-IL's "history in pictures" display, showcasing highlights of the organization over the past 75 years. Open to ASID members and the design community, the big event will be held in conjunction with the ASID-IL Chapter's annual meeting, and will take place within the 10th-floor Steelcase Showroom. As a sponsor, Steelcase will host the event and provide the event's refreshments and cocktails. Chapter president Mary Dluzen will present awards and recognition to members for their work this year, and also introduce the incoming 2006-07 board. Milestone anniversaries are a good time to reflect on growth and success, while looking to the future to achieve goals yet unrealized, according to Dluzen. "ASID is the oldest and largest professional organization for interior designers, and the Illinois Chapter was there from its inception. We are very proud to be celebrating our accomplishments today, and we also look forward to continuing the work of advancing our profession and educating clients about the critical role interior design plays in positively impacting people's lives," said Dluzen. The ASID-IL Chapter office inside The Merchandise Mart has collected an extensive historical library through the generous donations of its members. The board encourages people within the design industry and beyond to come in and take a look at its archives. "We have several books that might interest students, especially. We also have a conference room available by reservation for our members and their clients. One of our goals is always to provide excellent service in a comfortable environment. We welcome interested parties to stop in for a visit," added Dluzen. Tickets for "Denim, Diamonds and Dazzling Designers" are $19.31 in recognition of its founding year. To purchase tickets, please call 312-467-5080. For more information about ASID-IL, please visit www.asidillinois.com, or call the ASID Illinois Chapter headquarters at 312-467-5080. ABOUT STEELCASE, INC.: Steelcase, the global leader in the office furniture industry, helps people have a better work experience by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. The company designs and manufactures architecture, furniture and technology products. Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steelcase (NYSE:SCS) serves customers through a network of more than 800 independent dealers and approximately 13,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 revenue was $2.9 billion. Learn more at www.steelcase.com. ABOUT ASID: The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the oldest and largest professional organization for interior designers. It is a community of people-designers, industry representatives, educators and students committed to interior design. Through education, knowledge-sharing, advocacy, community-building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people's lives. Its more than 36,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 49 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. ASID interior designers specialize in a wide range of areas. In the commercial sector, its members provide design and consulting services to the office, health care, institutional, hospitality and retail environments. In the residential field, its members provide services ranging from space planning to home office design to customizing a home to meet specific client needs. The American Society of Interior Designers - Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) is a non-profit professional association representing the interests of more than 1,600 Illinois interior designers, students and design industry partner members. Its vision is to be the voice of design in Illinois and to provide information through quality, timely communications, to educate its members and clients, and to expand and to support market expansion. The Chapter is lead by a volunteer board that includes the Chapter's president, president-elect, 5 directors and a student representative.