ASID Illinois Chapter To Host Fifth Annual Design Summit In February

Furniture World News

The American Society of Interior Designers - Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) announces the date and program outline for its fifth annual Design Summit: Taking Your Business to the Next Level. The one-day conference and exposition takes place on the 8th floor of The Merchandise Mart Design Center in Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. "With the economy on everyone's mind, we chose to focus on ways designers can increase their business and become an indispensable resource to their clients at this year's Design Summit," said Hilary Sopata, ASID, LEED-AP, 2008-09 ASID-IL chapter president. "This great local forum is practical because it presents concrete ideas, products and services designers can incorporate immediately." The Design Summit is a forum for knowledge-sharing among industry peers, learning for students of interior design and a venue to showcase new commercial and residential interior products and services from Illinois-based industry partners. Open to all designers, students and vendors in the interior design industry, Design Summit 2009 features inspirational speakers, career-building, networking, and educational sessions to enhance specialized skills, and interaction with design industry resource professionals. This year's focus is elevating a design business to the next level. EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS: Design Summit presents a total of six professional educational sessions, some of which are pending CEU credits, as well as two keynote speakers. The schedule is as follows: KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Business Law Essentials For Interior Designers Keynote morning session: 8 - 9 a.m. Presenter: Mitchell S. Chaban, J.D., B.S. (Economics) Company: Levin Ginsburg, Ltd. Participants will acquire knowledge of basic legal principles related to the business and practice of interior design, including contracts with clients and contractors, protecting intellectual property and liability issues. This presentation will cover "must-have" knowledge for interior designers and owner/operators of related businesses. Great Products, Tremendous Impact: An Introduction to Fair Trade Keynote afternoon session: 12:30 - 2 p.m. Presenter: Carmen K. Iezzi Company: Fair Trade Federation For more than 60 years, fair trade organizations have offered high-quality products that create tremendous, sustainable and positive change among the poorest of the poor. This presentation will introduce participants to the principles of fair trade and outline ways to identify fair trade organizations and explain how to easily source these great products that create a massive impact. SEMINARS: Successfully Integrate Your Front and Back Office Time: 10 - 11 a.m. Presenter: Rick Gilman, CPA, CITP, Partner Company: Virchow, Krause & Company, LLC Participants will acquire knowledge of accounting and tax information related to their profession of interior design. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Gilman will review the basics of financial statements and the details behind them, as well as software that is available to the design profession to help manage operations. The Bathroom Through the Ages (CEU approved) Time: 10 -11 a.m. Presenter: Jim Stockstill Company: Hansgrohe This course will take participants through the development of the bathroom, beginning with the development of Roman public baths and communal showers to the modern bathroom. Today's bathroom has emerged from a functional room to a private, spa-like retreat. The demands on the bathroom are becoming more varied due to the increasing size, building materials, addition of furnishings and the designer influence, making the bathroom one of the most expensive rooms in the home. Instant Rapport: Building Rapport in 60 Seconds or Less Time: 11 a.m. - Noon Presenter: Jim Accetta, MS, CPCC, Certified Trainer-Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP™) Company: Truly Human Coaching™ Participants will learn the secrets of getting past initial resistances and how to effectively build trust in a relationship within the first minute of contact. Designers will learn the skills of master communicators in building rapport with prospects, clients and contractors and all other initial contacts. During this lively and entertaining talk, Accetta will use his expertise in Neuro-Linguistic Programming to explain how to utilize powerful unconscious communication to build rapport in 60 seconds or less. Launch a PR & Marketing Campaign in 2009: Get started, get noticed and get the media's attention Time: 11 a.m. - Noon Presenters: Joanna Mineau, Page 1 PR, Jan Parr, editor of Chicago HOME + Garden magazine and a local photographer specializing in interiors. This panel discussion illustrates the basics of developing and managing a PR / marketing campaign and takes designers through the steps of getting published and creating a buzz about their design business. Mineau and Parr will share their insights into what captures an editor's eye, how to pitch completed projects to the media and what goes on behind the scenes during the submission process. In addition, the all-important professional photography questions and concerns will be addressed. Color Pulse 2010 (CEU approved) Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Presenter: Mary Hoffman, Color & Design Specialist Company: Benjamin Moore To keep designers at the forefront, Benjamin Moore presents its fifth volume of the international award-winning "Color Pulse." Benjamin Moore continues to share cutting-edge color and design insights as to the global market influences heading into 2010. The company's theme of authenticity will become a major influencer in the world of color and design. Hoffman will share a thought-provoking perspective on future color direction to keep design professionals informed and ahead of the curve. From Backpack to Briefcase: Reaching the Summit of Design Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Presenter: Joan Kaufman, ASID, IIDA, FSII - Registered Interior Designer, ASID Illinois Chapter President-Elect Company: Interior Planning & Design, Inc. Students will learn the steps to take to acquire the education and experience necessary to enter into the design profession. Participants will also acquire knowledge about ways to develop and build expertise to reach the pinnacle of design success once they have entered the profession. Topics including NCIDQ, IDEP, state registration and ongoing education and certifications. Students can learn how to make the transition from school to the professional world successful through long-range planning for their careers. EXPO: Vendors will showcase their latest products and services, and a number of them will host demonstrations in their booths throughout the day. The 2009 Design Summit showcases design industry product and service resources, which seasoned designers and emerging talent will not want to miss. For a complete listing of Design Summit vendors, please visit www.asidillinois.com the first week of February. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The keynote speaker begins at 9 a.m. The Expo floor and Summit runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Design Summit cost is $50 for ASID and IIDA design members (includes seminars, lunch, Expo); $75 for non-members; and $25 students with identification (includes seminars, lunch, Expo). There is no charge to visit the Expo only. For more information about the ASID-IL Chapter Design Summit 2009, please visit www.asidillinois.com, or call the ASID Illinois Chapter headquarters at 312-467-5080. ABOUT THE "FIND A DESIGNER" SERVICE The Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers offers a free, convenient, user-friendly online service that consumers and business professionals can use to search for interior designers throughout the state. Find A Designer, available at www.asidillinois.com, allows site visitors to preview profiles of ASID-IL designers before contacting them for a project interview. The online service includes easy-to-navigate Web pages, more than 75 designer profile pages, and the ability to search by location and designer specialty. Consumers have the ability to review as many designer profiles as they'd like and find out more about each designer, as well as view samples of their work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at their convenience. About ASID: The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) 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 40,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. www.asid.org 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.