4.14.08 | Teknion’'s new Boston showroom opened on April 4^th to a crowd of hundreds. The area’s A&D community came out in droves to welcome the company and all of its heavy hitters to celebrate the opening of the space.

4.7.08 | The HON Company, one of HNI Corporation’'s big financial engines and a mid-market furniture powerhouse, continues to be a treasure house of surprises. Generally, most people are aware of its operational superiority, but few know what that means and how that translates to worker attitude, and a variety of other essential corporate attitude.  Recently, I met with HON'’s Don Mead, Vice President of Marketing, Jim Cahill, Vice President of Systems and Mindy Billingsley, Environmental Marketing Manager, along with several of their colleagues, who offered an excellent overview of HON’'s “green” initiatives, as well as some candid observations on how to effectively communicate the company’s environmental story to its mid-market customers.

4.7.08 | HBF and HBF Textiles hosted Pratt Institute Department of Interior Design Career Night last week in its New York City showroom. It was the events fifth year and 80 or so attendees included Pratt students and faculty, design professionals and special guest Dr. Tom Schutte, President of Pratt Institute.

3.31.08 | Herman Miller said last week that it settled anti-trust allegations made by the Attorneys General of New York, Illinois and Michigan against Herman Miller for the Home for HMH’s Minimum Advertised Price Program. Not to keep you in suspense, the case resulted in a stand-off, with all parties acknowledging that the agreement does not constitute either an admission or denial of liability or wrongdoing – and, independent of the settlement document, Herman Miller categorically denied any wrongdoing.

3.31.08 | The SeaChange Institute, a project of the Ocean Alliance, has mounted an exhibit in the lobby of the Steelcase building at 4 Columbus Circle in Manhattan that addresses the importance of living sustainably by keeping pollutants out of the seas. The exhibit is underwritten by the Annenberg Foundation.

3.31.08 | Charrisse Johnston of Gensler has taken an unorthodox path to the world of interior design. With degrees in behavioral biology and management and marketing, work experience in strategic planning on Wall Street (I’'m not even sure what that means!) as well as starting up and growing a successful event planning company, her diverse professional background may seem broad and unrelated.