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.

3.31.08 | This year’'s first installment of IIDA NY’'s Pioneering Design series was Jonathan Adler, the celebrity designer whose name dons everything from pottery to textiles to interiors. Mr. Adler is also a judge on Bravo TV’s reality show Top Design and one of the bigger, mainstream names that IIDA has reeled in for the series. The evening’s turnout reflected this, with a practically packed auditorium of at least 300 IIDA guests.

3.31.08 | Haworth, Washington, D.C., hosted a celebration of the life of Francisco Laurier, the late senior principal and Director of Design for HOK’'s Washington, D.C. office. Haworth'’s Anne Pearson, with Mr. Laurier’'s life partner of 31 years, Michael Dufton, organized the affair, which drew folks from NYC, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Miami. Kurt VanderSchuur represented Haworth’s headquarters.

3.24.08 | Steelcase president and CEO Jim Hackett is, as every great leader must be, a True Believer. And he believes that good design in the built environment can transform the world. We have know that as far back as the introduction to Pathways, the development that opened the door to interior architecture, as it is known, thereby expanding the world for the proper study and practice of interior design. Dan Chong, formerly president of Metro, has been selected to head the Design Community Collaboration effort.

3.24.08 | ASID (The American Society of Interior Designers) joins BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Society) in getting very high marks for their annual conferences. Both events had knowledge presentations that were worth the trip alone (and we are pretty educated to begin with). But if you really want to rock, ASID is the team to go with.

3.24.08 | Michele Caniato was named Material ConneXio's new President, taking over for company founder George M. Beylerian. Mr. Caniato has served as Executive Vice President of the company since 2005 and has been with the company since its inception in 1997. 

3.24.08 | Thornton Tomasetti made several leadership changes this week:

• Thomas Z. Scarangello was named Chairman,
• Daniel A. Cuoco, who has been president since 2002, was named president and chief executive officer
• Robert P. DeScenza, who is executive vice president, was named chief operating officer.

3.17.08 | HNI Corporation appointed Jerry Dittmer as President, The HON Company and Executive Vice President, HNI Corporation, reporting to Stan Askren, Chairman, President and CEO, HNI Corporation. Her replaces Eric Jungbluth, who resigned to pursue a private equity opportunity.

3.17.08 | Larry Turk and Carl Milianta are taking another step to making Arenson the benchmark by which all dealerships will be compared. In continuing to expand their service offering, Arenson has created a new division that will focus on selling Demountable Walls and other Architectural Products. Architectural, demountable walls and other products. To spearhead this new division, Arenson has enlisted the help of Lauren Friedman, who has been named Principal and will be heading up this newly created Architectural Products Division.