05.11.09 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE …media.officeinsight.com/CurrentIssuezxc/OI051109.bernhardt.pdf · industry and it fully retains the glow of its premium brand

CITED:“THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO FIGHT MATU-RITY.” —DICK WERTHIMER

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS05.11.09

Steve Gane and the New Old Geiger Spirit

Since 1964, Geiger International has been one of the most highly regarded names in commercial casegoods. The company was founded in Canada by its namesake, John Geiger, who guided it with an unyielding passion for wood craftsmanship, good design, and operational excellence.FULL STORY ON PG.3

ICFF 2009: May 16-19, 2009

One of our favorite shows, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, will be held May 16-19, 2009, at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center, NYC. During the Fair’s four days,145,000 sq.ft. of the Javits Center will bustle with more than 25,000 attendees.FULL STORY ON PG.10

IIDA Calibre Awards Celebrates 21 Years of Design Excellence

Samba Carnivale was the theme as party goers entered the ballroom of the landmark Century Plaza Hotel in Century City for the 21st Annual In-ternational Interior Design Association-S.CA Calibre Awards and formal dinner.FULL STORY ON PG.15

Making the Most of Opportunities

If the current economy was a disaster fl ick, it would be the horrifi c sequel to the last major recession (the 1980’s debacle), and like all Hollywood block-busters, it would outdo the previous version by invoking the dreaded Depres-sion Era imagery and dolorous tone. FULL STORY ON PG.20

IIDA To ASID: Nyet

Stay around long enough and everything repeats . . . and repeats. A little less than 10 years ago, IIDA and ASID held several serious discus-sions about a possible merger. It seemed to be a mighty effort, but . . . there were differences.FULL STORY ON PG.18

Gittin’ Along

As I was pursuing some mundane task the other morning the radio trot-ted “Home on the Range” out into the morning. It was my local and loved classical music station and I didn’t ever expect to hear that tune. My delight surprised me. I am not a cowboy fan.FULL STORY ON PG.22

Compliments of Bernhardt Designs, in cooperation with offi ceinsight

05.11.09 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 2 OF 31

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which – given his age, the cashing out and the cultural change – was to be expected. Even given the preceding years of alliance with Miller and the transition phase with Mr. Geiger, the company was bound to fi nd itself at a crossroads. Herman Miller must have realized that this was the case, and Brian Walker, CEO of Herman Miller, reached out over a year ago to Steve Gane, asking him to take the helm. That clearly looked like a move for sta-bility and tradition because Mr. Gane had a long and successful tenure with

by HNI last year) are good examples, because its acquirer, HNI, has more of an investment approach than a more smothering parental touch. Thus, while the HNI acquisitions of Gunlocke and HBF are not 4-square like Warburg Pincus/Knoll acquisition, they are also distinguishable from the Herman Miller/Geiger acquisition and before that, the acquisitions of the Steelcase Design Partnership companies: AI, Beylarian, Brayton, Metro, etc.

Mr. Geiger left the company a few years after the Miller acquisition,

Steve Gane and the New Old Geiger Spiritby Brad Powell

Since 1964, Geiger International has been one of the most highly regarded names in commercial casegoods. The company was founded in Canada by its namesake, John Geiger, who guided it with an unyielding passion for wood craftsmanship, good design, and operational excellence – and a relent-less ideal of perfection that shaped ev-ery aspect of his company’s culture. In 1979, Geiger moved to Atlanta and in 1993, it acquired famed chair maker Brickel Associates, led by legend-ary designer Ward Bennett. Then, in 1999, Herman Miller acquired Geiger, and the question became, Will Her-man Miller ruin Geiger?

This may be an unfair question, but the concern about the future of the company was certainly in order. Acquisitions are by their nature very tricky, and no one really knows how an acquisition will turn out unless it’s a rape and pillage operation or a straightforward competitive snuff-out. One can justifi ably ask, then, how many acquisitions have been made in this industry and under what circumstances have they succeeded? The best example of a success is the Warburg Pincus acquisition of Knoll. Everyone made a lot of money, Knoll is the most profi table company in the industry and it fully retains the glow of its premium brand and the affection of the A&D community.

Acquisitions of wood companies, however, have not gone down easily. Halcon has had a diffi cult path and is now back under its original owner-ship. Gunlocke looks like it is making out nicely – no separate fi nancials are published – but it took HNI several years of hard work to get its wood operations to a comfortable place. But neither Gunlocke nor HBF (acquired

TOP: WENDELL JACOBS AND PATTY BERG; BOTTOM: MIKE DONAHUE, MIKE MILLIGAN, TONETTE BARRETT, STEVE GANE, JAY RUBINO AND ANDY GEIGER


companiesing outside the core business in areas such as healthcare, and other related but non-furniture areas. What is Gei-ger’s role in Herman Miller’s growth strategy?SG: We are nearing the end of a two-year plan to position Geiger so we can achieve our fi ve-year goal of more than doubling revenues. At that level, we will be a signifi cant part of the Herman Miller organization. Our goal is to be the wood authority for the industry, not just at Herman Miller. This means we will grow other product categories as well as casegoods.

I am very confi dent in our manufac-turing capabilities for both the case-goods and seating categories. Andy Geiger, a 28-year industry veteran, has rejoined our leadership team as vice president of manufacturing over our casegoods operations. In seating, earlier this year we acquired assets of Ruskin Industries, an innovative, high-quality seating-frame manufacturer with excep-tional engineering and wood-carving ca-pability. Its founder, Jay Rubino, heads up seating and table operations as vice president of this division. Andy and Jay give us a formidable manufactur-ing leadership duo that I would put up against anyone in our market segment.

another wood company, HBF, stepping down as president there when he was named COO of HBF’s parent company, Thomasville.

We traveled to Atlanta to sit down with Mr. Gane and other members of his management team to hear how today’s Geiger is defi ning its brand and institutionalizing its heritage as a fi ne wood manufacturer. The assembled team included Mr. Gane:>Mike Donahue, executive vice presi-dent sales and marketing>Mike Milligan, director of product marketing>Jay Rubino, vice president seating and tables>Andy Geiger, vice president manufac-turing>Wendell Jacobs, director of fi nance & supply chain>Patty Berg, human resource consult-ing managerTonette Barrett, vice president sales operations was on the road.

The conclusion: Things are looking mighty fi ne with a 5-year growth target of doubling revenues.

OI: Herman Miller is looking at ways to grow other market segments within the core business as well as expand-

GEIGER: PEER TABLE

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I love watching clients’ faces when we give them a real-time, 3D virtual tour of their space and make their changes right in front of their eyes. For us that means we’ve given them a superior experience and service while paradoxically we lowered our own overhead.

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highest craft levels and later built the organization into an industry leader.

One of the things I want to empha-size is John’s passion and commitment to excellence. He was able to achieve a reputation of quality and design for Geiger. His photograph is in our board-room to remind everybody of what the founder of this company – and his or-ganization – stood for. We paid homage to this legacy at NeoCon last year, with our theme Look Back, Design Forward.

Shortly after I joined Geiger, we had an off-site meeting and drew up a list of ideals and traits that we wanted to strive for. We agreed we shouldn’t try to be all things to all people, but we could commit ourselves to the fi ne-goods segment of the industry. Also, we decided that a purchase of Geiger product should always represent a smart investment. Beyond that, we also focused on social values such as being good corporate citizens and on creating the kind of place where people want to work. These are the things that are im-portant to us. Today, all of our activities are more clearly defi ned around three core brand values: beauty, reason and endurance.

Brian Walker is committed to Geiger as a separate brand and to investing in Geiger to establish it as the industry wood leader for A&D.

OI: How is Geiger going to grow its share?SG: The reason I wanted to have the whole management team here is that much of this story is about this team. It’s a special and talented group that’s passionate about Geiger. Everybody has an important role, but we’re small, so everybody wears a lot of hats. Many members of our team have been here a long time. Others, such as me, have been here just a while.

When Brian Walker called me for this job, he said, “Steve, I think Geiger has lost some of its soul. Somehow, in the Herman Miller transition, Geiger lost the rhythm that it once had and that inner sense of purpose.”

When we talk about recapturing our soul, you’ve got to remember who we were. John Geiger was the heartbeat of the company. He started the company in 1964 as a very small custom house specializing in manufacturing at the

I’m very excited about the oppor-tunity we have at Geiger and believe we are paired with the perfect parent company in Herman Miller. Brian Walker is committed to Geiger as a separate brand and to investing in Geiger to establish it as the industry wood leader for A&D. We are invest-ing in and growing the Geiger brand, and we bring value to Herman Miller by leading in several product cat-egories where Herman Miller is not otherwise focused.

The only way this works is if Geiger retains a fair degree of autonomy. Yet, Geiger and Herman Miller want to complement each other’s strengths whenever possible. We are proud to be a part of the Herman Miller family and legacy, but we’ve got to color outside the lines. Both companies’ design, manufacturing, sales and customer service teams have autonomy, but we collaborate so we can make each other better.

We’ve got many opportunities in front of us and may seek partner-ships or acquisitions of other spe-cialty companies that complement Geiger. Personally, I am intrigued by people and companies that do things at a high level.

OI: Even in these economic times? SG: We have established signifi cantly improved levels of fi nancial and operational performance over the last two years and have improved our overall capabilities. Yes, we think we should stay aggressive and continue to focus on growth opportunities. Yet, like everyone, we have been affected by this downturn and are mindful and selective of our expen-ditures and cost structure. The goal for everybody right now, however, is market share. Plus, we still have to continue to work toward doing the right things to allow us to capitalize on opportunities on the other side of this downturn.

FACTORY


companiesacquisition that you and everyone began addressing after your arrival?SG: Some of our operations were not what we aim for. Our shipment reliabil-ity had slipped, our warranty work had increased. But a lot of work has been done in restoring quality. We are now shipping 98% on time. That brings us near Herman Miller’s standard, which is 99%. And we are delivering “good goods,” with a 12-year warranty.

OI: How’s the factory doing now, Andy? AG: The factory is like a living organ-ism; it changes every day, literally. You can go out there and the next day a wall’s missing and the fl ow will be com-pletely changed. It constantly evolves. It’s a real lesson in design. But we have made many changes and invested in newer technology and redirected our focus to quality, reliability, value and environmental leadership. We are mak-ing a product we are proud of and are continually focusing on increasing our capabilities to meet special requests from our customers.

In the fi rst year of Steve’s tenure here, we positioned ourselves to be very competitive going forward. Our perfor-mance now well exceeds the traditional performance benchmarks for the wood business. Over the years, the industry has looked to Geiger as a really good performer in the wood segment of the business. We’re viewed as the key or the best player from that standpoint. The infl uence of Herman Miller has helped us to truly set the standard.

OI: Tell me more about the three core values you mentioned.SG: To summarize our aspirations and what differentiates Geiger from our competitors, we have three ideals: >beauty, the emotional connection between the product and the user>reason, the connection with the utility of the product and how well it meets users’ needs

direct reports on the management team, there are many people with long tenures at this company who just love this business and know what they’re doing. These are well accomplished, seasoned professionals who know our business. So we plan to lead again and not follow. That is how we will capture market share.

OI: What were your diffi culties during the transition after the Herman Miller

Our success will be determined by the talent, intelligence and spirit of our team, with some newer and some not-so-new leaders. Collectively, Mike Donahue, Tonette Barrett, and Mike Milligan have close to 60 years of Gei-ger experience.

The most heartening thing I discov-ered when I got here was not just the talent, but the passion for the business. Our people have their heart and soul in this business. Beyond my seven

FACTORY


companiesenvironmental and social aspirations.

OI: Of course, we should save the Earth as a nurturing habitat, but the interior environment is where we live and spend the great majority of our time. SG: That’s our point, and social re-sponsibility is a top concern. I want to work in a place that’s enjoyable. You create energy when you have trust and people are respected. Living without those things is a tough way to go. The idea of building an environ-ment that encourages participation and respect for people is a key con-cept for Geiger.

As part of this, we are also focusing on raising awareness for design lead-ership by beginning to fi ll our new product development pipeline. Mike Milligan and his team have focused on expanding our product offering beyond casegoods. People expect us to lead in the casegoods market, but last year we introduced new oc-casional tables and lounge furniture by Eric Chan and Mark Goetz. We won Best of NeoCon silver awards for the Lissome table, designed by Eric Chan, and Caucus conferencing furniture, designed by Robert Allen. This year, we’re introducing a new collection that includes Geiger Levels casegoods, designed by David Allan Pesso, and Peer tables, designed by ai3.

OI: Can you give me some idea of what Geiger Levels is like?SG: It’s our fi rst new major case-goods platform in six years. It is beautiful, rational and will be endur-ing because it is made to Geiger’s premium quality veneer and fi nish standards, all at a lower price point than our other casegoods platforms. You need to come see it at NeoCon, where we will have fi ve vignettes showing various applications. Levels addresses many of the challenges

the emotions of the users and is an important stimulus to certain valuable motivational responses. It’s neither trivial nor a luxury. And aes-thetics are also part of the endur-ance value.SG: You’re right, and that’s why we place beauty fi rst. But when introduc-ing new products, there must also be the right balance with the require-ments of the job and function. I do agree beauty is not trivial, it is impor-tant and certainly makes the world a better place.

I believe beauty, reason and endur-ance are all related attributes. There is nothing better than a timeless design that is made with the right attention to quality and addresses the needs of its intended applica-tion such that it endures and brings lasting beauty and return on invest-ment. The idea of being enduring and timeless is also consistent with our

>endurance, the long-term relevance and life of the product, making it a wise investment.

Other companies do the beauty thing very well, but reason and endurance are different matters. If we can be the company that does all three, that has the right balance, it will serve us extremely well. One thing that we hear over and over about Geiger product is the thought about enduring quality. It’s not just that after fi ve or 10 years you’re still proud of your furniture, but that the design has a timelessness so it’s still appropriate and retains its investment value year after year. As a case-goods and seating company, Geiger should be the fi rst choice in these catego-ries.

OI: Of course, beauty is part of the reason and function of a product, since, as you say, it interacts with

GEIGER: LEVELS DOCKING DRAWER


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GEIGER: PEER TABLE STANDING HEIGHT

GEIGER: LEVELS PRIVATE OFFICE


companiesthat were diffi cult to deliver. Then he would turn to my team and say “Mike, you and your sales team, go fi x that, you go deal with that.”

OI: Have you recaptured your soul?MD: What we lost was not so much our soul, but John’s personality. Before Steve joined, that personality, in many respects, was the engine of the company. The commitment of the people here to the company and their jobs was never lost. But a signifi cant shift in direction can be disruptive, and that’s what we really mean. John was very passionate, determined and uncompromising in many ways. That played a large part in driving the or-ganization. Then all of a sudden, the values and the mission changed. But yes, I think we are back.

MM: Traditionally, the culture on the factory fl oor was a sense of personal responsibility for everything that you did; this was lost for a period of time. The new processes assumed a homogeneous material that yielded a homogeneous product; but as the people became disassociated from the result, the special character of the furniture was not consistently present. This had been a company that succeeded; the people had very lofty goals for a small company, and we produced a very high-end prod-uct, and lots of it. A special product made from natural material is almost impossible without this kind of love in it. Now, in addition to bringing back the expertise, we’re bringing back the attitude and the personal pride and responsibility.

SG: Again, I believe we have the right team, talent and attitude. We also have a defi nite sense of purpose and direction. We care about what we do, our work matters and we want to play at a higher level. This means elevating the brand and substantially growing the business. I don’t know if that’s soul or mojo, but I like it!

level of expectation for all, and that created a bond throughout the organization. John walked the talk. It really mattered to him. His attitude was clearly that, if a customer had an issue you couldn’t seem to resolve, you got on a plane and made it right in some way. You knew that, at the end of the day, not getting the right result was unacceptable. And you had to make sure that you did what had to be done in the most business-like way. You also had to anticipate problems and solve problems before they came up.

John did not compromise his own standards and he expected no less of you. So we all were working constantly to make things better and to do them well. There was a lot of pressure. Culturally, it was not always a feel-good thing, but the results we achieved were exhilarating. And John was at his very best when the circumstances were at their most challenging.

MD: John was a classic entrepre-neur who, in his heart, truly believed in himself, and because of this strong belief, he was able to lead the people who worked for him to high perfor-mance levels in their areas. But John also had the courage to admit when someone on his team would be better suited to perform a specifi c task, and to a large extent, he let the people who worked for him do their own thing in their area of expertise.

In other ways, John forced the rest of us, his team, to bond closely and work together to meet his demands. That bond drove performance and drove people to stay here. This showed up in many ways, sometimes unexpectedly. For example, sales was not John’s greatest strength, but as the leader and the face of the company, he went out into the fi eld occasionally to help develop new business. In the process, he some-times made customer commitments

created by smaller offi ce footprints and also offers new choices and options for technology and new work styles brought about by the infl ux of Millennials in the workplace. Lev-els will enable work surfaces to be divided among multiple planes, with a primary work height and choice of lower horizontal planes for display and storage. It will also enable more conventional confi gurations and uni-form work surface heights.

This NeoCon, we’re also featuring many enhancements to our exist-ing Tablet casegoods, and we will be telling a wonderful story regarding the interior environment, making GREENGUARD a standard rather than an up-charge for most of our products. We have recently received FSC certifi cation in our manufactur-ing operations. We purchased assets of Ruskin Industries earlier this year and reengineered all of our wood side seating products to a higher quality level and better value proposition.

OI: What was John Geiger like as a person to work with? MM: John was sort of like the father that you strived to please. You were always reaching, and the bar was continually rising. There was a high

VENEERS


events

Switzerland, Thailand, United King-dom, U.S., and Vietnam. If, perhaps, you were looking for Turkey, our recent visit suggest that much opportunity is available in this remarkable country.

Special Features>Artemide and Vitra join forces for ICFF, with special events and instal-lations to illustrate their positions as leaders in European design. During ICFF, the companies will provide van service from the Jacob Javits con-vention center to Artemide and Vitra showrooms, located in SoHo and the Meatpacking district, respectively, and back to the Javits. Both showrooms will hold special events during the fair to showcase and celebrate their latest launches.

Still, some favorites of the contract world will be there, including Herman Miller for the Home, Bernhardt, Vitra and Artemide, among the more than 550 exhibitors displaying contem-porary furniture, seating, carpet and fl ooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors. The international aspect, of course, is another lure as ICFF hosts representa-tives from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germa-ny, Ghana, Israel, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Peru, Po-land, Portugal, Scotland, Senegal, Sin-gapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,

ICFF 2009: May 16-19, 2009

One of our favorite shows, the Inter-national Contemporary Furniture Fair, will be held May 16-19, 2009, at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center, NYC. During the Fair’s four days,145,000 sq.ft. of the Javits Cen-ter will bustle with more than 25,000 interior designers, architects, retail-ers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, and developers. Thank-fully, members of the general public are welcome on Tuesday, May19 when the ICFF is open to all. We wish all of our trade shows had a public day; you know, something for the users. (Oh, yes, we know: the public doesn’t buy contract furniture and the thought of trying something new, especially when traditional markets are not buying, is just not appealing.)


eventsSculpture Garden, located at 11 West 53rd Street, NYC.

>ICFF Public Day. Open to the public, ICFF Public Day is Tuesday, May 19, 10am-4pm. Tickets are $50 for the day.

>Itoki Design. Itoki Design will make its debut at ICFF 2009. The company will feature a collection that is a blend of Japanese technology, European design philosophy and American manufacturing. Itoki Design is a sub-sidiary of Itoki and will be led by Yoshi Konishi, president and Jeff Miller, creative director.

>japan by design. Japan by Design, a fair-within-a-fair, consists of two sections- the kansei-Japan Design Exhibition and the Japan Pavilion, a commercial component showcas-ing select Japanese companies. The kansei-Japan Design Exhibition, which consists of products from 121 Japanese companies, is intended to increase awareness of kansei:’ the Japanese sensibility of emotion, visual stimulation, expression and aesthetic value. The presentation will be shown through product displays and multi-media visual installations such as video, light and sound. The Japan Pavilion showcases 17 Japanese com-panies that use cutting-edge design

include design as a kinesthetic envi-ronment; matters of material value and worth; the inherent meaning of materi-als; design as a means of deletion; and the migratory nature of design culture. GLM provides each school with a 200 sq.ft. booth for housing its exhibit.

>Emma Gardner Design. emma gardner design, llc, makers of contem-porary heirloom quality rugs, will debut two new designs, Cascade and Fire Island at the ICFF, exhibit 2148. The company will also introduce prototypes of a new graphics program that is a collaborative effort between emma gardner design and world-renowned furniture company Wendell Castle Collection. The fi rst two cases, which will be on display at ICFF, are Palette and Opus. Also debuting will be the new “Whisper” palette featuring soft metallics and organic hues rendered in some of the company’s best selling designs.

>ICFF Editor’s Awards. Each year at the ICFF, a panel of U.S. and interna-tional editors bestows the ICFF Editors Awards. The awards are among the industry’s highest accolades.

>ICFF Opening Night Party. The Opening Night Party will be held May 16, 7-9pm, at the Museum of Mod-ern Art, The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

>Ceramic Tiles of Italy. Confi ndus-tria Ceramica and the Italian Trade Commission appointed Italian archi-tect Michele De Lucchi to design a mini-pavilion. The 3500 sq.ft. exhibi-tion will connect to the popular i Saloni Worldwide. Ceramic Tiles of Italy will host a series of events at the show and around town. These events will include a kick-off reception with Mr. De Luc-chi on Saturday, May 16th; a discus-sion between De Lucchi and Paola Antonelli of MoMA on Sunday, May 17th in the ICFF Theater followed by a reception at the Ceramic Tiles of Italy Pavilion; and a book signing with de-sign journalist Jen Renzi on Monday, May 18th. In addition, Ceramic Tiles of Italy will host a special satellite exhibit at 414 West 14th St in the Meatpacking District. (While you are there, check out Vitra.

>Design Schools. Each year GLM, the producer and manager of the ICFF, mounts a design schools exhibition, inviting leading design academies and the students to submit student work for juried review. The select few display their models, prototypes, and drawings at ICFF. This year’s academic achieve-ment awards go to Cranbrook Acad-emy of Art, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Pratt Institute, Rhode Is-land School of Design (RISD), and San Diego State University. This year topics

MICHELE DE LUCCHI EMMA GARDNER DESIGN


events>Design House Stockholm + PropertyMay 18, 6-8 pm, Property, 14 Wooster StreetDesign House Stockholm launches a shop-in-shop at Property in SoHo, with chairs by Lisa Widén, pillows and carpets by Lena Bergström, hangers by Gustav Hallen, lights by Harri Ko-skinen, and baskets by Marie Louise Gustafsson. RSVP by May 12 to [email protected]

>Front with Brooke StoddardSaturday, May 16, 2-3pm Design consultant Brooke Stoddard chats with Sofi a Lagerkvist, Charlotte von der Lancken, Anna Lindgren, and Katja Sarstrom, collectively known as Front. These four Stockholm-based designers are widely celebrated for taking a deeply provocative and highly ironic approach to the fi ne art of prod-uct design, with some unexpectedly artful results – including, among other items, the social commentary that is their Rat wallpaper.

>Lit Up: Wästberg at DWRSaturday, May 16, 7–9pm110 Greene Street, NYCDWR introduced Wästberg lighting to

companies. This year’s exhibition fea-tures Swedish sustainability-focused designs including a mobile plant wall, a biodegradable hanging decoration, an ecological knitted chair, a children’s play bench, and an aluminum wind power turbine.

Programs>Claesson Koivisto Rune IlluminatedMay 17, 5-7 pm, 408 West 14th StreetDesign Within Reach in collabora-tion with lighting company Wästberg presents an exhibition of recent work by internationally renowned Swedish architects Claesson Koivisto Rune.

>Design Deutschland 09May 16, 11am-noon This roundtable on the current state of German design features leading representatives from both sides of the design-manufacturing equation discussing the zeitgeist from their individual and various points of view. Participants include Roland Heiler, managing director, Porsche Design Studio; Ruth Soénius, director of user experience, Siemens Corporate Research; and Andrej Kupetz, general manager, German Design Council.

technology and are looking to become integrated in the American market.

>Material ConneXion. Material Con-neXion, located at 60 Madison Ave., 2nd fl oor, NYC, will be holding special showroom hours during ICFF 2009, 10am-7pm, May 16, and 10am-5pm, May 17. Currently on view in its show-room is a retrospective of Neal Small, seminal 1960’s designer. Material Con-neXion will be at booth # 2348. Mate-rial ConneXion will host an open house at its new headquarters, Saturday, May 16, 4-7pm.

>Materials Matter. The ICFF hosts the Materials Matter exhibition of cutting-edge materials and innovative produc-tion processes that’s a joint venture between GLM and Material ConneXion, Inc. Materials Matter, designed by 2x4, is both showcase and market-place. With resource libraries on three continents containing 4,000 materials from many fi elds and disciplines and a mission to put designers and manufac-turers together with new technologies and new processes, Material ConneX-ion operates on the belief that creative solutions result from serendipity and cross-pollination. Materials include polymers, glass, ceramics, carbon-based materials, cement-based ma-terials, metals, natural materials, and natural material derivatives. Processes range from injection molding to rapid prototyping and more.

>Swedish Design. Several of Sweden’s most prominent design fi rms will be featured at various events in New York in conjunction with ICFF.

The Furniture KingdomOpen to the public on May 19, Jacob K. Javits Convention CenterThe major Swedish presentation at ICFF will be Green Design by The Furniture Kingdom, a cluster of some of Sweden’s foremost furniture design WÄSTBERG LIGHTING


events>Michele de Lucchi with Paola AntonelliSunday, May 17, 2-3pm MoMA senior curator, Paola Antonelli, leads a public discussion with Michele De Lucchi, the Italian architect and industrial designer. A primary force in such design movements/philosophies/collectives as Cavart, Alchimia, and Memphis, Mr. De Lucchi numbers among his clients Olivetti, Kartell, Artemide, and Deutsche Bank, to name a few. Projects this year include the Ceramic Tiles of Italy exhibit for the ICFF.

>Milano Design VillageSaturday, May 16Press Preview, 4pmCocktails, 6-9pmMilano Design Village, SOHO151 Wooster Street, NYCwww.icff.com

tion Legacy Fund’s Horace Havemeyer III Keynote address, sponsored by Interiors from Spain and the American Society of Interior Designers.

Other speakers include: Anna Dy-son, assistant professor of architecture at Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute and co-founder of MATERIALAB; Dr. Andrew Dent, Ph.D., vice president, Material ConneXion; Jeff Avallon, John R. Goscha, and Morgan Newma co-founders of IdeaPaint; Eve Blos-som, founder and president of Lulan Artisans; Henrik Otto, senior vice presi-dent of global design at Electrolux; and Peter Yost residential program man-ager of BuildingGreen. Also on the conference agenda, a presentation by Jonathan Marvel of Rogers Marvel Architects, a compilation of short fi lms from the Buckminster Fuller Insti-tute on R. Buckminster Fuller, long considered one of the grandfathers of modern innovation. Continuing educa-tion credits are available.

the American market and is celebrat-ing their work with an installation from May 16–19. On May 16, come by the Studio for a cocktail reception and a chance to see the collection and pro-totypes by Ilse Crawford, James Irvine, Michael Young and others. RSVP to [email protected].

>Metropolis Conference Design Entrepreneurs: InnovateMonday, May 18, 10:00 am- 5pm.

Metropolis’s full-day conference on the connection between design and business, the annual think tank convened by longtime Metropolis editor Susan S. Szenasy, is one the ICFF’s highlights. This year’s meeting explores design innovation and entre-preneurship in a full range of good-design-is-good-business guises. James Ludwig, vice president of Global Design for Steelcase, will give the Second Annual ASID New York Educa-

SUSAN SZENASY JAMES LUDWIG PAOLA ANTONELLI


THE IIDA NY CHAPTER CORPORATE FORUM PRESENTS THE 11TH ANNUAL PIONEERING DESIGN

INNOVATIONS IN THEATRE CRAFT:Behind the Scenes of the Henry Miller Theatre and Roundabout Theatre CompanyPlease join the IIDA NY Chapter for the third and final lecture of the 2009 Pioneering Design Series focusing on those who are currently making positive and influential strides in design.

This dynamic panel will provide a behind the scenes look at the architecture, design and technology for this 950 seat theatre at the Bank of America Tower; the first new Broadway venue in 25 years. Originally built in 1918 the Henry Miller Theatre has taken on many identities over the years including a Broadway playhouse, a porno palace and the disco, Xenon. The building's fa de and its history has been kept intact and will open later this spring as a new home for the Roundabout Theatre Company.

SPEAKERS: Richard A. Cook, Partner, Cook + FoxPam Campbell, Senior Associate, Cook + FoxJosh Dachs, Principal, Fisher DachsHarold Wolpert, Managing Director, Roundabout Theatre Company

LOCATION: The Times Center - 242 West 41st Street, NYCDATE: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 TIME: Presentation 6:30pm prompt

Cocktails and Hors D'Oeuvres to follow COST: $50 in Advance / $60 at the Door

REGISTER ONLINE at www.iidany.org/eventreg.html

CEUs: 0.1 CEU will be provided for this course.IIDA Professional and Associate Members are required to complete and report 1.0 CEU (10 hours) of Continuing Education prior to December 31, 2009. All Professional and Associate Members (active and inactive) including IIDA Fellows and Chapter Officers, must adhere to IIDA s compliance requirements.


events

Eight additional categories of Calibre Awards were judged by professional IIDA members from the IIDA Chicago Chapter:>Innovation – Pollack Design for Van’s Headquarters >30,000-75,000 sq. ft. – HMC Architects for the fi rm’s Ontario Head-quarters, which featured a ‘green’ design incorporating new low-VOC and recycled content fi nish materials throughout.

Pam Maynard (Principal of HMC Architects) exclaimed after winning their big award, “It was such a thrill to be given a Calibre design award. To be acknowledged by your peers, especially when you are up against the big names in the industry is quite an honor. When you hear that people look forward to working within the building, you know you have achieved some degree of success. This project is an example of design excellence through collaborative teaming of architects, interior designers, consultants and a contractor who appreciated a thought-ful approach to construction. We are currently awaiting confi rmation of Silver LEED accreditation.”

among students from fi ve design schools.

IIDA Southern California Chapter President Barbara Dunn, FIIDA & Prin-cipal of Gensler welcomed the Calibre faithful: “Committed to realizing the vi-sion of the IIDA mission, the Southern California chapter’s annual programs and events further the practice of inte-rior design and IIDA’s core principles of knowledge, value and community. These events support educational and professional development programs, contribute to ongoing efforts to bring legislative clarity to the practice of interior design, provide funding for chapter operations, and offer network-ing opportunities to our members and partners. Many of our events give back to the community. This year alone we contributed to Habitat for Humanity, Toms Shoes, Dress for Success, Aid for Artisans, and of course, our annual student scholarships that are present-ed tonight.”

IIDA Calibre Awards Celebrates 21 Years of Design Excellence by Steve Francis

Samba Carnivale was the theme as party goers entered the ballroom of the landmark Century Plaza Hotel in Cen-tury City for the 21st Annual Interna-tional Interior Design Association-S.CA Calibre Awards and formal dinner. This year’s show was co-chaired by Jim Klawiter, Robyn Taylor and Hillary Luckenbaugh.

“The Calibre Awards has become an acknowledged and revered design institution,” said Cheryl Durst, CEO & Executive Vice President of IIDA, “and I am pleased and honored to be with you tonight as we celebrate the collab-orative results of design excellence in Southern California.” Over 700 design professionals and team members turned their attention to the two 40-foot jumbo television screens to watch the presentations of the 41 nominated projects in 8 categories. The night also included the presentation of the IIDA Environmental Award and $19,000 in scholarship money, which was divided

JIM KLAWITER AND ERIN CHRISTY

HMC ARCHITECTS


events>Environmental Recognition Award – Wirt Design Group for EarthLink’s Pasadena offi ce and presented by Bentley Prince Street.

EarthLink’s company intention was to provide a healthy environment for its workforce wherein the renovation and design of the 60,000 sq.-ft. space incorporated sustainable products and practices. This project earned LEED Gold level certifi cation and functions as a benchmark for future EarthLink domestic build outs. EarthLink even developed a green building case study and incorporated the results into an employee education program that documents and teaches their employ-ees about green design.>Play – HOK for the Star Alliance Premium Customer Lounge in the international terminal of LAX Airport.

HOK designed a calm, tranquil environment for departing passengers awaiting their fl ights. HOK’s Senior

HOK: STAR ALLIANCE

HOK: STAR ALLIANCE


eventsVice President Brett Shwery accepted the Calibre Award on behalf of the project team.>Serve – HOK for California State University, Fullerton, Mihaylo College of Business & Economics.

Building on the objective to design a university building that was more cor-porate in appearance, the client and design team approached the functional requirements as if designing a corpo-rate headquarters of a major company. Student lifestyle in the new building was important to provide interaction between outside business profession-als and internal student groups.

Brett Shwery of HOK said about their win, “Receiving the Calibre Award is a very special reward for the many team members that worked to realize our cli-ent’s vision through their commitment together. We could not be more thrilled to receive this recognition.”>75,000 sq. ft. and over – AECOM for an Investment Management fi rm that was designed by >Under 5,000 sq. ft. – HLW Interna-tional for the Warren Wixen Real Estate>Shop – A.C. Martin for The Shop Café @ USC.

>5,000-30,000 sq. ft. – Felderman + Keatinge Associates for iCrete

Calibre sponsors included:>Taslimi Construction>Howard Building Corporation>Clune Construction>Haworth>Mata Construction>Tangram Interiors>USG>Bentley Prince Street

For more information on IIDA South-ern California Chapter Events, visit www.iida-socal.org .

Steve Francis has been serving the Southern California A & D Community for over 20 years and is the principal of his own furniture rep group. You can reach Steve via e-mail at [email protected] .

HOK: CSU

HOK: CSU


organizations

May 5, 2009 IIDA ReleaseOffi cial Position Statement from The IIDA Board of Directors

On Possible Merger and Future Association Direction

5.5.09 | In recent months, con-siderable speculation has circulated surrounding the question of whether a merger between the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) should take place. In early October, the Boards of Directors of both Associations met to discuss a merger initiative.[Emphasis added.] After much discussion and deliberation, the IIDA Board of Direc-tors has established the following offi cial position.

At this time, IIDA believes that a merger would not be in the overall best interests of our membership. The Board of Directors asserts that our Association offers a unique experience unlike any other design organization and that the existence of more than one professional design association enables designers to choose the best alliance for advanc-ing their career. To that end, the Association will continue to focus on the principles and parameters on which the organization was founded.

IIDA , , , , strives to create a strong niche for the most talented and visionary interior design profes-sionals . . . . [Pull quote added]

As we have throughout our exis-tence, IIDA will continue to promote and pursue initiatives for ongoing and meaningful collaborations with ASID in mutually benefi cial pursuits of education, advocacy and areas of marketplace value.

laboration will, however, continue. Perhaps the best comment at this time is simply to reproduce last October’s joint release, last week’s IIDA release and ASID’s prompt response:

October 08 Release10.14.08 | The Boards of the Ameri-can Society of Interior Design-ers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), met recently to discuss the future of the Interior Design profession and issues that face each organization and their Members. The historic meeting marks the first time that the full Board leadership of the two organizations have met.

ASID and IIDA will maintain a col-laborative approach to joint initia-tives that support the profession of Interior Design, and continue their dialogue about expanding opportu-nities for increased interaction.

“It was an historic occasion and more to the point, we got some posi-tive first steps accomplished – and set in motion some collaborative ideas that certainly make sense in today’s changing marketplace,” ac-cording to Bruce Brigham, FASID, President of the ASID Board of Directors.

“This first meeting was a very important step in understanding our common goals and identifying potential opportunities for collabora-tion between the two associations. Collectively moving forward, the associations will continue to explore ideas that will shape the future of design for our members,” said Mitchell Sawasy, FIIDA, AIA, Presi-dent of the IIDA Board of Directors.

IIDA To ASID: Nyetby Brad Powell

Stay around long enough and ev-erything repeats . . . and repeats. A little less than 10 years ago, IIDA and ASID held several serious dis-cussions about a possible merger. It seemed to be a mighty effort, but . . . there were differences.

We were somewhat surprised that the two professional associations met last October to again visit issues of mutual interest. Amidst some fan-fare – which some took as a belated effort to revive a long-dead horse – the associations put out the October 08 release set forth below, which seems to go out of its way to avoid the “m” word and emphasized that the associations were just getting to know one another. (Hey! Why not? They are in the same business, and even though very little of the public knows what that is, it should provide some basis for conversation.)

Last week, despite the fact that the “m” word had never been used, IIDA sent out a release to the effect that it had decided to reject the proposal that had never been made. Probing for possible areas of col-


organizationsorganizations recognize the inherent and real need for increased collabora-tion on issues in the profession, and we are proud to acknowledge that we are moving forward with these intentions.

End of Releases

It appears that the “m” word had been used in the historic meeting held last October. And we might have guessed it.

For all of the repeated references to collaborative efforts by the two associa-tions, in the quoted releases and in the aftermath of the failed talks about 10 years ago, we have seen very little col-laboration in practice. Yes, there have been some joint events by local chap-ters, but these are not the folks at the table for the big discussions.

When asked about collaborative ef-forts over the past ten years, spokesmen for each organization mentioned co-participation in state legislative coalitions; by this they mean that each organization has a legislative expert, and that each organization has contributed funds to some state legislative coalitions. If this is what they mean by collaboration, we suggest that a few brief conversations with their respective constituents will disabuse them of that notion.

innovators. The Association pro-vides a forum to demonstrate design professionals’ impact on the health, safety, welfare and virtual soul of the public, balancing passion for design excellence with strategy for best business practices. IIDA stands at the intersection of passion and strategy for extraordinary interiors and experiences.

May 6, 2009 ASID Message to Mem-bersDear ASID Member

In the best circumstances the profes-sion is best served by one organization.

As we reported to you last fall, the boards of ASID and IIDA met to initiate talks on ways to advance the interior design profession, including how our organizations could better collabo-rate and whether there was merit in exploring a possible merger of the two organizations at some time in the fu-ture. [Emphasis added.] After delibera-tion, the IIDA board recently released a statement that it did not support merging with ASID at this time. ASID re-spects this decision and welcomes the opportunity to work with IIDA on issues that affect our members and the profes-sion as a whole. As IIDA affi rmed, both

The International Interior Design Association is steadfastly commit-ted to its members, embracing the legacy of the profession, and advanc-ing the Future of Design [sic].

BackgroundIIDA was founded in 1994 as a result of a merger of the Institute of Busi-ness Designers (IBD); the Interna-tional Society of Interior Designers (ISID); and the Council of Federal Interior Designers (CFID). The goal of the merger was to create an inter-national association with a united mission that would represent interior designers worldwide. Since that date, IIDA has worked to convene com-munities of interior designers across regions and design specialties rep-resenting the interests of the entire profession.

Vision and MissionIIDA, while honoring the accomplish-ments of design leaders, strives to create a strong niche for the most talented and visionary interior design professionals; to elevate the profes-sion through knowledge, value and community; and to lead the way for the next generation of interior design


was optimistic but needing guidance,” said Ms. Allen, “there was a lot of ‘Oh, I didn’t know that...’ as it relates to their resume and/or interviewing process. We offered a lot of tips on resume writing and interviewing and put a huge emphasis on learning how to sell yourself.

“During the breakout session, many of the questions revolved around such common occurrences as ‘I’ve been on several interviews, but I don’t get called back. How do I market myself?’ I couldn’t teach them everything at that moment, so I gave everyone a Barnes & Noble gift certifi cate. Go, buy a book on my dime and learn how to write a resume, sell yourself etc.”

With many good tips they could utilize immediately and the happy prospect of buying a book on a more specifi c problem, this audience re-ceived a boost of energy that reverber-ates just as mightily as fear. But for Ms. Allen, it’s never just about happy talk or grim realities; it’s always about balancing the two.

“Stay away from negative people and limit the amount of news you watch,” said Ms. Allen. “Do whatever you must to stay positive; if you don’t, it will show in the interviewing process. But remember, it’s a full time job fi nd-ing a new position. You can’t just sit and wait for the phone to ring; you’ll never fi nd a new position that way!”

“Networking is the way most jobs are obtained,” continued Ms. Allen, “don’t be reluctant to ask for help; people want to help. Allsteel and all the sponsors (Gunlocke, Milliken, MDC Wallcovering and 3Form) wanted to help, Searchwise Consultants wants to help, offi ceinsight wants to help. Companies are still hiring, but you have to show value.”

recessions, the A&D community only recently started experiencing a slow down. If blessings are to be counted, then the industry must count itself lucky that their travails begin after Wall Street titans confessed that they were totally delusional, and after the multi-faceted meltdown of Main Street. Now, as the economy shows faint glimmer-ings of stabilization if not recovery, the industry will have a better chance to recoup, a better chance to display its sturdiest and most adaptable qualities and maybe even be at the forefront a better built “prosperity.”

It’s no surprise then that forums on how to survive this particular downturn have begun to spring up. One such program was recently sponsored by Allsteel, Gunlocke, Milliken, MDC Wallcovering and 3Form. Key Note speaker, Deborah Allen founder of Searchwise Consultants, a Los An-geles based full spectrum recruiting fi rm, had both common sense basics as well as deeper insights to offer the audience of architects, designers and project managers looking for work.

Held on April Fool’s day, Allsteel entitled the event “Feeling Punk’d by the Economy? Feeling Like the Joke’s on You?” Ms. Allen’s presenta-tion included such topics as Resume Writing 101, Interviewing Tips, How To Stay Current and Stay Engaged and Working with Search Firms. She offered the kind of advice and reassur-ance the punk’d need to hear, need to be reminded of when so much of the coverage and “realistic assessment” seems to be little more than what New York Magazine called “pessimism porn.” While realities can’t be ignored, it’s never a good idea to become mes-merized by them either.

“For the most part, the audience

Making the Most of Opportunities: Getting Hired In a Challenging Marketby Mary Lissone

If the current economy was a disaster fl ick, it would be the horrifi c sequel to the last major recession (the 1980’s debacle), and like all Hollywood blockbusters, it would outdo the previ-ous version by invoking the dreaded Depression Era imagery and dolor-ous tone. Set against the backdrop of a dying planet and several other depressing conditions, anxiety levels are not only heightened, they’re at the edge of the chart and about to run out of paper.

However, in the A&D community, where the slightest tremor – the most subtle irregularities in the economy– are keenly felt, the blips and beeps are more or less a constant. As a result, architects, designers and the vast as-sociated industries are highly skilled at reading gloomy indicators and dealing with job loss. Curiously, unlike past

career

DEBORAH ALLEN


If our current economic state was a disaster fl ick, Deborah Allen would be passing out new script pages. Her characters would be more savvy and self aware, they would “dig deep” as she puts it, to fi nd solutions to crum-bling structures. All the things that led to the Age of Delusion, where the empty and valueless was being sold as golden and substantive, are coming to light. For Ms. Allen, this is the ideal time for those who have taken the time to acquire real value. No community is more adept at understanding the demo and build cycle, and that there are no magical transformations. Be-coming the new foundation, the van-guard is always based on the strength of their talent and innovative think-ing. The A&D community is always uniquely positioned to fi nd building opportunities, job opportunities, and if they don’t exist yet, to design them from scratch. Perhaps the best news is that this community is inherently shielded from sham: it’s pretty hard to fake a building,and now that real things are popular again, there is every reason to be giddy with delight.

To that end, Ms. Allen devotes equal time to helping her clients defi ne and express what their real needs are for a position, often delving into unstated/invisible psychological qualifi cations that are wanted. By bringing both ends of the spectrum to some clarity, more successful matches are made. None of it is easy and there’s real work involved.

The prospect of hard work (but haven’t we been doing that!?!?) is not especially inviting. Deborah Allen would ask that hard work be inter-preted in a new way: “think of it as a personal best effort. Everything starts from the individual; all great move-ments start with just a few people willing to make the necessary changes. Focus on making your own skills and attitude better; it’s really just the other side of the coin. You can invest in and spread doom and gloom and bury yourself in seemingly valid and statisti-cally provable negative outcomes, or you could do the opposite. Both have an equal chance of becoming reality. The question is, which is a more ap-pealing vision?”

Ms. Allen advises that this is the time “if you are unemployed, to upgrade your skills (CAD? BIM? Understanding ADA compliances? LEED Accreditation?) Don’t give an employer a reason to pass you over because you don’t have whatever is now considered the basics for the job you want.”

The news that “companies are still hiring” is not just some wildly opti-mistic generalization for Ms. Allen. She has been on the front lines in good times and bad, and fi nding the ideal candidate for a client’s position is always a highly focused process. Even in lean times, opportunities are always emerging. With each well-placed candidate, the circle widens once again; productivity and goals are met, which engenders more possibili-ties and new hiring needs. Over the course of a twenty year career, Ms. Al-len has seen this process repeat itself many times and in her estimation the best way to stoke the fi res and begin a “boom” is to have an educated – enlightened even – pool of candidates and employers.

career


a minute with ira joe

or beefalo rotating and dripping grease over a fl ickering fi re); but, all they ever seemed to eat were …beans. Now, I love beans. Lima. Garbonzo. Baked. With brown sugar, a touch of ketchup. Maybe some little wieners cut up and tossed in. But, beans are an occasion-al treat. Not an every day meal or an every meal day. With all else the fellas had to contend with - in that heat, why add the woe of legumes?

Perhaps snobbery is bubbling to my surface here; but, each sidewinder always sported a three-day growth of stubble. Not like “Oh, I shaved day before yesterday” or “Oops, I missed this morning.” I’m not opposed to facial hair – had stylishly full whiskers myself for a couple of years and loved ‘em. But I think a beard ought to blos-som into a beard and not look like you were too lazy to lather or just getting over the fl u. Then, there are the teeth. It was obvious, for most of the galoots working the cowboy shift, that the man who contracted with them to herd the little dogies from East Cupcake, Wyo-ming, to Lizard Lung, Arizona, offered no comprehensive dental plan. Well, blow your entire paycheck on beans …and there’re no funds left for fl oss.

Nope. I am not a fan of the cowboy life. Or fi lm. I don’t like it being the image other parts of the world have of this country. But, I must say hearing “Home on the Range” on the radio did spur in me a mysterious need to …well, mosey. And a strange, compel-ling hankerin’ to rustle up some grub. Oh, I dunno. Mebbe …beans?

And the outfi ts? Here was the Lone Ranger and Red Ryder gallop-ing about the sweltering scrub-plains between sun-glinting rocks and withering sagebrush …and they were wearing long-sleeved shirts, leather vests, fl oppy hats, boots, gloves and kerchiefs cinched around their necks. These rough, tough, rugged hombres who would spit in a bad guy’s eye at the drop of a discouraging word dressed like they were about to settle into a rocking chair on a nursing home porch. Gloves and a neck scarf? Whoa, Trigger! It had to be in 98 degrees in the shade o’ the cactus out there where the deer and the antelope play. And think about it: you never saw any deer or antelope playing. It was too damned hot. No wonder those ten-gallon hats were stained with sweat. Ick.

They bundled up in the blazing day but slept under the big sky in the chilled western night with just a fl imsy little blanket. And their saddle for a pillow. I’ve only encountered two or three saddles in my time on the planet, pardner; but, those two or three sad-dles were among the hardest and most uncomfortable accoutrements imag-inable. And after spending the day lashed to the perspiring torso of poor “Ol’ Paint,” they had to be fragrant in a let’s-hose-this-off-with-some-heavy-duty-Lysol way. More purgatory than pillow. More Dante than Zane Grey.

How about the meals? These guys claimed to be carnivores (there was always an unfortunate cow or buffalo

Gittin’ Alongby Ira Joe Fisher

As I was pursuing some mundane task the other morning the radio trotted “Home on the Range” out into the morning. It was my local and loved classical music station and I didn’t ever expect to hear that tune. My de-light surprised me. I am not a cowboy fan. I don’t like western movies. I put away childish interest in the genre way back in the distant mist of time. There was a brief period, I‘ll admit, when I did have a toy pistol and holster. A hat with a string tied under my chin. And I dimly remember a pair of boots that caused me to wonder how Gene Autry and Roy Rogers walked around in the darned things. No wonder they got into fi st fi ghts. Foot pain can make a cowpoke ornery.


MATERIAL OF THE WEEK

MC# 6298-013D lacquer effect on injection molded elements. In this patented process, injection molded parts from PC/ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) receive a 3D effect surface fi n-ish. For this process, a special polymer is used that is inter-spersed with magnetic particles. These particles are furnished with the information of the desired motive. Depending on the geometry of part, they are stimulated during or after the injection molding process. In the fi nishing process, that uses a special solvent based lacquer, the individual lacquer particles are mag-netically attracted and create color aggregations which on their part produce the 3D effect. Therefore, three-dimensional effects with high resolutions can be created in rationalized process steps. The injection molded parts are produced with conven-tional machines with little extra effort and have only little impact on the costs in large-volume production. The fi nishing process is carried out using unmodifi ed conventional equipment and could also be carried out by hand. The process is suitable for the production and lacquering of home appliances, consumer electronics, automotive parts and for the production of unique parts as well as large volume production.

This column is published in collaboration with Material Con-neXion. For more information regarding the material pre-viewed, please contact Michael LaGreca at [email protected]. T: 212.842.2050.


>IFMA released “Distrib-uted Work: Research Report #31.” The report details trends in on-site and off-site distributed work strategies and defi nes the common terms associated with these work settings. The report features 10 case studies that demonstrate how companies around the world, including AT&T, Bank of America, BP, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Sprint Nextel, are imple-menting their own distributed work programs.Distributed work strategy is a catchall phrase for work that is spread among workers in variable locations and occurs at varying times. Based on a survey of 951 built environ-ment professionals, the report reveals: - 60% of facility professionals use unassigned workspace.- While nearly half of respon-dents noted an increase in employees utilizing unas-signed workspace only 37% have increased their unas-signed workspace allocation.- Though cost savings may seem a natural benefi t of on-site alternative workplace options, few facility practi-tioners indicated signifi cant decreases or increases on overall operating costs, and more than 40% reported no effect. - Telecommuting was the most common off-site work-place strategy reported, with 56% of respondents noting its use within their organizations.- The top reasons for considering or implement-ing an off-site workplace strategy included fl exibility, work/life balance and cost

with the ASHRAE Excellence in Engineering Award and, in 2007, was named as one of Building Design + Construc-tion Magazine’s Top 40 under 40. http://www.esdesign.com

>Paul F. Jacob III announced that he will retire as Chair-man of RTKL Associates Inc. Since being named Chairman in 2003, Mr. Jacob spear-headed a series of initiatives and programs that empha-sized the cross-pollination of disciplines and talents, especially young talent. He also re-focused the fi rm’s commitment to defi ning qual-ity as a blend of aesthetic and technical expertise. Mr. Jacob helped to start and grow RTKL’s Los Angeles offi ce in 1986, where he worked with Universal Studios, the Irvine Companies and Trizec, and helped RTKL move into China and Southeast Asia. Mr. Jacob believes that it is time to make room for a new gen-eration to meet and manage a new array of challenges, from BIM, integrated practice, climate change, sustainable design and globalization. www.rtkl.com

NOTEWORTHY>David P. Callan was named Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Director for Environmental Systems De-sign, Chicago, IL. Mr. Callan, a LEED accredited, certifi ed Energy Manager, High-Performance Building Design Professional and Professional Engineer specializes in the design of high performance and sustainable building projects. He was honored

PRODUCT INTRO>Cumberland Furniture now offers the Alia Chair in a Bar Stool height. The Alia Chair, released in 2007, features 2” thick cushions on a soldid hardwood frame with rounded seat and back edges to com-pliment the crisp edges of the frame and legs. The Alia Bar Stool is handcrafted and constructed of maple veneer and solids. www.cumberland-furniture.com

CUMBERLAND: ALIA CHAIR

DAVID CALLAN


a 30-year industry veteran. Interior Solutions maintains active memberships in the International Interior Design Association and the Offi ce Furniture Dealers Alliance. Interior Solutions, San Diego is located at 161 14th Street. www.interiorsolutions.net http://www.kimballoffi ce.com

>KI sponsored a two-se-mester “Auditoria Redux” at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The program, for students in the School of Architecture & Urban Plan-ning and a model of design research and interdisciplinary collaboration, produced an array of ideas and concepts to transform auditorium design and assembly space. The submitted ideas included reducing the high consump-tion of energy within audito-ria by designing seats with built-in thermal heating and cooling systems, stage traps and lifts to fl exibly reconfi g-ure and personalize seating arrangements and spatial formats, and new materials for auditoria. As part of the studio experience, students visited KI’s headquarters with company offi cials, designers and engineers. www.ki.com

>Knoll’s Generation work chair was previewed in the May 2009 edition of TIME Style and Design. Designed by Formway Design, Genera-tion responds to the user and the postures adopted during the workday. Generation uses less material and comes in fun fabrics such as fi re-cracker red and lemongrass green. Knoll will introduce

tion. Their design work on the Charles/MGH Redline Station, Boston, MA, re-ceived the award from the Boston Preservation Alliance for achievement in historic preservation and compatible new construction. www.elkus-manfredi.com

>Herman Miller, Inc. received Gold vendor status from Supply Chain Systems, a MedAssets company. The company is among 87 companies who received the award, which recognizes those vendors that improve customer savings and customer satisfaction, comply with reporting and payment standards, experi-ence continuous growth in purchase volume, strive for environmental excellence, and support MedAssets’ phil-anthropic efforts. http://www.hermanmiller.com

>Interior Solutions, Salt Lake City, UT, a Kimball Of-fi ce Select Dealer, is expand-ing into the San Diego, CA, market. It will operate under the name Interior Solutions. The offi ce management team will be led by Mac McCardle,

from Chicago’s Merchandise Mart at 226 West Kinzie. All Bisazza fl agship stores are located in the main capitals of design: Barcelona, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Antwerp, and Tokyo. Each store features the Bisazza Home collection of furniture and decorative ac-cessories designed by leading design fi gures including: Tord Boontje, Andrée Putman, Patricia Urquiola, Marcel Wanders, Studio Job, Jaime Hayon, Jürgen Mayer H.www.bisazza.

>Elkus Manfredi Architects and HDR Engineers re-ceived the 2009 Preserva-tion Achievement Award for Signifi cant New Construc-

savings, while the greatest impediments to implementing off-site options were manage-ment’s resistance to change, organizational culture and technology constraints.For a complete report, visit: www.ifma.org/tools/research/31.cfm

>AAA Business Supplies & Interiors, San Francisco, CA, was rated one of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area. The results are based on online employee satisfaction surveys received from Bay Area employees regarding company work climate and culture, company policies and benefi ts, and management practices. AAA is a certifi ed green business as a result of the efforts of employee effort to fully incor-porate sustainability into the core values of the company. http:www.aaasolutions.com/

>Autodsys, Inc. announced the release of AcceliCAD 2010, the fi fth major release of AcceliCAD. AcceliCAD is used as a general purpose CAD program and as a plat-form for vertical applications for the architectural, map-ping, civil, mechanical, and structural fi elds. Users wish-ing to try AcceliCAD 2010 may download it from www.autodsys.com

>Bisazza, known for its production of glass mo-saic for interior and outdoor decoration, will open its fi rst Chicago fl agship store in June 2009. Designed by architect Carlo Dal Bianco, the store is located across

BISAZZA MOSAIC TILE

CHARLES/MGH REDLINE STATION


ness development, strategic management and technical expertise. Mr. Agee has over 35 years of industry experi-ence, previously working with Air Transport Associa-tion, responsible for techni-cal activities. Mr. Agee has been active in numerous industry associations and working groups, including the Airports Council Interna-tional-North America, Airport Consultants Council, and the American Association of Air-port Executives. http://www.urscorp.com

>Rachel Casanova, LEED AP, joined Perkins+Will as a Senior Associate in the New York Planning + Strate-gies team. She was formerly with Mancini Duffy. “Rachel brings exceptional insight and energy to our Planning + Strategies leadership team,” said Paul Eagle, Managing Director of the New York offi ces. “Her extensive exper-tise in realigning corporate real estate assets to chang-ing business strategy will help Perkins+Will’s clients use their workplaces more effi ciently, in good times and bad.” Ms. Casanova has extensive experience in occupancy planning, programming, standards development, and facili-ties management systems for large organizations. She works closely with clients to help them make smart real estate decisions based on analysis of organizational needs, business goals, and existing space. She can be reached at T: 212.251.7147

collection provides corporate, healthcare, education and GSA customers with wood furniture solutions for offi ce, reception and conference environments.

>Workstage, a develop-ment and construction fi rm partially owned by Steelcase Inc. is shutting down. The company, founded in 2000 by Jack Cottrell, Kent Riddle and Donald Slaght, was brought down, in part by the state of the economy. Workstage was named one of America’s Top Ten Most Innovative Develop-ers, received the National AIA Honor Award for Design Ex-cellence and was recognized for its sustainable leadership by AIA, Corenet and IIDA. This is a real tragedy, and an-other example of how diffi cult it is to promote meaningful interior design and architec-ture.

RE-SITED>Philip H. Agee joined URS Corporation, Tampa, FL, as Senior Business Develop-ment Manager for the Air Transportation Business Line. He will be responsible for assisting URS division offi ces and regional business units with aviation busi-

on June 16 and the winner will be announced during NeoCon. Vote online at http://manningtoncommercial.com/txstyle and view updates on Mannington Commercial’s Fa-cebook fan page.

>Sea level is very hard to pin down, but is an important measurement for measuring the height of everything on land accurately and know-ing if the oceans are rising or falling over time. If you were to stand on the ocean shore and try to measure sea level with a ruler, you would fi nd it to be impossible – the level changes by the second (waves), by the hour (tides) and by the week (planetary and solar orbit changes). To get around this, scientists use tide gauges. A tide gauge is a large (1 foot or more in diameter), long pipe with a small hole below the water line. This pipe is often called a stilling well. Even though waves are changing the water level outside the gauge con-stantly, they have little effect inside the gauge. The sea level can be read relatively accurately inside this pipe. When read on a regular basis, over a time span of years and then averaged, you can get a measurement of sea level.

>Whitehall Furniture, Or-leans, IN, is now available at Paoli.com under the White-hall Collection. Customers accessing Whitehall Collection casegoods, seating and tables at Paoli.com will fi nd informa-tion, downloads and ameni-ties that speed the processes of specifying and selling. The

Generation formally on June 15 at NeoCon in Chicago, IL. To raise awareness of the Generation chair and other Knoll products on display at NeoCon, Knoll launched a “Join the Movement” ban-ner campaign which will be featured in ads carried online at interiordesign.net, the Web site for Interior Design magazine and in offi ceinsight http://www.knoll.com

>Mannington Commercial invites the design commu-nity to vote for the grand prize winner of the tx:style design challenge. Down to six designers from over 440 entrants, Mannington’s design development team has worked closely with the fi nal-ists to develop patterns, man-ufacture product, and create coordinated colorways. The winner will receive $7,500 and the launch of a full production line of commercial carpet. Voting closes at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time

KNOLL GENERATION

PHILIP AGEE


fi cient plumbing, heating and air conditioning. Recycled materials, low-emitting paints, carpets, and a green cleaning program are used throughout. Ancillary benefi ts include the close proximity to public transportation and hotel guests arriving in a hybrid auto receive complimentary valet parking. http://www.cubellis.com

EVENTS>Vladimir Kagan was selected as the keynote speaker for commencement exercises at the New York School of Interior Design. Commencement exercises will be held May 13, 4 pm, at Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, NYC. Mr. Kagan, who also will receive the col-lege’s Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts, is one of the most enduring designers of modern furniture with a career that has spanned over sixty years. Mr. Kagan’s clients included Marilyn Monroe, Gary Cooper, and Walt Disney. Contem-porary collectors include the Museum of Modern Art and David Bowie. Penny Bonda also was selected to receive

lar trees to mitigate a range of environmental problems. Over 2,100 hybrid poplar trees were installed on the landfi ll over a six-acre area in 2007. Over the summer and fall, the trees use so much water that the topsoil and refuse in the upper portion of the landfi ll are dried out, creating a ‘sponge.’ In the dormant win-ter season the ‘sponge’ that was created (dry soil) accepts leachate. In the case that shallow fi eld capacity of the landfi ll is exceeded, excess leachate can be captured by strategically placed tile that drains to the toe sump, or by the existing internal landfi ll drainage network. http://www.lbg.com

PROJECTS>Cubellis completed work on Hotel Felix, Chicago’s fi rst hotel designed to achieve a LEED Silver rating. Designed in 1926 and formerly known as Hotel Wacker, the ho-tel’s LEED features include in-room motion sensors to control the thermostat, instal-lation of recycled products, organic materials, renewable resources, and energy ef-

Bac Plus and PremierBac Plus. eKo modular backed carpets were awarded NSF/ANSI Standard 140-2007 Platinum certifi cation, and PremierBac Plus and Titan-Bac Plus broadloom backed carpets were NSF/ANSI Standard 140-2007 Gold Certifi ed. eKO features less material, which means less embodied energy and are de-signed to provide closed-loop recyclability TitanBac Plus broadloom carpet features a moisture management backing system that prevents moisture from penetrating into the subfl oor. PremierBac Plus broadloom boasts a lifetime warranty for tuft bind strength and delamination protection. www.jj-invision.com

>Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. a ground-water and environmental engineer-ing services fi rm, received a National Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies. Part of the organization’s 2009 Engineering Excel-lence Awards competition, which recognizes the top 25 engineering projects in the nation, the fi rm was honored for its landfi ll leachate treat-ment process that employed green technology. LBG was hired by Republic Services, Inc. to solve the problem of a landfi ll generating 2.5- 3 mil-lion gallons of leachate. LBG recommended an automati-cally-adjusting oxidation pre-treatment system and a green technology that harnesses the ability of specifi c hybrid pop-

>Bruce Watts and Tresa Herald were hired as ac-count managers by Trendway dealer, Great Lakes Con-tract Group. Mr. Watts has been in the contract offi ce furniture industry over 24 years and has held positions as operations manager and outside sales representative. He is based in Indianapolis and will be responsible for Indiana. Ms. Herald has been in contract furniture sales for 15 years at the dealer and manufacturer level. She is based in Winchester, KY, and will cover Kentucky. http://www.trendway.com

ENVIRONMENT>Herman Miller received the 2009 Design for Recycling Award from Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. The award recognizes excellence in design innovation, together with the advancement of re-cycling throughout the design and manufacturing process. http://www.hermanmiller.com

>Inscape announced that all Offi ce Specialty fi ling and storage products achieved Cradle to Cradle Silver Certifi cation. The certifi cation applies to all Offi ce Specialty storage lines including 7900 Series, 8900 Plus, 9900 Se-ries, Storage Centers, Radius, Linear and Arcus. http://www.inscapesolutions.com/

>J+J/Invision received NSF/ANSI Standard 140-2007 Certifi cation for eKo, Titan-


showroom hours during ICFF 2009, 10am-7pm, May 16, and 10am-5pm, May 17. Currently on view in its showroom is a retrospective of Neal Small, seminal 1960’s designer. Material ConneXion also will be ICFF 2009, booth # 2348 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W. 34th St., NYC.

>The Solomon R. Guggen-heim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, NYC, will host Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward, May 15-August 23. Known as Child of the Sun, the collection comes from Florida Southern College, which has the largest single-site collec-tion of the Mr. Wright’s work in the world. The exhibit will feature photos and drawings of his one-of-a-kind master plan, which began with a request from Dr.Ludd Spivey to develop plans for a great education temple in Florida. Eager to realize his dream of masterminding an entire city, Mr. Wright designed 18 buildings for Mr. Spivey, 12 of which were built. Mr. Wright’s centerpiece, a 74-jet fountain called the Water Dome, was too technically advanced for its time. It was fi nally completed in 2007, the fi rst Wright design to be built for an original client at the original site since 1966. More than $5 million dollars in federal and state grants and private gifts, combined with the work of New York-based architect Jeff Baker, Mesick-Cohen-Wilson-Baker, is helping transform the campus back to Mr. Wright’s original masterpiece. http://www.guggenheim.org/

for May 1, 222 Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL, Professor Alan Hedge explores the role ergonomics and green design play in optimizing a work environment for maximum productivity. “Public Archi-tecture and the Power of Pro Bono Design” features decorated architect John Cary discussing the benefi ts of pro bono design for communities and individuals. The event will be held May 21, 649 Front Street, San Francisco, CA. http:www.humanscale.com

>Japan by Design will be at the International Contem-porary Furniture Fair, May 16-19. Held at the Jacob K. ConventionCenter, Hall D, 655 W. 34th Street at 11th Ave., NYC, the fair-within-a-fair, consists of two sections. The kansei-Japan Design Exhibi-tion, featuring products from 121 Japanese companies, is intended to increase aware-ness of ‘kansei:’ the Japanese sensibility of emotion, visual stimulation, expression and aesthetic value. The presenta-tion will be shown through product displays and multi-media visual installations such as video, light and sound. The Japan Pavilion, showcasing 17 Japanese companies that use cutting-edge design tech-nology, will feature furniture and interior furnishings. http://www.icff.com/

>Material ConneXion will host an open house at its new headquarters, Saturday, May 16, 4-7pm. Material ConneXion, located at 60 Madison Ave., 2nd fl oor, NYC, also will be holding special

opening and reception on the life and work of J. Max Bond, Jr. The event will take place on May 12, 6-8 pm, 536 LaGuardia Place, NYC. Mr. Bond forged his way through the barriers of discrimina-tion to become one of the country’s leading architects and educators. The exhibition explores Mr. Bond’s career, his background and infl uences, as well as the academic, civic, and social contributions that established him as a patriarch of the design community. http://www.aiany.org/calendar/

>Foscarini, an Italian lighting manufacturer, will exhibit for the fi rst time at the HD 2009 Expo, May 13-16. The company will be in space 6521 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, 201 Sands Ave., Las Vegas, NV. Foscarini will feature Fiber Evolution, produced in partnership with Marc Sadler and Tropico, by Giulio Lacchetti, a kit of parts to create chandeliers up to 6 ½ ft. in diameter. http://www.foscarini.com

>Humanscale’s Design Smart Seminars series continues in May with two educational sessions. In “The Adaptable Workplace: Ergonomic Design and Productivity,” scheduled

NYSID’s Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts. She is the found-ing chair of the U.S. Green Building Council committee for LEED Commercial Interiors and the ASID Sustainable De-sign Council, and is a principal developer of REGREEN, the USGBC/ASID green residen-tial renovation and interior remodeling program. http://www.nysid.edu/

>Suzanne Tick will ex-hibit some of her work in an upcoming show called InDisposed. InDisposed highlights the dichotomies defi ning contemporary design: sustainability versus wasteful-ness, and preciousness versus mass production. Opening night is May 24, 6-10 pm at Studio X, 180 Varick Street, Suite 1610, NYC. The exhibit will run through May 20 and also will feature 20 designers, including locals and interna-tional talent, architects, artists, and product designers. http://beta.arch.columbia.edu/tags/studio-x

>NCIDQ will host a free examination forum, June 17, 11:00 am, during the Neo-Con World Trade Fair 2009. NCIDQ will provide informa-tion about how the exam is being updated in 2010 and will cover all aspects of the exam process, from content to eligibility requirements. The free session, only open to registered NeoCon attendees, will not be repeated and space is limited. To register: www.neocon.com

>The Center for Architec-ture will host an exhibition

J. MAX BOND JR.


businesstomers and potential customers while implementing aggressive cost control. We had several encouraging new customer wins during the third quarter but these wins could not offset the general downdraft of the overall markets. Double-digit sales declines and continued softness in order rates required us to accelerate and expand our cost reduction actions. As a result, we reduced our selling and administrative costs by 21% when compared to the prior year third quarter. Even more notable, we reduced our selling and administrative costs by 10% from just one quarter ago. Despite these signifi cant improvements, the sales decline was simply too swift and deep to overcome completely.”

“Given the current economic conditions, cash and liquidity preservation is a top priority throughout the company at this time, and we are aggressively managing our working capital,” continued Mr. Thyen. “I was very pleased with our operating cash fl ow for the quarter, which was a positive $23.7 million—over $20 million better than the same quarter last year. We are keenly focused on a daily basis on prudent management of our trade receivables and reducing our inventory levels. As expected, we have seen some aging of our accounts receivable which necessitated an increase in our bad debt reserve during the quarter. As the length and breadth of the recession remains diffi cult to predict, visibility into the future is very limited and will continue to present signifi cant operating challenges in the near-term. Our strong balance sheet and the timely generation of cash by our timberland sales position us well to navigate through this global economic crisis.”

CFO Robert Schneider noted that the company’s net cash position, an aggregate of cash and short-term investments less short-term borrowings, totaled $51.0 million at March 31, 2009 compared to $29.8 million at June 30, 2008. The increase was primarily due to sale of its land holdings and timberlands which was partially offset by construction costs of a new EMS facility in Poland. Long-term debt, less current maturities, remains at less than $0.5 million.

“Kimball is net cash positive by $51 million,” Mr. Schneider emphasized. “Many public companies have cash on their balance sheets, but they also owe their banks much more, and they are in a negative net cash position. For Kimball it is positive and we have almost no long-term debt. This is a fi nancial position that is the envy of most companies, especially in today’s economic environment. But we are not complacent with where we stand. We recognize that our inventory levels are too high relative to our benchmarking of competitors and we are very determined to lower these levels, which will free up further cash.”

BUSINESS AFFAIRS> HNI Corp. announced that it will webcast its May 12, 2009, Shareholders’ meeting, which will be held at 10:30 a.m. (Central) at the Holiday Inn in Muscatine, IA. The we-bcast can be accessed via a link on the Investor Information section of the Corporation’s website at www.hnicorp.com. The materials will be posted on the Corporation’s website.

> Kimball International, Inc., on May 7 released results for its FY09 third quarter, which ended March 31 (dollars in mil-lions except EPS):

3 Mos. Ended 03/31/09 03/31/08 % Ch.Net Sales $268.9 $332.1 (19%)Gross Profit $42.5 $56.1 (24%)SG&A $44.1 $55.8 (21%)Op. Inc. $6.3 ($3.7) -Inc. Cont. Op. $4.1 ($0.9) -EPS (dil.) $0.11 ($0.02) -

Third-quarter FY09 income from continuing operations included a $13.9 million after-tax gain, or $0.37 per Class B diluted share, related to the sale of the company’s remaining undeveloped land holdings and timberland; a non-cash charge of $9.1 million after-tax for goodwill impairment or $0.24 per Class B diluted share; and $0.4 million of after-tax restructuring expense, or $0.01 per Class B diluted share. Excluding these items, Kimball recorded a non-GAAP loss from continuing op-erations of $0.3 million, or a loss of $0.01 per Class B diluted share for the FY09 third quarter.

Electronic Manufacturing Services Segment

3 Mos. Ended 03/31/09 03/31/08 % Ch.Net Sales $140.6 $181.1 (22%)Inc. Cont Op. ($9.6) ($2.2) -Non-GAAPInc. Cont. Op. ($1.4) ($0.9) -

Furniture Segment

3 Mos. Ended 03/31/09 03/31/08 % Ch.Net Sales $128.2 $151.0 (15%)Inc. Cont Op. ($1.6) ($1.2) -Non-GAAPInc. Cont. Op. ($0.5) $2.1 -“The abrupt slowdown in the economy that began last fall in our second fi scal quarter accelerated during the third fi scal quarter,” said James C. Thyen, President and CEO. “The econ-omy and the liquidity crisis continue to be the major themes in our businesses. We have responded with both increased emphasis on supporting our markets and supporting our cus-


businessdemand, our focus is to use free cash fl ow to pay down debt while investing in the kinds of new product initiatives that we believe will allow us to gain share in high potential categories. This includes the June 2009 introduction of our Generation by Knoll(TM) work chair at our industry’s NeoCon(R) trade show in Chicago.”

He added, “When compared to our previous dividend rate, this reduced dividend will preserve approximately $18.7 million annually. With other actions to improve working capital, we expect to make signifi cant progress in continuing to delever our balance sheet. We will continue to evaluate our dividend quarterly and, as business conditions change, we will adjust to the circumstances we face.”

The full text of Kimball’s third-quarter FY09 fi nancial press release and replay of its May 7 conference call webcast can be found at the company’s Investor Relations website, www.ir.kimball.com.

> Knoll, Inc., on May 4 announced that its Board of Direc-tors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share payable June 30, 2009 to all shareholders of record on June 15, 2009. This is a $0.10 per share reduction from the $0.12 per share dividend that the Company declared and paid each quarter in 2008 and the fi rst quarter of 2009.

Commenting on the reduced dividend, Andrew Cogan, CEO, noted, “In the midst of a substantial decline in industry

Industry Stock Prices5.8.09 3.27.09 12.26.08 12.26.08 9.26.08 6.27.08 3.28.08 %frYrHi

%fr50-DayMA

ChromC 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.4 1.7 3.3 4.7 -89.2% 7.6%

CompX 5.9 5.8 5.2 5.2 5.8 5.2 9.3 -28.9% 2.4%

HMiller 14.8 11.4 13.9 13.9 25.1 25.2 24.5 -51.5% 17.5%

HNI 16.6 10.8 14.7 14.7 25.6 18.4 27.7 -51.8% 28.5%

Inscape 2.2 1.8 2.3 2.3 3 3.5 3.5 -51.1% 3.3%

Interface 6.4 3.1 5.3 5.3 11.9 12.9 14.3 -55.3% 56.4%

Kimball 5.8 6.6 8.2 8.2 11.2 8.6 10.8 -54.8% -8.6%

Knoll 7.6 6.7 8.6 8.6 15.2 12.4 11.6 -59.4% 10.7%

Leggett 15.7 13.8 14.7 14.7 22.3 17.2 14.9 -36.1% 11.6%

Mohawk 45.5 32.6 35.7 35.7 69.9 64.8 71.5 -42.3% 24.0%

OffDepot 3.9 1.5 2.6 2.6 5.8 11 11.1 -72.0% 92.3%

Staples 19.9 18.6 16.9 16.9 23.1 24 11.4 -25.1% -0.7%

Steelcase 4.8 5.6 6 6 10.4 9.9 3.1 -62.7% 0.9%

20-20 Tech 2.0 1.5 1.8 1.8 3.4 5 6.1 N/A% N/A%

UntdStat 38.6 29.5 33.3 33.3 49.4 36.6 47.7 -27.9% 22.7%

USG 17.1 8.5 8.8 8.8 28.7 30.1 35.2 -85.3% 52.6%

Virco 3.3 2.6 1.9 1.9 3.6 4.7 5.4 -37.0% 14.8%

SUM 210.5 160.6 180.1 180.1 315.9 292.9 335.5 -34.9% -

DJIndust 8,574 7,776 8,629 8,629 11,143 11,346 12,216 - -


technologythe screen only when a user is present as well as an ambi-ent light sensor that optimizes the screen’s brightness level: http://www.eizo.com/

>The New York Times showcased the work of 70-year-old inventor/author/cartoonist Steven M. Johnson in a May 4 article, “Searching for Value in Ludicrous Ideas.” Each of Mr. Johnson’s inventions, essentially concept sketches, combines at least two functions. For example, his “Nod Offi ce”, published in 1984, combined an offi ce desk with a sleeping compartment. A 2009 cartoon updated this concept with “Sleep-In Cubicles” that allow working senior citizens to take afternoon naps. http://arieff.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/searching-for-value-in-ludicrous-ideas/

TECHNOLOGY>Amazon last week introduced its new Kindle DX e-reader, a larger-format version of the Kindle 2 introduced only a few months ago. Priced at $489, the new device features a 9.7-inch screen and storage capacity for 3,500 books, while the Kindle 2, priced at $359, has a 6-inch screen and holds up to 1,500 books. The DX also includes a native PDF reader and rotating display capability. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154JDAI/?tag=googhydr-20-&hvadid=2930167195&ref=pd_sl_94gezpav8a_e

>Eizo Nanao Corp. introduced a new series of eco-friendly display monitors that feature a motion sensor that activates

Soduko: Fill in the empty cells so that every row, column and cube contains a digit from 1-9, without duplication. (Level: Hard)

5 9

4

6 8

4

5

2 1

6 3

7

2

4

4

6

5

1

8

2 8

4 1

3

6

7 2

4

6 9

05.11.09 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE …media.officeinsight.com/CurrentIssuezxc/OI051109.bernhardt.pdf · industry and it fully retains the glow of its premium brand

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