Eastman® Resins Challenge Student Creativity In Furniture Design

Furniture World Magazine

Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) are collaborating on a project to explore the use of clear materials to promote light, openness and human interaction in an office environment. SCAD’s furniture design department will use Eastman® resins to create clear office concepts that will be marketed to the furniture industry. Richard Prisco, department head, furniture design, said: “The project will challenge the creativity of our students and is an excellent opportunity to learn firsthand about plastics and how they can be put to innovative uses. The experienced gained from this project will help them in their design careers and could very well influence the office of the future.” “There is a trend towards clear plastics in furniture and our collaboration with SCAD will demonstrate the full potential of our plastics,” said Lisa Shumate, manager of consumer markets products for Eastman. “We are excited about working with SCAD’s furniture design department and look forward to unveiling practical innovative design solutions for the office.” The concepts will be complete in March and will be promoted at various furniture events during 2003, including the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York in May. Eastman’s plastics are known for their clarity, toughness and chemical resistance to cleaning compounds and are used in applications as diverse as furniture, point-of-purchase displays, vacuum cleaners and signs. The Savannah College of Art and Design, located in Savannah, Georgia, is a private accredited college awarding bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of arts, and master of fine arts degrees in 22 majors. The college prepares talented students for careers in the visual and performing arts, design, the building arts and the history of art and architecture. For more information about the college, please visit www.scad.eud or send e-mail to info@scad.edu. Eastman Chemical Company, headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, U.S.A., manufactures and markets plastics, chemicals and fibers worldwide. The company has approximately 15,800 employees in more than 30 countries and had 2002 sales of US$5.3 billion. Visit Eastman’s Web site at www.eastman.com for more information about the company. Shining Stars Of The Furnishings And Design Industry To Be Honored At Ifda/Ny Circle Of Excellence Awards Gala On March 19th . A galaxy of furnishings and design industry stars will be feted at this year’s IFDA/NY Circle of Excellence Awards Gala, which will be held on Wednesday, March 19th at the Hudson Theatre, Millennium Broadway Hotel, 145 West 44th (between Broadway and 6th Avenue). Reception at 6 p.m., awards 7:30-8:30 p.m. One of the year’s most anticipated and festive industry events, this biannual recognition of talent and accomplishment is celebrating its tenth anniversary. This salute to the industry’s notable achievers in home design represents our industry’s "Oscars" as befits the prestige of the awards. In addition to Circle of Excellence awards in six categories, IFDA/NY will be presenting the first Revolutionary Retailer Award to Crate & Barrel’s founder and CEO Gordon Segal for, according to IFDA/NY Chapter president Renée Bennett, "having created a merchandising/lifestyle marketing concept that has become the standard by which home furnishings retailing at the highest level is measured." Two other special awards will be presented In addition to the Revolutionary Retailer Award. The Laurel Award, which honors an individual or organization that has dramatically increased the visibility of our industry to a broader public, will be presented to HGTV (Home and Garden Television). "HGTV was chosen to receive this year’s award because of its pioneering work in creating a high standard of home furnishings television programming," says Ruth Glanz, an independent audio-visual producer and co-chair of the Awards Committee. Nancy Glass, who has produced and/or hosted several of HGTV’s leading shows, will accept the award on behalf of HGTV. The Rising Star Award will be presented to a successful younger member of IFDA/NY who has enthusiastically taken on responsibility for IFDA projects. This year’s winner is Christina Manca of Holly Hunt, Inc. Says Susan Hirsh, vice president of Janovic Plaza and co-chair of the event, "In a relatively short time, Christina has become a vital member of our organization. In addition to her efforts on behalf of last year’s wonderful Big Apple Awards program, she co-chaired the Education committee last year and is co-chairing Programs this year." Established in 1992, the Circle of Excellence Awards are given bi-annually in six categories: Advertising, Editorial/Media, Interior Design, Product Design & Development, Public Relations and Sales/Marketing Management. Winners were selected based on nominations received from the membership. THE 2003 CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS ARE: In the category of Advertising, Jeffrey Petersen, Associate Publisher of Architectural Digest magazine will receive the award. For her achievements in Editorial/Media, Margaret Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Decor magazine, will be honored. For her excellence in Product Design & Development, IFDA/NY has selected Sherri Donghia, Executive Vice President of Donghia Furniture/Textiles, Ltd. The winner in the Interior Design category is leading New York interior designer Jamie Drake. Helen Wagner, Manager, Public Relations at 3M Corporation, will receive the award for Public Relations. Hunter Douglas’ President and CEO Marvin Hopkins will be honored for his work with the Sales/Marketing Management award. Previous winners have been tapped to present the awards. These include Clodagh, who won the last Interior Design award; Larry Laslo, recipient of the Product Design and Development award; Warren Shoulberg, Editor-in-Chief of HFN Magazine, who took home the Editorial award; Kate Kelly Smith, Publisher of Child Magazine, who was chosen at the last gala in the Advertising category; Penny Sikalis, Vice President of George Little Management, who will present the award for Sales/Marketing Management; and Jeanne Byington of J.M. Byington Associates, a previous winner, will present the award for Public Relations. The 2001 winner of the Rising Star Award, Colleen Brewer, Home Design Editor of Bridal Guide Magazine, will be on hand to present this year’s award. The Circle of Excellence Awards has become the premiere event of the New York chapter," said Bennett, "and we hope the membership and their guests will be out in full force to acknowledge the honorees and their accomplishments." The star-studded event will be held at the Hudson Theater of the Millennium Broadway Hotel on West 44h Street. A gala reception will commence at 6:00 p.m. and the awards presentation will start at 7:30 p.m. For more information on the not-to-be-missed Circle of Excellence Awards, please call the IFDA office at (212) 686-6020. The International Furnishings and Design Association is a worldwide professional alliance of leaders representing the diverse industries that constitute the universe of residential and commercial furnishings and design. Its members are executives of companies that manufacture, distribute, design, write about or sell home fashions, decorative fabrics, furniture, accessories, window, wall and floor coverings, lighting, kitchen and bath products, tabletop, housewares, hardware and building products. Others are engaged in graphic, residential and contract design, education, publishing, licensing, marketing and communications. The IFDA mission is to provide a professional forum for communication and interaction among members, to promote career advancement and educational opportunities, and to increase public awareness of the industry through highly specialized programming and service to the community.