The Buzz
July 2010

by Cherry Flowers

All the news that’s fit to print!
Thank you so much to those of you who provided news for this column!  If anyone has news to share for the next issue, please send it to: cherry@ceramictileworksmn.com

Weddings

Katie Nylund of Opus A&E and Ty Pope of McGough were married Saturday, May 29th 2010 at LeMeridien Chambers in downtown Minneapolis, which was where they had their first date.   The ceremony was held that evening in the courtyard with the reception in the rooftop lounge.  They then spent 9 fabulous days in Lisbon, Portugal for their honeymoon.

Babies

Kate Roberts of DL Couch came in just under the wire of the newsletter deadline (after prolonged anticipation!) delivering a beautiful baby girl on June 29, 2010 at 5:29PM.  Scarlett Katheryn Roberts weighed in at 7lbs-7oz and measured 20-3/4” long. 

Ann Fritz of ESG is pleased to announce the birth of Lillian Grace Fritz on April 7, 2010 at 4:01 pm.  The little gal weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 19 inches long.

Randi L. Sundell, an Interior Designer at LHB Minneapolis location, welcomed Gavin Ryan Sundell on February 7, 2010.  He weighed 8lbs. 13oz and measured 20 3/4" long.

Kristin Heelan, an Interior Designer at Nelson appears to have taken the company motto “Focused on Creation, Passion to Deliver” literally, being as she reports that she delivered a baby girl, Claire Elizabeth Heelan on November 14, 2010.  She was 7lbs-11oz, 20.5” long.

Educational Opportunities

The College of Design at University of Minnesota now offers both a Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees emphasizing Evidence-Based Design (EBD). The keystone course is offered this Fall semester (Thursday evenings in Rapson Hall on the Minneapolis East Bank Campus; 3 credits): DES 5160:  Evidence-Based Design, and is taught by Caren Martin, Ph.D., CID, FASID, IIDA.  In this course, you will explore the meaning of “evidence-based design” (EBD) as it is currently understood as well as the adoption of EBD by design practitioners across disciplines and learn how to become an evidence-based designer. For more information about this course and/or the Evidence-Based Design degree emphasis, please contact Dr. Caren Martin (cmartin@umn.edu).  For information about the registration and application process, please contact Charleen Klarquist cklarqui@umn.edu.

Professional Developments

Nancy Schmidt has been a fixture in the design community for over 3 decades, so as she transitions into retirement, I asked her to share a recap of her career in design with us.  Here it is!  We wish her all the best!

“I've been in the business for 32 years, 12-1/2 with HGA, Rochester.  I graduated from U of MN in 1978, worked for Arthur Shuster in Roseville for 5 months then moved to Rochester.  Spent one year doing residential design with Glenn Miller Interiors in Rochester, then 8 years with ADG Architects in Rochester, then 8 years as a contract designer for Mayo Clinic in Rochester and then the last 12-1/2 with HGA, Rochester.  Mixed in there, I had 3 kids and did some other free-lance stuff.  Nothing real exciting.
I'm NCIDQ certified, MN state certified, LEED AP.  I was the department head of Interiors in Rochester and everyone loved me dearly.  Well, actually they still do and they tell me they will miss me.  :-)  “

And that is very true!  Miss you, Nancy!

Katie Hunsley has been promoted to Director of Interior Design at Miller Dunwiddie as of May 2010.

Rebecca Osmond arrived back in her position as an Interior Designer at Miller Dunwiddie earlier this year and should really have been acknowledged in the last issue!

Sheena Kieffer just found out that she passed the NCIDQ exam she took last April. 

Caren Martin has been promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor with Tenure at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel, College of Design.

The State of the Interior Design Profession (2010, Fairchild Books, available via Amazon.com), an edited book by Caren Martin and Denise Guerin, was published this spring. It contains 76 essays by 83 authors from around the United States and Canada--including several from the Minnesota design community. The book's 12 chapters focus on key issues from the value of interior design, regulation, design thinking, evidence-based design, and challenges facing the profession. Martin and Guerin are both professors in the interior design program at the University of Minnesota.

Denise Halter is happy to announce that she is now the manufacturer sales representative for ICF Group which includes, ICF, Unika Vaev, and Nienkamper!  View all 3 lines at www.icfgroup.com, Unika Vaev at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unika-Vaev/142385062503, ICF at  http://www.facebook.com/pages/ICF/10150130280370015.  Denise can be reached at 763.439.0186 and denisehalter@q.com.

Sarah Morrissette has just completed a 3-month contract with BDH & Young and is seeking new interior design opportunities.  She can be reached at 651.230.6845

AECIX, Inc. is looking for designers to share office and library space. The studio is located in the newly renovated Askew Building, 1 block away from IMS, and offers beautiful art and finishes.  If interested, please contact Paul Selberg at 612.692.8093 or visit our website at aecix.com

Craig St. Clair has relocated to SmithGroup’s Minneapolis office from the firm’s Washington, DC location as of April 2010. St. Clair has nine years tenure with SmithGroup, the nation’s 7th largest architectural, engineering, planning, and interior design firm. As a registered architect, Craig will focus his efforts within the Workplace Studio providing leadership for architectural innovation, technical quality assurance, discipline standards, and sustainable design.

Dani Waste was promoted from part time to full time Interior Designer at SmithGroup in April 2010.

Lacey Ahlbrecht is the newest hire of the inside sales team at Amsum & Ash.  Lacey graduated with a B.S. in Interior Design from the Art Institutes International Minnesota in 2007.

Meghan Thorp started as an Interior Designer at Ellerbe Beckett, an AECOM Company, earlier this spring.

Sunny Reed has been putting in time at Ellerbe Becket/AECOM as an Interior Designer as well!