As we close a very productive year for AIGA/LA, I want to wish you a great 2007 and invite you to participate in the many exciting activities and initiatives we have planned for the coming year.
In my first six months as President I have focused on building the framework for many programs and events that will speak to LA’s diverse business and cultural communities. Our AIGA Fellows Program, nearly funded as I write this, will be a cornerstone of this effort. This year’s Fellow Award recipients are Noreen Morioka, Sean Adams and Doyald Young, who will join past honorees as AIGA/LA ambassadors to raise the awareness of design among the general public. Our communication platform includes partnerships with broad media, such as Los Angeles Magazine and KCET, who will be running segments on the value of design in the voice of our chapter Fellows.
This important initiative has been made possible through the generosity of companies who believe in the value that design brings to their business. Sponsors Adobe, Cisco Home, Santee Village and Metro will be referred to as our Fellows Partners. They will be featured on our chapter website and will be present at various events throughout the year. As part of this focus on public awareness, AIGA/LA is working with the Business Development Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to publicly proclaim the important contributions the design profession makes to the culture and economy of the city. An event will be scheduled in the spring that brings everything together—honoring our Fellows and celebrating design in LA.
Creating great value for our members and partners continues to guide the development of the many educational and event programs we have planned for 2007. I am privileged to work with many dedicated board members and volunteers who are committed to creating innovative and stimulating programs that enrich the professional and personal lives of AIGA/LA members. Our growing AIGA community continues to engage trade partners and designers in all practices and career levels with events that provide networking opportunities, inspiring exhibitions and intelligent lectures.
We look forward to seeing you often in 2007. Feel free to drop me an email with ideas and suggestions on how to make our chapter even more valuable and relevant to you. Thanks again for your support and involvement.
Sincerely,
Agustin Garza
President
agustin@aigalosangeles.org
Great job, Agustin. See you at the Epiphany party on the 6th.
What's the Epiphany party and can we all come?
Oh! Jim, your a trouble maker...
Agustin: your energy, commitment & support are truly inspiring. ¡enhorabuena! Here's to a very productive 2007 for AIGA/LA. ps: what do I wear to the Epiphany Party?
For a letter from the president of this chapter - why so few comments? There certainly must be more people out there with some feedback... make your voices heard!
Anon. Thank you for calling members to offer input. I appreciate it! I have to say that it is a bit odd that this message generated such few comments. Why do you think that is?
Actually, I have a question. There's definitely been a lack of interesting events lately. This Define Design thing sounds OK, but it's just a party. Seems like my membership isn't really worth much anymore. Where are the good events?
We’ve had a terrific line up lately that perhaps you didn’t have a chance to see, from Errol Gerson’s fantastic Business Matters series, to the on-going Shop Talks, to April Greiman at PMCA, Lorraine Wild at RedCat, Sean Adams, Eric Heiman and Michael Vanderbyl. We have Kit Hinricks from Pentagram in March and the incredible Masters of Graphic Design exhibit coming up shortly after at PDC. Not to mention our coming Agents of Change speaker series focusing on the designer’s unique role and ability to create and effect social change. The Board’s efforts are not only focused on programming, we are putting immense effort in demonstrating the value of design to the business community, hoping that your career is better understood and valued. What you refer as “This Define Design thing…� is a very important event that I hope you can attend. This celebration will bring many of the pillars of our design profession under one roof, along with professional designers, educators and trade partners to celebrate the role you play in shaping the economy and culture of LA. In fact, our Mayor’s Office is proclaiming that night the importance of your profession to the city. In addition (and for the first time) we will be seeing on general market television in the coming weeks stories about design. All of this is made possible by your membership and we hope it benefits you directly to advance your professional practice.
This may not seem like enough for you, but please help us better demonstrate the value of your membership by pointing at specific areas of improvement. And better yet, join us in participating directly in making our Chapter meet your expectations.