Dear Colleagues:
I've been fortunate to work with many remarkable, generous and dedicated people in our design community whose vision and participation has strengthen our Chapter and delivered substantial value to the members. The Los Angeles Chapter continues to have the same fundamental strengths as shaped by our founders and past board members; we remain the single most important professional design association in our city and continue to be a powerful design-advocacy force in the business and cultural life of Los Angeles.
In recent years, a national economic slowdown impacted our industry and restrained the Chapter's traditional funding sources. We reacted quickly to these changing economic conditions by creating a new fundraising model that places us in a strong position to build a bright future for the Chapter. I'm happy to report that today our Chapter is financially strong and continues to enjoy steady membership growth.
Los Angeles represents one of the most significant creative economies in the world. The Chapter membership includes many influential design professionals whose voices are an important advocacy role in the City's business and cultural communities. Among them are our three 2007 AIGA Fellow Award recipients, Petrula Vrontikis, Mick Hodgson and Archie Boston who will be honored at the Chapter's main event of the year "Design Defines LA / LA Defines Design" in April 2008. Make sure you don't miss this great opportunity to mix at the largest gathering of design professionals in the city.
I want to recognize our 2008 Fellows Partners. We thank Adobe, The Coca Cola Company, InSync Marketing Solutions, Metro and Mohawk for their support of the Chapter and appreciate their commitment to the design industry. Make sure you take a moment to meet their representatives at AIGA events and consider their products and services in appreciation of their support.
In the coming months, the Board will focus on important initiatives in the areas of Development, Programming and Education. Our development effort remains centered on the Fellows Program - the central component of our fundraising initiative; and our Chapter's programming continue to excel under the vision and leadership of Nida Sanger, Bonnie Powers and Jill Finley. Our Education efforts are focused on building a comprehensive scholarship program to empower the design education community of Los Angeles. Board Directors David Mayes, Scott Hutchinson and Jimmy Moss and Board Advisor Toni Hollander-Morse are now heading this important scholarship project. Please visit the Chapter's website regularly and feel free to contribute with comments and suggestions about these initiatives or any other subject that you believe would be beneficial to the continuing growth of our LA Chapter.
December marks my 18th month as President of the Chapter, and I'm very proud of our team and of our accomplishments. My goal during the remaining of my two-year term is to continue to carry out the mission of our organization; to stimulate thinking about design, demonstrate the value of design, and empower the success of design professionals across the arc of their careers.
I am deeply appreciative of your ongoing support of our efforts. It is a pleasure and privilege to work with each and every member of the Board and an honor to serve the design community of Los Angeles.
I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a successful 2008.
See you at our next AIGA event!
Agustin Garza
President
Agustin
You have done a remarkable job shaping the Los Angeles chapter into one of the strongest and most active in the nation. The energy and commitment of AIGA Los Angeles' members, board, and volunteers are a testament to your leadership. Congratulations. This chapter is the one that leads the way in a multitude of ways. Los Angeles now has the stellar reputation internationally that it has long deserved, as a rich and diverse design center. We've all known this for decades. Your commitment and the remarkable talent of the design community in this chapter helped the rest of the world find out.
Sean Adams
AIGA National President
Agustin, you are an amazing leader and motivator. The lunch we had at Art Center with Lou Danziger during the AIGA/LA Education Conference motivated
me to want to become more involved locally and nationally.
Your efforts to involving the business community are
commendable. We are very fortunate to have such a warm friendly and dedicated gentleman as our president.
Ag, thanks so much for your vision and support. You've been an inspiration for many of us, in practice and in word, the mark of a true leader.
This site looks interesting, but can some one explain to me what is all this about, because i have been practicing graphic design since a little while.
is there going to be a patrons night this year? i thought patrons night was aiga la's successful 'fundraising source'.
We are in the process of putting together a new and improved version of Patron’s Night, if not as our main fundraising source, certainly as a continual means of bringing members and trade partners together. We will inform the Chapter once we have our plan in place. Thank you for your comment.
Que agradable sorpersa saber que un Mexicano es presidente de una organizacion como AIGA, te felicito Agustin.
Saludos