Contact: Jocelyn Pysarchuk, Senior Director, Communications & Marketing, 312.467.1950, jpysarchuk@iida.org

IIDA INDUCTS NEW PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS AT 14TH ANNUAL MEETING MITCHELL SAWASY, FIIDA, AIA, INDUCTED AS 2008-2009 PRESIDENT

June 8, 2008, Chicago, IL – The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) inducted Mitchell E. Sawasy, FIIDA, AIA, Executive Vice President and Studio/Design Principal of Rothenberg Sawasy Architects, Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.) as the Association’s President for the 2008-2009 term, which begins July 1, 2008. He was inducted during IIDA’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 8 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Sawasy succeeds John Mack, FIIDA, AIA, Senior Partner, HLW International (New York, N.Y.). Derrell Parker, FIIDA, was elected President-Elect. These officers, as well as other International Board Members (listed below), were elected by the IIDA membership. Biographies and photos of IIDA’s leaders are available at www.iida.org and upon request from mzenz@iida.org.

Mitchell Sawasy is Executive Vice President and Studio / Design Principal of Rothenberg Sawasy Architects, Inc., which he co-founded with Mark Alan Rothenberg, AIA in 1979. He is primarily responsible for directing the firm's architectural and interior design divisions where project information and constraints are transformed into the actual form and character of the firm's wide range of architectural and interior design projects. The collaborative culture that he has fostered has created a nurturing and innovative spirit from which everyone contributes their ideas and has the opportunity for growth. The wide range of project types in the different Studios allows for the shifting of staff into other market sectors as economic slow downs occur and for the wide exposure of different project types for staff’s professional growth opportunities. The firm has won numerous awards and recognition under his leadership.

2008-2009 IIDA International Board of Directors

• Mitchell Sawasy, FIIDA, AIA, President, Executive Vice President and Studio / Design Principal, Rothenberg Sawasy Architects, Inc., (Los Angeles, Calif.)
• Derrell Parker, FIIDA, President-Elect, Co-founder and Interior Design Studio Principal, Parker Scaggiari, (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Viveca Bissonnette, IIDA, ASID, CID, LEED AP, Vice President of Communications, Associate, Carrier Johnson + CULTURE (San Diego, Calif.)
• Vicki VanStavern, IIDA, Vice President of Chapters, Founder and President, VanStavern Design Group (Edmond, Okla.)
• LaRayne Lundell, IIDA, Vice President of Members, Founder and Principal, L2 Design Studio (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
• Laura Tribble, IIDA, ASID, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Principal, Project Manager, Tribble Design Associates (Edmond, Okla.)
• David Hanson, IIDA, FIDIBC, IDC, RID, Vice President of Professional Development, Interior Designer, Gustavson Wylie Architects, Inc. (Vancouver, Can.)
• Allen Parker, Industry IIDA, Vice President of Industry Relations, Senior Vice President of Product Strategies, The Mohawk Group (Kennesaw, Ga.)
• Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. IIDA, LEED AP, IIDA Executive Vice President/ CEO, IIDA Headquarters (Chicago, Ill.)

2008-2009 Forum Advisory Council

David Hanson, IIDA, FIDIBC, IDC, RID, VP of Professional Development (Vancouver, Can.)
Corporate Forum—Valerie Frye, IIDA, LEED AP, BNIM Architects, Inc. (Kansas City, Mo.)
Education and Research Forum—Phil Bulone, IIDA, International Academy of Design & Technology (Tampa, Fla.)
Facility Planning and Design Forum—Jennifer Barnes, IIDA, RTKL Associates, Inc. (Baltimore, Md.)
Government Forum—Mariann Schofield, IIDA, U.S. Air Force (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Healthcare Forum—Linda Gabel, IIDA, AAHID, NBBJ- Studio 10 (Columbus, Ohio)
Hospitality Forum— Belinda Bennett, IIDA, The Bennett Design Group (Missouri City, Tex.)
Residential Forum— Louise Farrar Wegener, IIDA, Z-3 Design Studio Inc. (Tigard, Ore.)
Retail Forum—Ali Khatibi, IIDA, Callison (Seattle, Wash.)
Sustainability— Holley Henderson, IIDA, LEED AP, H2Ecodesign, LLC (Atlanta, Ga.)

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The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) works to enhance quality of life through excellence in interior design and to advance interior design through knowledge, value and community.

IIDA is a professional networking and educational association of 13,000 Members in nine specialty Forums in 30 Chapters around the world. Additional information is available on IIDA’s website www.iida.org.