This year each of the five city centers hosted a Get Connected event.
This year we were all very connected because each of these events occurred the second week on February with some of the events actually occurring the same night though we were all miles away. The goal of the Get Connected event is a time that members and non members are welcomed to come to a free event where they can learn more about IIDA and what is happening in their city center and throughout the Ohio Kentucky Chapter. There is also the opportunity to win a free membership simply by attending. This year each city center gave away a free membership with the winners being: Amy Schlachter from Cincinatti Dayton, Michelle LoSchiavo from Cleveland Akron, Megan Padgett from Louisville Lexington, Noah Kamnikar from Toledo and Hunter Miller from Columbus. Congratulations winners and welcome to our IIDA OHKY family!
Columbus had many interested individuals brave a snow storm to view RJE’s new studio space and then rotate in groups speed-dating style around the space to the different activity stations where they could sign up to help with events or learn about memberships and programming. Cincinnati Dayton had a great turnout and signed up a handful of new members that evening at the event held at 3 Points Urban Brewery. The Louisville Lexington City Center event was hosted in the gorgeous Munson Business Interiors Showroom and design studio and generated a great deal of interest among potential new members and members alike. Cleveland Akron hosted their lively event at the New Inspire Workplace Interiors Showroom and was very fortunate to have Representative Bride Rose Sweeney of District 14 attend and introduced herself at their event. Attendees were honored to meet and exchange conversation with Representative Sweeney, especially because she is the cosponsor of HB 402 currently before the General Assembly to establish a permissive certification for Commercial Interior Designers. Toledo attendees congregated at Suburban Bottle in Perrysburg where they focused on 2020 programming and how members could become more involved. They also found non members that were interested in becoming members.
These events were very successful and are part of one of many steps that our Chapter has been taking to unify our city centers and gain strength for our chapter as a whole. They are a way that design communities members can become more connected to others in the industry, their IIDA city centers and in turn more connected to IIDA OHKY.
