Event Description

The Annual Members Meeting is the largest, most celebratory event of the year. Attended by more than 450 guests, the Annual Members Meeting honors members of distinction by awarding the AIGA Fellow Award, and the AIGA Chicago Above and Beyond Award.

Featured Guest
Paul O’Connor, Executive Director, World Business Chicago
After a career spanning journalism, government, and corporate marketing, Paul O’Connor organized World Business Chicago (WBC) in 1999 at Mayor Richard M. Daley’s request. His efforts as founding executive director of WBC have made a huge impact on Chicago, including attracting the world headquarters of The Boeing Company.

About World Business Chicago
World Business Chicago is a not-for-profit economic development corporation, chaired by Mayor Richard M. Daley and directed by Paul O'Connor, dedicated to enhancing the Chicago region's global position as a business location.

WBC's mission is to expand Chicago's economy through the growth of the private sector, building the best city in the world in which to live, work and play.

THE AIGA FELLOW AWARD
Each year the AIGA Fellow Award is presented to an individual who has contributed to the advancement of the design profession throughout his/her career.

Joseph Michael Essex, Founder, Essex Two
Joseph Michael Essex founded Essex Two with his partner Nancy Denney Essex in 1989. At the center of their work is a belief that clear, consistent, honest communication can and should be both intelligent and emotional. Since its founding, Essex Two has received more than 350 awards from major communication publications and organizations across the world.

AIGA CHICAGO ABOVE & BEYOND AWARD
The Above & Beyond Award recognizes long-standing service and commitment to AIGA Chicago and its membership. The efforts of those recognized ensured the Chapter’s continued ability to encourage, promote and serve the graphic design profession.

Lance Rutter, Founder & Creative Director, Tanagram Partners
Lance founded Tanagram Partners in 1992. Under his direction, Tanagram has grown and evolved into a nationally-recognized, multidisciplinary design firm. Lance’s passion has always been to elevate the public discourse about (and with) design. And AIGA member since 1988, Lance and his colleagues at Tanagram have undertaken many initiatives on behalf of both the national organization and local chapter.

Event Summary

The Annual Member Meeting was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Thursday, June 14. The night included an overview of the year's progress, award presentations and socializing. It was a great chance to honor those who have been so active in advancing AIGA, to meet other members and to see old friends.

President Tim Bruce opened the event and reminded us of the underpinning value of AIGA in forming relationships between designers – usually over good food and drink, of course. He then turned the attention to three honorees that have been notable advocates of AIGA and design.

The Above & Beyond Award was given to Lance Rutter of Tanagram Partners. Nancy Denney Essex gave a humorous slideshow on Lance's involvement with AIGA from his redesign of the AIGA Chicago Web site in '97 (which included the ever-popular and appreciated job bank), his tenure as AIGA Chicago president and National Board member, and his current role as lecturer and fundraiser in support of design. Nancy praised Lance as "having wit, common sense, intelligence, the desire to make things work, and the ability to make things beautiful."

The Fellow Award was presented to Joseph Michael Essex of SX2 for his long-standing commitment to the advancement of design. The award was presented by his colleagues and friends Nils Bunde of Brainforest, Robert Petrick of Petrick Design, and Lance Rutter. Joseph is a past Above & Beyond recipient for his heavy involvement at the chapter level, which includes the AIGA Chicago Advisory Board and the Business of Design series. He is also internationally recognized for his commercial and fine art. Reflecting on his career, he explained "I've been fortunate. I created an opportunity to be stupid…to look at things like a child…to always try to look at things like it was the first time…and to be actively engaged in organizations like this."

The Guest of Honor was Paul O'Connor, the Executive Director of World Business Chicago, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to developing the economy of Chicago through the private sector. Paul showed a series of images of our ever-growing city, in a call to action "to innovate or die and to have constantly evolving visions of what we can be." He strongly believes this necessitates the integration of design and commerce in what he termed "building a city by design".

After the night's speeches, all the members gathered on the Museum's veranda to enjoy the rest of the night over good food and drink, of course.

Sponsors: Lake County Press