As the month of June concludes, so does my term as President of the IIDA Oregon Chapter and we have another board of directors to celebrate. 

While the past few months have changed our typical operations, we have continued to develop and deliver content to support our members. With respect to the ongoing health and safety measures, the board of directors has made the decision at this point to host virtual events only through the rest of the year. We miss the interaction, the smiles, and the fun of our past events, but the virtual platform has provided the opportunity to rapidly expand our reach outside of the Metro area. Our future goal is to combine the benefits that both event types present to create a larger and more connected community. 

During uncertain economic times, the impact on our industry is challenging to predict. One of the best ways that we can be better equipped as companies, business owners, and designers, is through studying the economic conditions. As a result of our 2019 Catalyst Grant award, we contracted Chmura, a third party company to help us gather data about our industry. For the first time since 2018, Chmura will be implementing our State of the Industry survey to anonymously quantify our impact on the economy. These survey results will be available to employers and employees alike and will be an invaluable resource for our community.

A little more than a year ago we held our annual celebration in SE Portland and on July 7th we will celebrate again. Not only will we welcome the incoming President, Kate Stuart, but we will also welcome the rest of the board for the 2020-2021 board year. I hope you will all join us (please register on Eventbrite) and meet your new board of directors.

Thank you for your continued support of interior design in the State of Oregon.

Kyle Holzkamp, Associate IIDA

IIDA Oregon Chapter President 2019-2020