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IIDA NY Celebrates 20 Years of Inspiring Leaders Breakfasts

Honorees Robert Hammond and Joshua David, co-founders of Friends of the Highline, were presented with an original Eames splint.

Laurel Petriello -- Interior Design, 5/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

Nina DiSesa, Cheryl Durst, and Matthew Weiner discussion gender roles in the workplace.

The inaugural IIDA Leaders Breakfast turns 20 this year and to celebrate two decades of inspiration, the New York chapter kicked off its annual event, sponsored by Interior Design and Herman Miller, with thanks, praise, and two thoroughly engaging speakers. With a change in venue from Chelsea Piers of years past, midtown’s Gotham Hall lit up last Wednesday morning as the Big Apple’s architecture and design community turned out to welcome AMC’s Mad Men creator, Matthew Weiner, as well as author and chairman for McCann Erickson, Nina DiSesa.

Robert Hammond and Joshua David of Friends for the Highline were the 2009 honorees.

The breakfast commenced with an opening by the event’s co-chair Hilda Longinotti, who accepted an award for a 10 years of service to the Leaders Breakfast committee with colleague and fellow co-chair, John Lijewski. Passing the emcee torch to Richard Scofidio, IIDA NY announced its 2009 honorees, Friends of the High Line co-founders, Robert Hammond and Joshua David. The two men have led the way to save the 22-block elevated rail track on Manhattan’s west side since 1999 to preserve a piece of the city’s history and reuse the line as public space. The High Line, which reopens to the public this June, was redesigned by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Nina DiSesa signs copies of her book "Seducing The Boys Club" after the breakfast.

Following the honoree acknowledgment, IIDA executive vice-president and CEO, Cheryl Durst, ascended the stage to introduce the event’s headlining entertainment by welcoming this year’s guest speakers and serving as discussion moderator. Weiner and DiSesa jumped right in to conversation covering topics like personal inspiration, the role design has played in the success of their careers, and gender roles facing the business world today.

Cheryl Durst, IIDA NY president-elect Jessica Mann, Nelson, Nina DiSesa, Matthew Weiner, Anitarae Kamissoko, Bank of America, and IIDA NY president Dale Greenwald

In closing, DiSesa offered words of wisdom to the breakfast’s 500+ attendees as a fellow colleague in a service-related industry to remind designers to engage with their clients and always “love the people you are trying to lead and grow.”

Weiner followed and honored his audience by expressing that “society place a great deal on creativity” and to love one’s career. “If you can do a job that you would secretly do for free, you will be successful.”

All photography by Kreg Holt.