Tuning In

Trade shows are always a time for reunions, a chance to see familiar faces, reconnect with old coworkers, learn where former colleagues have landed. But it’s also an opportunity to make new connections and meet some fresh, new faces. And that’s exactly what happened at VMSD’s inaugural Designer Dozen Awards Bash.

VMSD launched this new awards program to identify and celebrate the up-and-coming talent in our industry. We introduced this year’s dozen in our March issue and then gathered them together during GlobalShop for a night of celebrating. These stars came out – along with their coworkers, spouses, friends and party sponsors Alpha Displays, CAP and Associates, Pattison Sign Group and SuperGraphics – to toast their futures and, thus, the future of our industry.

I had spent the first few months of the year getting to know this creative dozen, through emails and phone calls, so it was great to finally meet them in person. Their coworkers had spoken so highly of them in their nomination forms, talking of their ability to adapt to a multitude of challenges, their efforts to raise the professional bar and, ultimately, to do whatever it took to keep business moving over the past few years.

When I arrived at the Awards Bash, held at PURE nightclub at Caesars Palace, I was excited to see how eager they all were to meet each other. The conversations flowed, the networking was seamless, the energy palpable. The message: While we may come from different design disciplines and retail organizations, we’re all in this together.

As the retail market seeks new solutions and ideas to move forward, there’s a lot to be learned from these young voices. So you’ll be hearing more from this group throughout the year as VMSD turns to them for insight, inspiration and ideas, including at this year’s IRDC, held September 5-7, 2012. They’re got a lot to say, so we’re turning up the volume.

Check out scenes from the 2012 Awards Bash here.