2024 Leaders Breakfast
The IIDA Leaders Breakfast is an annual international event series that celebrates design’s importance in the global marketplace by honoring the people who are both the legacy and future of design. This is made possible through the support of IIDA Headquarters, International Benefactor MillerKnoll, and Media Partner Interior Design.
Each event features a renowned keynote speaker who enlightens, provokes, and encourages new ideas, and a celebration recognizing one local individual who is making significant contributions to the design industry with the Leadership Award of Excellence Presentation.
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Questions:
Please contact admin@iidanc.org
Date
Friday, September 13 2024
Time
7:00 - 10:00AM
Location
The Westin St. Francis on Union Square
335 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94102
Organizer
Keynote Speaker
Vijay Gupta
Violinist | Speaker | Citizen-Artist
Vijay Gupta is a violinist, speaker, and citizen-artist dedicated to creating wholeness through music. Recognized by The New Yorker as a “visionary violinist” and “radical thinker,” Vijay is the founder and Artistic Director of Street Symphony, bringing music to those in reentry from homelessness and incarceration in Los Angeles. A MacArthur Fellow, Vijay has shared his work across America, including at The Richmond Forum and The Aspen Institute. He has performed internationally with renowned orchestras and artists and recently released Breathe, an album of Reena Esmail’s music. Vijay holds degrees in Biology and Music, serves as Senior Artistic Advisor for Young Musicians Foundation, and plays a 2010 violin by Eric Benning.
Honoree
Brian Graham
Founder & Creative Director | Graham Design
Brian Graham is the founder and creative director of Graham Design, specializing in contemporary furniture for the workplace and healthcare markets. With over 30 years of experience in design and architecture, Brian’s work blends planning, research, and creativity to deliver award-winning solutions that are functional, beautiful, and sustainable. Recognized by organizations like AIA, IIDA, and The Chicago Athenaeum, he advocates for the design industry, collaborating with leading manufacturers and participating in design talks and media. Brian is also dedicated to fostering diversity in design, serving on the board of Industrial Design Outreach, a nonprofit promoting creativity and confidence in youth from diverse communities through design education.
What is Leaders Breakfast?
HISTORY
Leaders Breakfast was started in 1989 by the IIDA New York Chapter and was expanded in 2001 into an international event series by IIDA Headquarters. In 2009, Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) was added as an additional partner, bringing the series to multiple Canadian provinces.
Through the support of two International Benefactors, MillerKnoll and Interior Design, Leaders celebrates design’s importance in the global marketplace by honoring the people who are both the legacy and future of design.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Each Leaders event features a renowned keynote speaker to provoke and encourage new ideas and recognizes one city-selected honoree making significant contributions to the design industry. With some distinction from city to city, the format of each Leaders event is standard: The morning begins with an hour of networking for designers, architects, and other industry professionals, followed by a sit-down breakfast. During breakfast, attendees are treated to a presentation by the keynote speaker, and the locally-chosen honoree is given the Leadership Award.