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Dec 17, 2024 By Marci Merola
CIDQ Celebrates 50 Years
Take a peek into a few highlights from the 2024 CIDQ Annual Meeting
By Marci Merola Dec 17, 2024
Published in Articles

(Above image: Consortium for Interior Design leaders Marci Merola, Lauren Earley, and Matthew Barusch celebrate legislative wins during CIDQ Annual Meeting presentations. Image courtesy of CIDQ.)

“Black tie optional” is not typically a term reserved for the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) Annual Meeting, but this year’s 50th anniversary celebration pulled out all the stops. Held November 7-9 in Chicago, the three-day gathering brought together more than 100 attendees, including U.S. and Canadian regulatory board staff and delegates and, representatives from interior design professional, educational, and credentialing organizations, for lively discussions and debate, as well as official board business. The Adler Planetarium, one of Chicago’s architectural gems, served as the backdrop for CIDQ’s anniversary gala.

Highlights included:

  • A keynote from Barbara Bouza, IIDA, FAIA, Former President of, Walt Disney Imagineering and, former Co-Managing Director, Principal, Gensler Los Angeles, who set a collaborative tone with her remarks on the interdisciplinary nature of design.
  • A sneak peak of CIDQ’s public service announcement for National Public Radio.
  • An overview of 2024 legislative updates: IIDA’s Director of Advocacy, Marci Merola, joined her Consortium for Interior Design partners, CIDQ’s Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy, Matthew Barusch, and the American Society of Interior Designers Associate Director of Government and Public Affairs, Lauren Earley, to discuss this year's legislative wins.
  • A vote of approval for model legislative language presented by CIDQ’s Model Legislation Task Force, the intent of which is to streamline state legislative efforts.
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Barbara Bouza, IIDA presents as Keynote Speaker for the 2024 CIDQ Annual Meeting.
Photo by Image courtesy of CIDQ
Barbara Bouza, IIDA presents as Keynote Speaker for the 2024 CIDQ Annual Meeting.
Photo by Image courtesy of CIDQ
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Erin Jennings presents during CIDQ Annual Meeting, her last official meeting as acting president of CIDQ.
Photo by Image courtesy of CIDQ
Erin Jennings presents during CIDQ Annual Meeting, her last official meeting as acting president of CIDQ.
Photo by Image courtesy of CIDQ

This was the final meeting for Erin Jennings, IIDA, AIA, as CIDQ president; she handed the gavel to Siavash Madani, CIDQ Delegate and NCIDQ Ambassador from British Columbia. It also marked the final meeting with CIDQ CEO, Thom Banks presiding, as he plans to retire, effective March 31, 2025.

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