NeoCon Keynote Speakers Announced

CHICAGO – NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, North America’s largest conference and exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment, returns June 14-16, to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, with an incredible line-up of keynote speakers.

The 42nd annual NeoCon will feature top-name keynote speakers each day of the conference, including: Majora Carter, former executive director and founder of the nonprofit Sustainable South Bronx; Michael Graves, architect and founder of Michael Graves & Associates and Michael Graves design group; Margaret McCurry, one of Architectural Digest’s AD100 Top Designers for 2010; and Yves Behar, industrial designer and founder of fuseproject.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Majora Carter, sponsored by Allsteel, presented by IIDA
8 a.m., Monday, June 14
Majora Carter was the executive director and founder of Sustainable South Bronx, a nonprofit which was one of the nation's first green-collar job training and placement systems housed in one of the most environmentally and economically challenged parts of the country. Hear this pioneer’s new way of thinking green with her keynote address “Green the Ghetto and How Much it Won’t Cost Us.”

Michael Graves, sponsored by Paoli, presented by ASID
8 a.m., Tuesday, June 15
With his keynote address “A Grand Tour,” Michael Graves will give a short biographical history, which will center on key influences in his career. He will also touch on his life as a “figurative” architect and what that means to his buildings and his art.

Margaret McCurry, presented by Fine Design®
1 p.m., Tuesday, June 15
Selected by Architectural Digest as an AD100 Top Designer for 2010, Margaret McCurry believes that when it comes to designing homes, big isn’t necessarily better. During her keynote presentation “Inside Out,” McCurry will discusses her various award winning residential design projects from coast to coast and around the inland sea.

Yves Behar, sponsored by Herman Miller
Noon, Wednesday, June 16
Many consumers want products to be about personal expression and the leading edge of innovation while reflecting our 21st century values. Yves Behar’s keynote address “Design in the Age of 360°” explores how the new role of a designer is to create, and sometimes arbitrate, between the elements of contemporary culture. 

In addition to the daily, top-name keynote address, this year’s NeoCon will offer the most comprehensive conference schedule to date with 150 CEU-accredited seminars, industry association forums and featured programs, giving architects, designers and facility managers the opportunity to discover the newest trends and techniques from some of the top-names in the industry. New this year, a Career Development Educational Track has been added to the NeoCon schedule to assist industry professionals who are looking for a job or trying to secure their current position. Attendees may view the entire listing of seminars by going to www.neocon.com and clicking on “Education.”

NeoCon will once again feature the latest trends, products, and concepts in office, health care, hospitality, residential, institutional and government environments from more than 700 exhibitors. Additionally, this premier contract show features a variety of show components: The Lighting Pavilion, GREENlife^TM, Buildings Show®, NEWHospitality, OFDA, Fine Design, LuxeHome, and the debut of BUILDEX Chicago.

For more information about NeoCon, visit www.neocon.com or call (800) 677-6278 (MART). Outside of the United States call (312) 527-7600. NeoCon is only open to trade professionals with proper credentials. Online registration is available at www.neocon.com.

NeoCon® World’s Trade Fair is a registered trademark of MMPI, a trade show and property management firm specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.

MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 West Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building, 7 W New York, and Piers 92 & 94 in New York City; the Boston Design Center in Boston; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; the Washington Design Center in Washington, D.C. Visit www.merchandisemartproperties.com to learn more.