Continuing education and professional development have always been an integral component of NeoCon, to be held June 10-12 at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for its 45^th year. This year’s conference schedule includes nearly 100 CEU-accredited seminars and industry association forums, giving trade professionals the opportunity to discover the newest trends and techniques from some of the top names in the industry.

The educational seminars offer a range of important topics organized in 14 educational tracks: Dealer Strategies, Environmental Design, Facilities Construction/Renovation, Facilities Management, Facilities Technology, Health Care Design, Hospitality, Institutional Design, Lighting Design, Office Design, Professional Development, Residential Design and Senior Housing, many of which qualify for Health, Safety and Welfare credits.

Seminar Highlights Include:

Reinventing Your Digital Strategy [M107]

Monday, June 10 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, staying on top of trends can be a challenge. In 2012, Google conducted hundreds of interviews, and studied the clickstream data from more than one million people. Discover the results of the research that focused on mobile, video, and desktop digital marketing practices in the B2B space. You’ll learn how to capture more business simply by driving awareness at the right time. We’ll discuss how to leverage different digital devices to capture opportunistic sales, and then how to navigate the digital landscape, including the best use of time and most fruitful practices. Get up to speed on your digital marketing—a little investment of your time can make a huge difference to your firm.

Speaker(s): Marc de Schweinitz is an account executive for Google, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Discovering the Color Trends in Contract [M110]

Monday, June 10 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

There are several components to the meaning of the word Discovery. One is to observe, learn about, or find something in the course of a search and the second is to recognize the potential of the discovery. Color trends are all about discovery-- what are the latest influences, inspiration and aspirations that will help you make the choices critical to the success of your products or designs in the ever-evolving world of color. Join us for this informative look in the future of color

Speaker(s): Leatrice Eiseman is the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training, a consultant, forecaster and author in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

The Outdoor Office [M120]

Monday, June 10 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

While portable tools enable new kinds of workspaces that are free from indoor constraints, HVAC and lighting pose financial and environmental burdens. The Outdoor Office seeks to address these problems with new types of furniture and architectural elements. Learn about this unique project, conducted under two grants for the Graham foundation. Explore the project’s various experimental designs and their results, including the environmental impacts. Leave with the realization and general understanding of the benefits of an outdoor working space and what an outdoor office project entails.

Speaker(s):Jonathan Olivares is the founder of Jonathan Olivares Design Research in New York, New York.

New Worldof Learning 2.0 [M136]

Monday, June 10 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Find out where education design is today and where it’s headed. Build on the New World of Learning framework and hear about innovative space planning and educational facilities design for the 21st century. We’ll cover the top 12 trends shaping educational environments and space design. Get the key questions you must ask when approaching your next challenge in innovative classroom design. Leave with solid principles and ideas you can use for the next learning space, whether in early education or a university setting.

 Speaker(s): Jim Stelter is president of VANERUM STELTER in Grand Rapids, Michigan | Soeren Groenbaek is the director of VANERUM SiS in Middelfart, Denmark | Gert Van Erum is the chief executive officer of VANERUM in Diest, Belgium.

Maximizing the Return on Your Sales Investment [T257]

Tuesday, June 11 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Changes in the economic environment, the workplace, and customer buying patterns require Dealers to re- think their approach to sales process and sales management. This session is designed to help you maximize the dollars you have invested in your sales department by understanding how to define a clear sales process, implement a disciplined sales management system, and develop a strong culture of accountability. We will also examine how to identify different types of customers and align your sales force to customer needs. You will take away ideas to increase the return on your investment in your sales department and drive stronger profits for your dealership.

Speaker(s): David Solomon is the managing principal and founder of Solomon Coyle in Alexandria, Virginia.

Pedigreed Properties: Balancing Past and Present For a Personalized Future [T269]

Tuesday, June 11 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Discuss how to approach homes of note with reverence for the original design, while creating custom homes fitting modern needs. Examine homes by Richard Neutra, Paul Williams, Rex Lotery, Luis Barragan and Frank Lloyd Wright. Take a look at the dynamic aspects of architecture and real estate as we consider a useful, practical and respectful approach to renovating pedigreed homes. See how meld a love of travel, fashion or contemporary art into a project that already has a rich heritage and history.

Speaker(s): Tim Campbell, AIA, is a principal at Studio Tim Campbell in Los Angeles, California.

Activating Underutilized Urban Spaces: The Roof Deck [T270]

Tuesday, June 11 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

As companies continue to prioritize real estate in a world where the importance of amenities and collaborative zones is increasing, SOM has begun to turn to designing more and more outdoor work environments. Areas like roof decks, terraces and courtyards provide a diversity of alternative work, social and restorative activity opportunities. Additionally, they can often be carved out of previously unutilized building areas, such as rooftops in existing buildings and setbacks in new constructions. Understanding the range of uses and opportunities as well as the technical and code issues is vital to best define these spaces that exist between inside and outside. SOM has recently completed and currently has in-design a range of such spaces for clients in the world of advertising, media, consumer products and education. The presentation will focus on a new roof deck for advertising giant Grey Group in the flatiron district of Manhattan.

Speaker(s): Stephen Apking, FAIA, is an interior design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York, New York

The Green R(Evolution): What’s Next For Healthcare [T281]

Tuesday, June 11 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Green product specification and procurement are undergoing rapid change. We’ll soon face complex new requirements for both disclosure and performance, and for healthcare facilities this can be especially challenging. Hear about the green materials revolution and the tools that support it, including the Health Product Declaration and the Environmental Product Declaration. Get the basics on what is changing and how this will affect your future projects. Learn to evaluate the differences between the lists of many different chemicals available from different government and non-profit organizations. See how to use the tools available to help you navigate through choices during your next healthcare project.

Speaker(s): Deborah Fuller, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, is a sustainable knowledge leader for HOK in Dallas, Texas. | Jessica Vuocolo LEED AP is a sustainable design leader for HOK in New York, NY.

Infection Control vs. Sustainability in Healthcare: Problem Solved [W301]

 Wednesday, June 12 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM | $55.00

Despite continued improvement, the tension still exists between sustainable initiatives and infection control best practices in healthcare. Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) kill approximately 100,000 patients every year in the U.S. Get focused on the design solutions that deal with this problem. Find out what we can do as designers of the healthcare environment to improve patient safety in an environmentally conscious way. Using real-life examples, learn how healthcare systems have improved the sustainability profiles and maintained infection control standards. Identify alternative infection control strategies that are safe and environmentally sound. Get the details about HAIs that will help you create better designs for functionality and safety.

Speaker(s): Janet Kobylka, IIDA, AAHID, EDAC, LEED AP, is a principal at Health Design Source in Dallas, Texas. | Deborah Fuller, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, is a senior interior designer for HOK in Dallas, Texas.

Commercial Carpet and Flooring: Trends in Both Optimizing Performance [W326]

Wednesday, June 12 | 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | $55.00

Capabilities in design and styling of commercial flooring in all segments have become more elaborate. Carpet design and style is limited only by ones imaginations. Failures of products to perform are typically caused by the wrong flooring in the wrong place. Learn the importance of appropriate colors and constructions and why some products fail and others don't.

 Speaker(s): Lewis Migliore, president of LGM and Associates, Dalton, Georgia.

For a full list of seminars and to register, visit www.neocon.com.

The 45^th annual NeoCon, the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings, is North America’s largest exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment. NeoCon features the latest trends, products, and concepts in office, healthcare, hospitality, residential, institutional and government environments from more than 700 exhibitors. Approximately 40,000 trade professionals are expected to attend.

REGISTER
Registration is available at www.neocon.com. NeoCon attendees are encouraged to pre-register by June 3^rd to save time and money. As part of a new effort to increase online pre-registration, attendees who register at www.neocon.com by June 3^rd will be admitted into the show at no charge. Attendees who wait to register on-site will be charged $25 for a show badge.

SHOW HOURS

9 a.m. – 5 p.m., June 10 – 12, 2013

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.