Letter of Recommendation

To the ASID National Awards Committee, 

I am Mary Jo Bowling, the homes editor for Luxe Interiors + Design. I have been reporting on and writing about interior design and architecture here on the West Coast for 27 years. However, because I’m based in San Francisco and Berkeley, I am the most familiar with the Bay Area design community. I have been involved with a number of ASID chapters over the years, and I am sincere when I tell you that the current ASID CA Peninsula chapter is home to some of the most active and committed design professionals I have known.

When an organization has been around for some time, it can be easy for membership to rest on past accomplishments and reputation. The members of this chapter take the opposite approach. The quest by the leadership for excellence is visible in everything they do, and they are focused on new ideas, developments, and practices. Their programming is geared toward educating and connecting their members and the community. I have been involved in three recent panels: one about diversity in the industry, another focused on personal wellness and well-being in design, and the third dealing with leveling up designers’ brands and connections. In each case, I worked with members to craft an event that would resonate with and inform those who attended. It is clear that this chapter is on a mission to make membership in ASID meaningful by improving the lives and business practices of the designers involved.

It's also evident that they are driven to make this community a better place. Here in the Bay Area, recovery from the pandemic has been challenging. This chapter has worked tirelessly with two local charities (Make it Home Bay Area and Bay Area Furniture Bank) to provide furniture and home items to those in need. Since my employer is also involved with these organizations, I am aware of the enormous difference this chapter has made in the lives of people who need help. Interior design is usually a luxury that’s available to our community’s most wealthy individuals. The members of ASID CA Peninsula are using their talents to make sure more people experience the comfort and stability of a functionally appointed home.

I want to close with something that’s intangible, and hard to describe in a letter or PowerPoint. There is an energy and enthusiasm this chapter displays that inspires. When they attend events, and they make it a point to be a vital and involved part of the community, the ASID CA Peninsula chapter lights up a room. They are dynamic and positive, and those in their orbit are energized by their spirit. Recently, Publisher Lisa Lovely and I were invited to a dinner hosted by the chapter. The conversation was stimulating and focused on the future. Lisa and I shared a car on the way home, and we spoke at length about this chapter’s effectiveness. We were both impressed.

It was an honor to be asked to write this letter, and I would be delighted to see ASID CA Peninsula honored for their hard work. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Regards,

Mary Jo Bowling