Design society to install officers for first Nevada chapter

The National Interior Design Society will install charter officers for its 28th chapter, its first in Nevada, Friday at the Las Vegas Design Center.

Kimberly Joi McDonald will be installed as the charter president of the Las Vegas chapter. Also to be installed are Shawn McNease, vice president; Brian Thornton, secretary; and Diana Tennyson Nielsen, treasurer.

McDonald is the owner and CEO of Designing Joi, an interior design consultation firm, as well as principal of Tactical Strategies, a government affairs, strategic planning and legislative consultation firm. After working 12 years as a local government lobbyist, McDonald formed her interior design firm.

She has a master's degree in public administration, Bachelor of Arts in psychology and interior design. As part of a team, she was a first semifinalist/runner-up of the Las Vegas Design-A-Suite downtown competition last year and was recently elected the finance director of the California Central/Nevada Chapter 2011-'12 board of directors for the American Society of Interior Designers.

McNease is the owner, design principal and client advocate of SRI Design Group. She has worked with residential clients and homebuilders for more than 25 years in Nevada and California.

She moved to Southern Nevada in 1990 to open her own interior decorating company. After a few years in business and teaching at the Interior Design Institute, a local semicustom home builder asked her to expand his design center. Not only did she provide decorating services for buyers, she and her staff decorated all of the builder's model homes. She is currently director of the Design Salon at Las Vegas Design Center.

Thornton's design studio in Las Vegas focuses on high-end residential and hospitality project's custom lighting. He spent years in industrial design, which resulted in a collection of custom plumbing fixtures and his first U.S. design patent earlier this year with Pfister. While working as director of design for MGM Mirage Design Group, he contributed to multiple projects.

Additionally, Thornton was the principal designer for former President Bill Clinton's inaugural commemoratives retail outlet store and was selected to co-design former President George H.W. Bush's transitional offices in Houston. He also is the founder of designMINDS, which fosters professional relationships among creative people.

Tennyson Nielsen is owner of Tennyson Nielsen Group, a manufacturers' representative of quality home furnishings and accessories. Additionally, she is gallery director for New Century Picture Gallery located at the design center.

Tennyson Nielsen's multifaceted and diverse career includes more than 19 years in management, working as manager of an award-winning luxury jeweler, and time in the entertainment industry as a principal dancer and production show manager.

McDonald said the chapter hopes to feature an annual IDS Design Showhouse, as well as honor local talented designers, builders, trade, industry and student with awards.

As a new chapter of the society, immediate plans call for creating communications, program, events and membership committees.

The Interior Design Society is the only professional association in the U.S. that is devoted specifically to the residential interior designer. It has more than 3,000 members nationwide including residential interior designers, sales specialists, design-related businesses, interior design students, suppliers and manufacturers.

Special guests for the installation event and meeting are Gina Spaulding, executive director of the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design, who will speak about "Registration Information for Designers and Different Paths to Licensure or Not." Also, Marc Abelman, owner and chief financial officer of Inside Style Home and Design, will talk about "Successful Marketing Tips for Designers."

Additionally, the chapter will present a special charter membership to Dina Remeta, one of Las Vegas' oldest practicing interior designers. Called one of the "Grand Dames of Interior Design" by friends and associates, Remeta also is one of the founders of the Architectural and Decorative Arts Society in Las Vegas.

All residential interior designers, builders, industry, trade and students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Friday's festivities will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a social mixer in room C-176, located within Building C of the design center, 495 S. Grand Central Parkway. The meeting and installation ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

The group's next meeting will be at 10 a.m. July 29.

For more information, contact McDonald at 702-533-5273 or designingjoi@aol.com.