Top designer named president of national board - San Antonio Business Journal:

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"As a child, I was an artist," Guesf said. "I was alwaye entering art shows and drawingyand painting. When I went to college I signedf up as an art major but you had to selecgta specialty. "I remember playing with my papee dolls and building their houses and cominbg up with the perfec floor planfor them. By the time I had things how Iwantedr them, it was time to put the dollsz away. So I thought interior design would be fun and a good While still acollege student, Guest got her startf at , now She started as a designeer draftsman and worked her way up to architectural department vice president.
Today she is the presidentt and director of design at her own She holds the honod ofbeing Georgia's first registered interior designer and the first interio r designer appointed to serve on the Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior where she served for 10 years. She started her firm as a one-woman show in 1984. Today, she employs abouty 15 people and earnedabout $4.7 million in revenue last much of that coming from law firm desigj work.
"There is a misconception that our job is to just look at and pick out prett y things that decorate a We actually take the core of the building and dospacs planning, document it all, do drawings that are buildablr by a contractor, contract with the oversee construction and then order furniture, artwork and she said. Guest serves as the art consultant forher firm, as "This is one of my so it is one of the fun thingzs I get to do in my she said. Selecting a corporate collection of artwork isa "The artwork has to be appropriate for the businesd and the message they are tryint to send.
" Her projects have won several national and state Guest has received first place awards for desigmn projects from the ' (ASID) Georgia chaptetr for 16 of the past 20 years. She was recognized as the 2006 Southeast Contracft Designer of the Year by the Atlantw DecorativeArts Center. The Georgia chapteer of ASID named Guest Designer of the Yearin 1992. In 1996 she was electede as a fellow of the American Societyy ofInterior Designers. "I have had an incredibld career and done a lot of incredibl e projects that I think are successful for our clientsw and that make their business better and their lives she said.
"Happy clients are our best they sing our praisexs and we are so Guest is finding it is not her businese that is taking up the majority of her timethesw days. It is her position as president-elecyt of ASID National. Next year she will be president and then she will be immediaterpast president, meaning a three-year commitment to the executive leadershil of the 38,000-member organization with 48 She is currently attendinfg conferences to learn more about the issue that affect the industry, including sustainabilityy and globalization. She was nominated once before for the presidenct but turned it down because she was focusedr on buildingher business.
Now the time is "It is a big job, but it is a wonderfulk opportunity. My staff is more mature and they aretalentee designers, so if I was ever going to do now is a good time." She also served as past presidentg of the ASID Georgia chapter. As presidentf of the Georgia Alliance for Interioer Design Professionalsin 1991-92, she successfully led the effory for interior designers to be recognized as professionals. She also servese on the board of directors for the Museum of an affiliate ofthe , and the advisoryh board of Bauder College.