PRESS RELEASE


May 2009

This June, the Architecture & Design community is getting inspired. Not from Frank Gehry or other industry superstars, but from Greensburg, Kansas: a small city leveled by a huge tornado in 2007. And when it came time to rebuild, Greensburg lived up to its name and went green.

Interior Designers Gail Doby and Erin Weir, founders of Design Success University discovered they have much in common with the Kansas city. While Greensburg is building a green city, they're building a green summit.

The Green Design Summit is a telesummit with a goal: teaching IDs and Architects green business practices and design choices plus they will receive marketing tools. Now it has a second goal: supporting the "town that could" throughout the summit. Five percent of all Green Design Summit proceeds are going to aid in rebuilding Greensburg's public facilities. Doby and Weir are also challenging their Green Summit architects and interior designers to contact their suppliers and vendors to encourage donation of materials to the city for the town's theater and museum.

Greensburg Mayor, Bob Dixson welcomes the contribution of the design community. "We believe our ancestors had the great forethought to name the town Greensburg, and that it is our calling to inspire hope in others through our decision to rebuild as a totally green community," Mayor Dixson told Doby

Doby agrees. She adds that, "All of us can learn how to choose a different path just like the inspiring townspeople of Greensburg." Instead of focusing on how bad business is, Doby believes in creating business, and giving back to the communities at the same time.

The Green Design Summit features 10 speakers from related fields discussing why green design is critical to the survival of our planet, what one can do to lead change, and how to incorporate responsible and sustainable design.

"At a grassroots level, the design industry can lead the world to act responsibly," says Doby. Speakers who are already on board are:

Penny Bonda - "Mother of Green Interiors" - "The New LEED Requirements - What You Need to Know"

Leslie Carothers - Founder of The Kaleidoscope Partnership and Social Media Expert for the Furniture Industry - "How To Specify Green Furnishings"

Bob Dixson - Mayor of Greensburg, Kansas - "The Story of Greensburg and How Miracles Can Come From Devastation"

Lisa Foster - Founder of 1 Bag At A Time - "What Is Your Carbon Footprint and What Can You Do to Reduce It?"

Tom Hamilton - Senior Product Marketing Manager for Philips Color Kinetics - "Designing Energy Efficient Lighting & Maintaining Aesthetics"

Libby Langdon - HGTV Star of Small Space, Big Style and Author of Design in Small Spaces - "Visually Trick the Eye - Libby Langdon's Ideas for Living Large in a Small Space"

Michael Port - Top-selling Author & Business Coach -"The Think Big Manifesto - Think you can't change your life (and the world)? Think again."

Sarah Susanka - Best-Selling Author of Eight Books, Architect & Certified Interior Designer - "not so big remodeling"

Cassie Walker - Author of The Green Office Handbook and Founder of The Sustainable Office - "How To Green Your Office"

Robin Wilson - NY Interior and Product Designer - "Eco-friendly Design From The Foundation To The Furniture"


Doby and Weir are setting the ambitious goal to go global with their mission of creating change one architect and designer at a time.

The Green Design Summit is a totally green event delivered by telesummit/webcast. Attendees receive downloadable MP3 recordings and transcripts of each speaker interview.


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