Greetings from the International Vice President
Fall 2026 Newsletter
Dear Members and Friends of the Retail Design Institute,
The 55th International Design Awards are next week, and I could not be more excited to celebrate with you.
Our 55th International Design Competition celebrates the branded environments our members and the broader industry completed in 2025: flagship stores, pop-ups, restaurants, large-format destinations, med-tail concepts, and hospitality spaces.
This competition exists to honor the caliber of work being produced across our field, and it offers meaningful recognition for the effort behind every project. Thank you to every team that shared its work with us this year.
Finalists will be honored at our Awards Celebration on October 21 at FIT in New York City. Outstanding Merit Awards will be presented that evening, and one finalist will receive the distinction of Retail Experience of the Year. It is a wonderful night, and we hope to see strong representation from our membership in the room. Tickets are still available: reserve your seat here.
Can't make it to New York? You can still be part of the evening. Join us virtually for a night of celebration and innovation, and as a member, you can stream for free. The broadcast will include:
The winners of the International Design Competition, including the Outstanding Merit Awards and the coveted Retail Experience of the Year
The 2026 honorees for the Retail Design Legion of Honor
The 2026 honorees for Member Recognition for Service to the Institute
Register for the virtual watch party here to receive your streaming link.
Looking ahead, our International programming continues with a virtual Continuing Education session, Commercial Colormix 2027: REWILD, presented by Sherwin-Williams on November 6. In this one-hour program, Joy LaChelle Babur, Trade RDI, Enterprise Account Executive – National Client Specifications at Sherwin-Williams, will walk through the 2027 color forecast and its three design stories: Revive, Reignite, and Reconnect.
Attendees will explore how trends such as preservation, creative reset, memory-driven design, and wellness are shaping color and material choices across retail, hospitality, workplace, education, healthcare, and multifamily spaces, and how those choices can support wellness, neuroinclusion, and sustainability. The program is approved for 1.0 LU | HSW AIA credit and 0.1 IDCEC CEU, and is designed for architects, interior designers, specifiers, and anyone involved in commercial environments. Register here.
We are also planning a special event in New York City this January that will bring together members and guests from around the world. Keep an eye out for more details soon!
Member Spotlight: Michael Trenary, RDI
This month, I am delighted to recognize Michael Trenary, RDI, President of our Heartland Chapter.
Based in Kansas City, Michael is a Senior Associate, Retail Store Design and Brand Translation, with the Arcadis Retail Practice Group. As an interior designer and brand strategist, he creates human-centric spaces that connect people to brands, drawing on collaboration and empathy to turn ideas into environments that balance beauty, commercial success, and positive change.
Michael brings that same thoughtful approach to his Institute chapter leadership. He has reimagined how the Heartland Chapter serves its members, and his regional approach has driven real membership growth, inspiring fellow Chapter Presidents and the International Board alike. He is also developing a podcast series for the chapter, so stay tuned for its launch!
Thank you, Michael, for your energy, vision, and dedication to our community.
Elections
As we move through the spooky season and into the holidays, you will see some new names and faces stepping into leadership roles across the Institute.
Election results will be announced on October 29th, and our new leaders will begin their terms on November 1st.
My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made this possible: our outgoing leaders, for their time and dedication; our nominees, for their willingness to serve; everyone who submitted a nomination, for their thoughtful involvement; and every member who voted, for investing in the future of the Institute.
We can't wait to see what our new leadership brings!
Warm regards,
Kathryn Patton-Miller, RDI
Vice President, Retail Design Institute
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