CHICAGO, IL (April 26, 2007) – Carlos Martinez, Firmwide Design Director with Gensler, will be Harrington’s 2007 commencement speaker, College President Erik Parks announced yesterday.

Parks selected Martinez after receiving a list of recommendations from faculty and student council.

“We are honored that Carlos has graciously agreed to be our commencement speaker,” Parks said. “He is a design leader with a distinguished career and a commitment to philanthropic activities.” Parks added, “As a supporter of education and an educator himself, Carlos clearly recognizes the value Harrington College of Design brings to the city of Chicago and the industries for which it prepares graduates.”

Carlos Martinez is a Firmwide Design Director for Gensler, and has over 20 years of diverse experience in architecture, design, and business strategy consulting. Praised by peers and press alike, both locally and nationally, Carlos is widely acknowledged as one of the industry's most innovative and influential designers. He is passionate about design and adept in the creation of memorable spaces that promote collaboration, enhance communication, and elevate productivity.

In addition to his former leadership roles at other prominent design firms, Carlos's expertise and perspective was also shaped by his years of experience with Doblin, a Chicago management consulting firm specializing in innovation strategy. Doblin's think-tank model of multi-disciplinary collaboration has deeply influenced Carlos's work as a designer, showing him new approaches to furthering his clients' business goals.

Professionally, Carlos rounds out and sharpens his practice with an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Design at the world-renowned School of the Art Institute of Chicago and through his design affiliation with Niedermaier, a contemporary furniture manufacturer. Niedermaier commissioned him to design a line of furniture that received national attention in House & Garden’s “50 Things to Love about Chicago.”

Carlos also devotes himself to community service. He is a past Chairman and current Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for DIFFA Chicago. In addition, he serves on the Board of Governors at the Harrington College of Design, the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and as President of the Condominium Board of a historic Holabird & Roche 19th Century building, located in a landmark district of Chicago’s Gold Coast.

About Harrington College of Design

Harrington College of Design is a four-year college that offers flexible scheduling for a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design, an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Interior Design or Digital Photography and a new Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Communication Design. Harrington is committed to creating the next generation of design professionals to lead and serve the global community.

Harrington has been a member of Chicago’s design and higher education communities since 1931. Located at 200 W. Madison St., Harrington seeks to foster an environment that maximizes students’ intellectual and artistic potential. The majority of the faculty is practicing interior designers, architects, photographers and fine art professionals.

Harrington is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), and is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Harrington is recognized as a private college by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), and is authorized by the IBHE to confer baccalaureate and associate degrees. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, formerly known as the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER).