On November 17th, at the Chris Do event, AIGA Dallas Fort Worth will be presenting Doug May with a small token of appreciation for 30 years of membership. Join Us.
This year AIGA DFW is turning the spotlight on the people who make our design community great. In researching our AIGAiversary social media series, we discovered that Doug and AIGA are celebrating special anniversary. In recognition of 30 years together, we asked Doug to reflect on his time with AIGA, and the value he gets from membership.
“I’ve been member since 1986.
Before that, I believe I had been a member often and on during the years I lived in New York. I attended many AIGA events in the old 3rd Avenue office in NYC and met everyone involved at the time. I remember it being a three floor walk-up with a gallery the size of small apartment. So, when I say I rubbed elbows with Milton and Massimo, I literally rubbed elbows with them and all the others. It was a small group of like-minded professionals back then, and much more intimate.
When I moved to Dallas in 1984 the AIGA here was a thriving state chapter, as evident in the book titled “Design in Texas”. In the back of the book you will see a list of Texas AIGA members at the time. Having a state chapter was great and it allowed members to attend state-wide events and meet our counterparts in the other Texas cities. I made friends with many designers that I would not have known otherwise. I also served on the Chapter Board for 5 years as Treasurer.
I have been fortunate to have had many conversations with notable designers at AIGA events. These contacts gave me a conduit to many professionals – individuals that I can still pick up the phone and call for advice, or referrals (or they often call me). I found that the organization’s members are willing to share information that helps other designers succeed. That’s the real benefit of being a AIGA member. It’s a fantastic reciprocal network.”
Doug has been a vital part of the North Texas design community for over 30 years, and he’s being slightly modest about his service to AIGA, as well as the larger design community. He served as Treasurer (and is listed in AIGA National’s records as President for a year) during the period when the AIGA Texas chapter was splitting into city chapters, and has remained actively involved in the chapter long after his term. He also served as president of DSVC. In 2011 he was named an AIGA Fellow by AIGA DFW for his service to the design community.
Doug has served as an advisor and mentor to several past presidents of AIGA DFW, and remained an active member long after that ‘reciprocal network’ could provide much more than the satisfaction of helping others and supporting AIGA’s mission. So, while we are celebrating 30 years of membership, we are also pausing to say “Thank you” to Doug for continuing to support us.
