PAVE - The Planning and Visual Education Partnership

Hollywood, Fla. (October 30, 2008)—The Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE) is pleased to announce the three finalists the foundation’s 2008 Rising Star Award.

Retailers and retail design firms were invited to nominate an individual who works in retail design, visual presentation, or contract design and is a proven innovator and leader among his or her peers. The three finalists for the 2008 award are:

Pamela De Blanc, visual merchandise manager, MGM MIRAGE Retail
Matthew Grubar, director, visual merchandising, Elie Tahari Ltd.
Rachel Zsembery, AIA, LEED AP, associate, Bergmeyer Associates Inc.

The award presentation and announcement of the winner will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008, during the 12th Annual PAVE Gala in New York City.

The following industry professionals are the judges for the 2008 Rising Star Award competition:

Rachel Arnold, partner, Transit Culture/R.A.A.
Christine Belich, vice president, visual merchandising, Sony Electronics Inc.
Ignaz Gorischek, vice president stores, visual, planning, and design, The Neiman Marcus Group Inc.
Nancy Jackson, president, Architectural Systems Inc.
Steve Kaufman, editor, VMSD magazine.

For more information about the PAVE’s Rising Star Award and the PAVE Gala, please click here.

About PAVE
Founded in 1992, The Planning and Visual Education Partnership’s (PAVE) objective is to encourage students to study in the field of retail design and planning and visual merchandising through its annual Student Design Competition. Additionally, PAVE seeks to encourage retail management, store planners, visual merchandisers, architects, and manufacturers to interact with and support design students. This is accomplished through seminars, workshops, and PAVE’s annual fundraising Gala with proceeds dedicated to financial aid and internships for qualified students. PAVE is administered by the Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.), formerly NASFM.