PID Floors at the United Nations

PID Floors at the United Nations

April 21, 2025

April 21st, World Creativity & Innovation Day, was a hallmark day for PID Floors. We were incredibly honored to be both participants and sponsors of a profoundly meaningful design event and luncheon which took place at the United Nations in New York City:

NY11+ Luncheon at the UN:

Fostering Innovation to Address Design World Challenges and celebrating the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and forward-thinking design.

This luncheon brought together UN delegates, global mission representatives, students, and top design industry leaders to celebrate the role of interior design in shaping sustainable and inclusive communities. We were thrilled to have Susan Kaplan and Currie Gardner from HLW, Emma Bernstein from Project Horizon, and Elisabeth Perreault from Cannon Design, join us as PID Floors' special guests and presenters.

Our family company has always been about more than just hardwood flooring—it is about crafting extraordinary design experiences and sharing our knowledge with others. Three generations and 36 years later, we aspire to continuously inspire, excite, and educate the next generations of the design industry while making sure to focus on sustainability as a tandem goal.

A sincere thank you to Hans Galutera and NY11+ for spearheading this extraordinary day and allowing us to support and participate. As we are lucky to have Hans as our Director of Educational Outreach at PID Floors, we wanted to share his words reflecting on this special day at the UN:

Honored to Celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day at the United Nations with NY11+

Today was nothing short of extraordinary. As the leader of HG Design Works LLC, I was proud to stand with NY11+ at the United Nations to celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day—a day that honors the transformative power of design in shaping a better, more inclusive, and more sustainable world.

Held at the UN Delegates Lounge, our NY11+ event brought together students, educators, global changemakers, and design leaders to spotlight the voices of emerging interior designers from across New York State. Their work embodies creativity, responsibility, and the future of our built environment.

This was more than just a gathering—it was a tribute to our founder Ruth Lynford, a celebration of design’s role in social change, and a launchpad for collaboration and innovation.

Special thanks to our incredible partners who made this day possible:

PID Floors, Cosentino, and IIDA NY — your support was instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

-Hans Galutera, HG Design Works

NY11+ Luncheon at the UN:

Fostering Innovation to Address Design World Challenges and celebrating the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and forward-thinking design.

Goals:

• Fund student scholarships & mentorship programs

• Create career-defining opportunities for emerging designers

• Advance sustainable and socially conscious design initiatives

Honorees:

Individuals who have made significant contributions to the field and to NY11+:

• Jeff Lynford – Vice Chairman, Port Authority NY/NJ

A key figure in education, real estate, and public policy, Jeff’s role at the Port Authority connects students to real-world projects in public spaces and urban development. We will be honoring him with the Ruth Lynford Lifetime Icon Award in tribute to his late mother, the visionary founder of NY11+.

• Myron Johnson – Film Entertainment and Cultural Arts Manager of the Port Authority NY/NJ PABT & Board Director, Times Square Alliance and Garment District Alliance

Recognized for his leadership in exhibiting the Annual Student Interior Design Thesis Project at one of the most high-traffic locations in the world, ensuring interior design students’ work is prominently displayed at the Port Authority Midtown Bus Terminal.

• Jamie Drake – Interior Designer, Architectural Digest AD100 Hall of Fame Inductee

A design visionary whose work has shaped luxury interiors for decades, Jamie’s commitment to philanthropy supports organizations such as the New York Community Trust, The Alpha Workshops, Parsons School of Design, and of course, NY11+.

Distinguished Guests:

• Anita Durst – Durst Organization, Advocate for Arts & Design

• Martu E. Freeman-Parker – CEO, MEF Productions

• Ellyn Bernstein – VP of Marketing & Government Affairs, Times Square Alliance

• Tom Harris – President, Times Square Alliance