The Best of NeoCon Juror Experience

NeoCon (the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings) has served as the world’s leading platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry since 1969. A launch pad for innovation - NeoCon offers ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future.

NeoCon is always held at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago in early June. The Mart, as it is more widely known, encompasses 3.7 million square feet, spans two city blocks, rises 25 stories, and is visited by an average of 30,000 people each business day (or nearly 10 million people annually).

Starting in 1990, and now in its 35th year, the official Best of NeoCon awards recognize outstanding new products in 40+ categories spanning a range of verticals including workplace, healthcare, hospitality, and education.

The Best of NeoCon juror panel is comprised of roughly 50 top architects, designers, facility managers, and business media from across the country who conduct an in-depth review of the latest solutions shaping contract environments. Juror applications are due in at the beginning of the year and jurors are selected in March. Jurors then receive their list of assigned products in May (roughly 30 per team) and are asked to prejudge each one virtually before arriving in Chicago for live judging which takes place the Friday and Saturday before the start of NeoCon.

During the two-day judging process onsite in Chicago, jurors visit the showrooms in the Mart of their assigned products to view each product, hear a 10-15 minute presentation on each, and ask any questions they may have.

Each Best of NeoCon juror assigns a score, based on a certain set of criteria:

Aesthetics and Innovation
Built Environment Solution, Durability, Functionality & Quality
Industry Certifications & Standards
Environmental Sustainability
List Price

After two days of deliberation, Best of NeoCon juror teams decide the winners for:

Gold and Silver in each product category
Sustainability
Innovation

After individual team scoring, the entire group (roughly 50 jurors) come back together to nominate any ‘Best of Competition’ candidates. Once this is narrowed to about 5 candidates, the entire juror team travels back to each of the 5 showrooms for their final round of presentation and after a group consensus, one winner is selected for 'Best of Competition'.

The Best of NeoCon awards ceremony is always held first thing on Monday morning as NeoCon kicks off, so that each winning entry can showcase their award to everyone visiting their showroom during the show. Congratulations to each of the 96 winners of the Best of NeoCon awards this year!

Interested in reading more about the history of NeoCon? Check out this article tracking the progression of the show from the 1960s to now with lots of great information and images.

Designer Monologues the Podcast from IIDA New England with your host Brett Berry is officially LIVE! On this show, we share the stories behind the design of repurposing, developing, and reshaping our communities. Incubated from the minds and skills of New England’s talented design community, you’ll hear how visual inspiration can come from nature, our history, current trends, and more as we take you on a story-telling journey behind design.

Check out all of the episodes here!

To all of the incredible volunteers and members of IIDA NE:

As my term as President comes to a close, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on all that we've accomplished together. This past year has been a powerful testament to what can happen when a passionate, dedicated community comes together with purpose.

Thank you to each of you for your contributions to the vibrant educational programming that has elevated our industry, sparked meaningful dialogue, and enriched our shared knowledge. The progress we’ve made in advocating for the interior design profession is both inspiring and important—laying groundwork for continued recognition and momentum. I’m especially proud of how we’ve reimagined our signature events with creativity and care, ensuring they reflect the evolving needs and values of our design community. Your input, engagement, and energy have helped shape experiences that feel more intentional, more inclusive, and more impactful.

It is with great excitement that I welcome Krista Easterly of Sasaki as the incoming Chapter President. Krista has been a driving force in our advocacy work, playing an instrumental role in moving our profession forward with clarity and resolve. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside her over the past year, and I can confidently say that the chapter is in incredibly capable hands. Her vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our community promise a bright future ahead.

As we look forward, I invite you to join us at a few exciting upcoming events, including:

Not By Design: An Interactive Unconscious Bias Workshop [virtual]
This is a dynamic virtual interactive workshop that we encourage you to attend one session on Friday, June 13th at 8:00 AM, or Tuesday, June 24th at 5:00PM
Monday, June 16th - Volunteer Opportunity at Franklin Farm Community Garden in Cumberland, RI at 5:30PM
Tuesday, June 17th – Annual Meeting + Community Celebration at Humanscale at 5:30PM
Thursday, June 19th – 2nd Annual Juneteenth Emancipation Celebration at BLKChip Gallery at 5:30PM
Thursday, June 26th – Summer Social at Something Fishy in Warwick, RI at 5:00PM

At the heart of all of this is a simple truth: we are stronger when we lift each other up. Thank you for your creativity, your advocacy, and your spirit of collaboration. It has been an honor to serve this chapter and this community—and I look forward to continuing the work together as we build on this momentum and make an even greater impact.

With gratitude,

Colleen E. Wallace, IIDA
President, IIDA NE Chapter