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Three immensely impactful female creatives are stepping down from their current roles at the end of 2024, making space for new pursuits. Interior Design Hall of Famers Mavis Wiggins, Suzanne Tick, and Robin Klehr Avia recently announced their retirement, though each design icon plans to continue their craft, albeit in new directions. From mentoring young BIPOC designers to sharing ancient wisdom gleaned through Vedic Meditation, take a look at what these influential creatives have planned for their next steps.
Design Icons Take A Bow Before Starting Anew
Mavis Wiggins
Mavis Wiggins. Photography courtesy of TPG Architecture.
Mavis Wiggins, a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee, will retire as managing executive and global workplace creative director at TPG Architecture, effective January, 2025. “I just love the work we as designers get to do,” says Wiggins. “We are so passionate and committed to making experiences better wherever and however we can. This profession has allowed me to grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined, first as a young person joining the community, and still now.”
Known for her generous spirit and keen eye for design, Wiggins’ dynamic body of work ranges showcases the breadth of her prowess, from financial services spaces to hospitality locales and workplaces for consumer brands. During her 14-year tenure at TPG Architecture, her team created award-winning spaces in notable builds such as New York’s Seagram Building and One Vanderbilt Tower—always taking a client-centric approach. Wiggins work is a reflection of her strength as a collaborator and listener, which enables her to capture to essence of the major brands she works with. “We are deeply grateful for Mavis’ contributions to the development of our practice,” says Jim Phillips, founding partner at TPG Architecture. “She has been a driving force in establishing TPG’s reputation as a distinguished design firm. Her guidance has been an incredible source of inspiration for our younger staff, who admire her as both a mentor and a role model.”
Leading by example, Wiggins has long prioritized mentorship, encouraging young BIPOC designers to pursue their career aspirations, which she plans to continue in retirement. “There weren’t many women in the industry who looked like me, particularly in the corporate design world, and I am proud to have been part of the movement toward greater diversity and inclusion,” she shares. “I will continue to make that my mission as I make this transition. Representation, inclusion, and collaboration are key to good design—to creating spaces that inspire and empower people to thrive and grow.” Cheers to Wiggins’ next step!
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Suzanne Tick
Suzanne Tick. Photography by Martin Crook.
After 43 years in the industry and 11 years at Luum Textiles, Suzanne Tick will step back from her role as Luum’s creative director at the end of 2024. An avid practitioner of Vedic Meditation, Tick plans to continue sharing her wisdom with the design community, though her live/work space will transition back to a private oasis.
But her can-do mindset and innovative ideas are at the heart of her legacy. Luum Textiles was born from a dream to create a sustainable textile brand, which Tick shared with David Feldberg, president and CEO of Teknion. Given the green light, Tick and Dave White, president of Luum, built the company into a global brand. “If you’ve ever met Suzanne, you’ll know there is no stopping her,” says White. “Suzanne is a master of her craft, her ability to create products, market her ideas, and work directly with our clients and their end users has made the brand what it is today.”
A weaver who grew up in a family of recyclers, Tick led and refined the Luum product development process, from fiber grading to yarn twisting and dying. Now, 80% of its inventory contains renewable, recycled, or biodegradable content including recycled garment waste. “It has been an absolute pleasure working with Suzanne over the many years. We are so fortunate to have been able to bring her into our Teknion family,” says Feldberg. “She was the spiritual leader of our Luum business and has a unique combination of creative brilliance and strong business acumen. She wasn’t shy about expressing her opinions, especially at the start of our partnership, and as I grew to appreciate she was usually right!”
In retirement, Tick plans to continue her artistic practice, working with corporations to identify their waste streams and using recycled materials to create bespoke woven artworks in addition to sharing her meditation practice. “I couldn’t have conceived of a better partnership than with Teknion,” says tick. “We worked hand in glove. An organization without pretension. Filled with support, kindness, and consideration.” The same can be said of Tick.
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Robin Klehr Avia
Robin Klehr Avia
Robin Klehr Avia, a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee, will retire from Gensler, effective at the end of 2024. From her start as the 24th hire in the Gensler New York office to her role as northeast regional managing principal, Klehr Avia has played a monumental role in the firm’s success. A sought-after mentor, she also formerly chaired the Gensler Board of Directors. “Robin has been a pivotal voice in shaping the firm’s most important strategies and future vision,” shares Diane Hoskins, global co-chair of Gensler. “We would not be where we are as a firm without Robin’s ideas and influence.”
Through December, 2024, Klehr Avia will continue to serve as co-regional managing principal on a reduced schedule. Then she will transition to chair emeritus and advisor to the Gensler Board of Directors while supporting the Northeast region on special projects. Klehr Avia also plans to serve as chair of the Gensler Charitable Gift Fund and Board Advisor through the end of 2025.
“Robin’s visionary leadership and dedication to our people-first philosophy have been essential to making Gensler the world’s most innovative and impactful design firm,” asserts Andy Cohen, global co-chair of Gensler. “As a lifelong partner and friend, she has inspired me personally with her unwavering commitment to Gensler’s future—a legacy that will continue to shape our firm for generations.”
A woman of many accolades, Klehr Avia notably helped grow the firm’s Northeast Region from a single New York office to four offices and over 1,000 team members. The same can be said of the firm’s Latin America region, which now has five offices and more than 500 team members. Known as a “no-nonsense Jersey girl” with an entrepreneurial spirit, Klehr Avia exemplifies the lasting impact that stems from strong leadership, enduring client relationships, and a dash of gumption.
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