AIGA Timeline: A Window on American Graphic Design

In the course of preparing my posts on AIGA Medalists I kept looking in vain to the AIGA website for information. I especially found the AIGA History Timeline on its website to be deficient. The timeline, which runs backward from 2014 to 1914, is very sketchy for the decades prior to 1980. Out of 33 entries, 24 of them are for the last thirty-four years. Here is a decade-by-decade breakdown:

1914—1919—1 entry
1920–1929—2 entries
1930–1939—1 entry
1940–1949—1 entry
1950–1959—2 entries
1960–1969—1 entry
1970–1979—3 entries
1980–1989—5 entries
1990–1999—7 entries
2000–2009—7 entries
2010–present—5 entries

This lack of detail is indefensible. In fact, a far superior (though not perfect) timeline, titled “A Brief History of AIGA”, was created in 1989 by Steve Heller and Nathan Gluck for the AIGA’s 75th anniversary. Oddly enough, it is not available on the AIGA website, though the introduction is. There are several points in the introduction to the timeline which require correction.

• “Professional ‘designers’ emerged from the large print shops to make order out of the visual clutter that characterized the ephemera of the 19th century.”—not true; the leading figures were independent of such shops

• “Fearing that the classical methods were becoming endangered, members of the graphic arts communities in Boston and New York were attracted to the Arts and Crafts eclecticism of the 19th century designer/philosopher William Morris.”—classical methods were not endangered; they had disappeared over a century or more ago; those who were most inspired by Morris were outside the graphic arts community of the time; Morris was an artist or a craftsman and a writer and an advocate of social reform more than a philosopher.

• “The renaissance men who led the way, among them Daniel Berkeley Updike, Frederic W. Goudy and W.A. Dwiggins, soon became the most active members of an institute created for the propagation of their ideals and the exhibition of their wares.”—neither Updike nor Goudy was a renaissance man like Dwiggins; neither Updike nor Dwiggins was a part of the original group that led to formation of the AIGA since both were located in Boston and neither was particularly active in the organization once they joined due to distance and temperament. On the other hand, Goudy, while he was still in New York, was very active.

• “Among the founding members were pioneers of American typeface, poster and book design, including F.G. Cooper and Frederic W. Goudy….”—Cooper not a pioneer of any of those activities and Goudy only of the first. Type design NOT important at the time among the founders of AIGA.

• William Edwin Rudge was not the owner of “the Rudge Press” but of the The Printing Office of William Edwin Rudge.

• “printer A. Colish” was actually Abe Colish; A. Colish was the official business name, possibly done to disguise his Jewish identity?

• why is Bruce Rogers described as the first medalist in 1925 if supposedly awards were given to Munder et al before that? —were they winners of the annual exhibitions?

• “Henry L. Gage” should be “Harry L. Gage”.

Here is a copy-corrected, revised and augmented version of Heller and Gluck’s timeline (taken from http://archive.today/032BE) with additional material both filling in some of the gaps and taking the story up to 2014. Much of the information for the years after 1990 is taken from the centennial timeline at the AIGA website.

A More Detailed (though far from perfect) History of AIGA

1911

• Graphic Group of New York formed with the following aims: “to advance the graphic arts, to establish standards of achievement, to stimulate investigation and research, to act as a clearinghouse for ideas, to show examples of individual effort, to hold annual exhibitions, and to cultivate friendship”; led by Arthur S. Allen of the Philip Ruxton Company, an ink manufacturer. Members of the Graphic Group became key figures in the formation of the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

1913

• The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) was created in order to have an organization representing the printing trades of the United States at the Leipzig Graphic Arts Exposition in 1914. The idea for the organization was announced 13 November 1913 by John G. Agar at the eighth annual “Fifty Books of the Year” exhibition at the National Arts Club, 119 East 19 Street, New York City, “The institute will include engravers, etchers, the Typothetae, lithographers, illustrators, panel painters, mural painters, and generally, all arts and crafts intended to make ideas visible,” declared Agar.

1914

• In January, forty people met at the National Arts Club and passed a resolution authorizing a committee to draft a constitution and bylaws for the new organization which was intended to be “a source of pleasure and intellectual profit” to its members. It was named the American Institute of Graphic Arts at the suggestion of Charles DeKay (1848–1935), a linguist, poet, critic and fencer.

• President (1914–1915): William B. Howland, publisher and editor of The Independent.

• Location (1914–1920): National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York.

1915

• President (1915–1916): John Clyde Oswald (1872–1938), editor of The American Printer. Note: Some presidential terms appear to overlap because they begin and end in the middle of a year. Dates have been taken from the list on the AIGA website (which contains a few misspelled names).

• Exhibitions:
“Contemporary Design in Printing”—held at the National Arts Club.
“American Wood Engraving”—held at the National Arts Club.

• Exhibitions:
“American Printing”—held at the National Arts Club.
“Photography”—held at the National Arts Club.

1917

• President (1917–1919): Arthur S. Allen, color expert/consultant/lecturer. Note: Presidential terms have varied from one to three years.

• Traveling exhibition of lithography, etching and war-work posters.

1920

• President (1920–1921): Walter Gilliss (1855–1955), owner of The Gilliss Press and secretary of the Grolier Club.

• Location (1920–1921): The Squibb Building, 745 Fifth Avenue.

• Exhibition/Competition:
“Printing;” held at the National Arts Club before traveling to Boston and other cities. This was the first competition organized by the AIGA. It included a section on the history of printing curated by Henry Lewis Bullen. Gold, silver and bronze medals minted and given as special awards. Norman T. A. Munder (1867–1953), Baltimore printer received the “great American Institute gold medal, awarded for the most meritorious exhibit in any class” while the Riverside Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts was given the silver and bronze awards for its book work. Munder has subsequently been considered the first AIGA medalist. The medals were designed by James Earle Fraser (1876–1953), designer of the Indian head/buffalo nickel.

• Competition authorized for the “most fitting design” for an AIGA bookplate. [No information on a winning entry and its designer.]

1921

• President (1921–1922): Frederic W. Goudy (1865–1947), book designer/type designer/printer.

• Location (1921–1934): The Art Center, 65 East 56th Street. The Art Center was incorporated 30 April 1921 to “advance the Decorative Crafts and the Industrial and Graphic Arts of America by banding together the seven constituent societies: Art Alliance of America, Art Director’s Club, American Institute of Graphic Arts, New York Society of Craftsmen, Pictorial Photographers of America, Society of Illustrators and the Stowaways.” It was owned cooperatively.

• Publications: News-Letter of The American Institute of Graphic Arts begun.

• Special award: Daniel B. Updike (1860–1941) for his book Printing Types: Their History, Forms, and Use: A Study in Survivals. [Winners of special awards have often been listed as AIGA medalists.]

1922

• President (1922–1923): J. Thomson Willing, artist/art manager of American Lithograph Co.

• Exhibitions:
“The Printed Book Before the 19th Century.”
“Writing Books of the Past Four Centuries.”

• Publications:
Year Book of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. [No other editions are known.]
Keepsake no. 4: Portfolio: Da Vinci Roman Capitals of Divine Proportion by Fred T. Singleton. [It is unclear when the keepsake program began or when it ended; last known keepsake is no. 56 in 1937].

1923

• AIGA chapter established in Chicago.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year” inaugurated; held annually, with various name changes, until 2011. The National Arts Club had previously organized exhibitions under the same moniker. The exhibition traveled.
“Printing for Commerce” inaugurated; held annually, with various name changes, until 1963. It included the historical survey “Printed Pictures: How They Are Produced”.
“50 Prints of the Year” inaugurated; held annually until 1947; traveled to Cleveland Museum of Art.

• Exhibitions:
“Typefaces; Their Origin and Uses”—organized by Douglas McMurtrie (1888–1944).
“The Harmonious Book Page”—curated by William M. Ivins, Jr. (1881–1961) and Walter Dorwin Teague (1883–1960); accompanied by a catalogue.

• Publications: The Decline of the Harmonious Book Page by B.E. [Burton Emmett].

1924

• President (1924–1925): Burton Emmett (1871–1935), advertising agency executive.

• A committee to promote standardization of process colors created. deliberated until 1930 when stock colors were approved by the Association of Ink Manufacturers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”

• Publications: An Exhibition of Contemporary Commercial Printing checklist.

• AIGA medalist instituted. A single gold medal was awarded to an individual who had made a lifelong contribution to the graphic arts. The first recipient was Bruce Rogers (1871–1957), book designer.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“50 Prints of the Year.”

• Special awards:
John G. Agar, president, National Arts Club.
Stephen H. Horgan (1854–1941), inventor of the halftone screen.
Carl Purington Rollins (1880–1960), printer, Yale University Press.

1926

• President (1926–1927): W. Arthur Cole (b. 1887), advertising agency vice president/production manager.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books” inaugurated; held annually until 1945.

• The Carnegie Corporation awarded the AIGA a special grant of $5,000 in recognition of its “widespread efforts to promote and enhance graphic design.”

• An education committee in conjunction with New York University sponsored two courses on printing and typography.

• Medalist: Burton Emmett (1871–1935).

1927

• President (1927–1928): Frederic G. Melcher (1879–1963), president of R.R. Bowker.

• 534 members nationwide.

• The Society of Typographic Arts established in Chicago as alternative to AIGA. [What happened to the AIGA chapter in Chicago?]

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• Publications:
Fifty Books of the Year (New York: John Day & Co.)—with an introductory essay by W.A. Dwiggins.
Printing for Commerce (New York: John Day & Co.).
Fifty Prints of the Year (New York: John Day & Co.).

• Medalist: Timothy Cole (1852–1931), artist/wood engraver.

1928

• President (1928–1929): Frank Altschul (1887–1981), banker/private press printer.

• The AIGA incorporated.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• Medalist: Frederic W. Goudy (1865–1947), book designer/type designer/printer

1929

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• Exhibition:
“William Addison Dwiggins”—held in conjunction with the awarding of the AIGA medal; first AIGA exhibition devoted to the work of a single individual.

• Medalist: William A. Dwiggins (1880–1956), book designer/type designer.

1930

• President (1930–1931): Henry A. Groesbeck, Jr. (1877–1950), president Walker Engraving Corporation.• Blanche Decker appointed assistant secretary, first full-time AIGA employee.

• Blanche Decker appointed assistant secretary, first full-time AIGA employee.

• Clinics: first book clinic.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library; show traveled to the Deutsche Bucherei, Leipzig.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• AIGA succeeded in lobbying for the standardization of process colors, approved by the Association of Ink Manufacturers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies; set new standards for consistency between design and printing.

• Medalist: Henry Watson Kent (1866–1948), secretary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1932

• President (1932–1934): Harry L. Gage, educator/vice president of Mergenthaler Linotype Company.

• Dues raised to $15.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• Medalist: Porter Garnett (1871–1951), printing educator, founder of The Laboratory Press.

1933

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library; Nazis forbade exhibition in Germany.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”

• Exhibitions:
“The Village Press: A Retrospective Exhibition.”
“Deutsche Graphik.”

• No medalist selected.

1935

• President (1935–1936): Charles Chester Lane, New York Times executive and first director, Harvard University Press.

• Location (1935): Grand Central Palace, 125 East 46th Street.

• Clinics: Trade Book Clinic established. This was the first of several clinics which were committees within the AIGA created to oversee lectures, workshops and competitions. This marked a significant break from the dominance of “fine printing” thinking within the AIGA.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library.
“Printing for Commerce.”—Lucien Bernhard (1883–1972) keynote speaker at opening of exhibition.
“Fifty Prints of the Year.”
“Fifty Illustrated Books.”
“Trade Books” inaugurated; organized by Trade Book Clinic; held annually until the 1950s.

• Medalists: J. Thomson Willing; and Rudolph Ruzicka (1883–1978), artist/wood engraver.

1941

• President (1941–1942): Arthur R. Thompson, Bell Telephone Laboratories executive.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year”—formerly “Textbooks of the Year.”

• Medalist: Carl Purington Rollins (1880–1960), printer, Yale University Press.

1942

• Dues were waived for armed forces AIGA members.

• Chapters: chapter in Detroit called The Detroit Group; organized “An Exhibition of Merle Armitage Books” at the Detroit Public Library.

• Clinics: The Textbook Clinic concentrated on wartime problems of book printing and publishing.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library; a 10-minute broadcast over WEAF Radio network, with speakers were Dr. Irwin Edman and Carl van Doren, publicized the show.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”

• Exhibitions: show of comic strips, at the National Arts Club; covered by CBS-TV and NBC-Radio.

• Publications: Las Artes del Libro en Los Estados Unidos 1931–1941, a record of AIGA South American initiative.

• Medalists: Edwin Grabhorn (1889–1968) and Robert Grabhorn, book designers/printers/publishers.

1943

• President (1943–1944): George T. Bailey (1900–1964), president of Photogravure & Color Co.

• Members included Nathaniel Richardson, Superintendent of Printing to the Republic of Liberia; possibly the first black member of the AIGA.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library; refreshments provided by “the ladies of the Distaff Side.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”

• Exhibition:
“Artists in War”—organized by The Artists League of America.

• No medalist selected.

1945

• President (1945–1946): Walter Frese (1910–1995), president of publishing company Hastings House.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”

• Medalist: Frederic G. Melcher (1879–1963), president of R. R. Bowker.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at New York Public Library.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”

• Medalist: Stanley Morison (1889–1967), typographic advisor to Monotype Corporation/printing historian; first non-American recipient.

1947

• President (1947–1948): Joseph A. Brandt, president of Henry Holt & Co.

• 1,000 members.

• Stanton L. Catlin (1915–1997), art historian, became first full-time executive director, serving until January 1950.

• Clinics: AIGA Trade Book Clinic and Textbook Clinic organized symposium ““What Types Do We Need? An Inquiry”.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—exhibited at the Grolier Club.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”

• Exhibition:
“Books by Offset Lithography.”

• Publications: bimonthly AIGA Journal begun, replacing AIGA newsletter.

• Medalist: Elmer Adler (1884–1962), publisher/printer/book collector.

• President (1948–1950): Donald S. Klopfer, treasurer/secretary and one of the founders of Random House.

• Guild of Bookworkers affiliated with AIGA; arrangement lasted until 1978.

• Fundraising campaign begun to support education, research and promotion. Its long-range objectives were:
—Chapters throughout the country, including undergraduate chapters in colleges. Ray Nash, a teacher at Dartmouth College, supervised the formation of student chapters. The first was established at Carnegie Institute of Technology [now Carnegie Mellon University].
—New headquarters.
—Workshops with presses for printing courses.
—Establishment of a graduate school of graphic arts to supplement existing programs.
—Speakers’ service.
—Graphic arts information service.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—opened in six cities simultaneously: New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ The Best Textbooks of the Year”—formerly “Sixty Textbooks of the Year.”
“Young Designers Show” organized by the Trade Book Clinic; continued until 1951.

• Exhibition:
“American Type Designers and their Work” organized by the Lakeside Press Galleries, Chicago traveled to AIGA; AIGA later sponsored partial exhibition of material at The Art Institute and School of Design, Kansas City.

• Medalist: Lawrence C. Wroth (1884–1970), librarian of J. Carter Brown Library, Brown University.

1949

• Chapters: student chapters formed in Los Angeles, Washington, Detroit and at Dartmouth College; AIGA chapter established in Washington, DC organized exhibition “Books Designed & Directed by Lester Douglas” at the Library of Congress.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—opened in six cities simultaneously: New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ The Best Textbooks of the Year.”
“Young Designers Show.”
“AIGA Magazine Show” inaugurated; held annually at least until 1971.

• Exhibition:
“The Work of Carl Purington Rollins”—exhibited at the Grolier Club.

• No medalist selected.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—opened in five cities simultaneously: New York (at the New York Public Library), Boston, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ The Best Textbooks of the Year.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Young Designers Show.”
“Children’s Book Show 1945–1950”

• Medalists:
Earnest Elmo Calkins (1868–1964), advertising agency founder.
Alfred A. Knopf (1892–1984), publisher.

1951

• President (1951–1952): Merle Armitage (1893–1975), book designer/consultant/art director of Look magazine.

• Location (1951): 120 East 40th Street and then the Bedford Hotel, 118 East 40th Street.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—opened in five cities simultaneously: New York (at the New York Public Library), Boston, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.
“Printing for Commerce.”
“ The Best Textbooks of the Year.”
“Young Designers Show.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”

• Exhibitions:
“Will Bradley: His Work”—traveled to Henry E. Huntington Library in California.
“Books for Our Time” initiated by R.A. Freiman, chairman of the Trade Book Clinic initiated “Books for Our Time” exhibition emphasizing modern book design; accompanied by catalogue.

• Publications:
The AIGA Journal published five times a year.
Books for Our Time ed. Marshall Lee (New York: Oxford University Press)—showcased work by Merle Armitage, S.A. Jacobs, Marshall Lee, Paul Rand, Alvin Lustig, Herbert Bayer et al; one of the most important documents on 20th century American book design.

• Medalist: Harry L. Gage, educator/vice president of Mergenthaler Linotype Company.

• President (1952–1953): Walter Dorwin Teague (1883–1960), industrial designer.

• Location (1952–1954): Artists Equity Building, 13 East 67th Street; headquarters renovated and designed by Walter Dorwin Teague.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—opened in five cities simultaneously: New York (at the New York Public Library), Boston, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.
“Printing for Commerce”
“ The Best Textbooks of the Year.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”

• Exhibition:
“Quality in Book-Production.”

• Medalist: Joseph Blumenthal (1897–1990), designer/printer/private press publisher.

• Location (1954–1961): 5 East 40th Street.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce”—written up in • Fortune magazine.
“Outstanding Textbooks”—formerly “The Best Textbooks of the Year”;  the new name continued through at least 1961.
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year” inaugurated at suggestion of William Golden; held annually until at least 1966.

• Medalists:
Will Bradley (1868–1962), designer/illustrator.
Jan Tschichold (1902–1974), typographer/book designer.

• President (1955–1957): Leo Lionni (1910–1999), designer/art director, Fortune magazine; represented shift in organization from emphasis on printing and book design to graphic design—and greater influence of modernists.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Children’s Book Show 1953–1954.”

• Medalist: P.J. Conkwright (1905–1986), designer/typographer at Princeton University Press.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”

• Publications: Henry Wolf (1925–2005) was selected as editor/art director of a planned annual but the Institute was not able to realize publication.

• Medalist: Ray Nash (1905–1982), educator and historian/lecturer on graphic arts.

1957

• President (1957–1958): Sidney R. Jacobs, book designer and production executive at Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce”—formerly “Printing for Commerce”; new name continued until 1969.
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Fifty Packages of the Year” inaugurated.
“Fifty Record Album Covers of the Year” inaugurated; held annually at least until 1960.

• Exhibition:
“Memorial Exhibition of the Work of W.A. Dwiggins” sponsored by AIGA at the Wendell Willkie Memorial Building, Freedom House, 20 West 40th Street, New York; traveled to Boston and Chicago.

• Medalist: Dr. M. F. Agha (1896–1978), art director of Vanity Fair and Vogue.

• President (1958–1960): Edna Beilenson, publisher/printer; first woman president.

• Blanche Decker, AIGA secretary, retired.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Fifty Packages of the Year.”
“Fifty Record Album Covers of the Year.”

• Medalist: Ben Shahn (1898–1969), artist.

1959

• Clinics: Paperback Book Clinic.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year”—traveled to Vienna, Athens and Belgrade under the auspices of the United States Information Agency.
“Design and Printing for Commerce”—exhibited at Aspen Design Conference.
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging”—formerly “Fifty Packages of the Year”; held annually until at least 1966; exhibited at Aspen Design Conference.
“Fifty Record Album Covers of the Year.”
“Paperbacks U.S.A.” inaugurated; held annually until 1964.

• Medalist: May Massee (1883–1966), executive, Viking Junior Books; first woman medalist.

• President (1960–1963): Alvin Eisenman (1921–2013), book designer/Yale University educator.

• Design Laboratory, a 10-week course in typography design and photojournalism, conducted by Alexey Brodovitch (1898–1971) under AIGA auspices.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging.”
“Fifty Record Album Covers of the Year.”
“Paperbacks U.S.A.”

• Exhibition: “Hermann Zapf: Calligrapher, Type Designer and Typographer”—organized by Noel Martin at the Cincinnati Art Museum traveled to AIGA and Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh and later to Brussels, Belgium.

• Medalist: Walter Paepcke (1896–1960), president, Container Corporation of America.

1961

• Location (1961–1994): 1059 Third Avenue.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging.”
“Paperbacks U.S.A.”

• Exhibitions:
“Printing Design and Production from Seven Countries,” showcasing Asian graphic design collected by Milton B. Glick (d. 1976) and Evelyn Harter Glick.
“Graphic Trends” designed and mounted by Chermayeff & Geismar Associates for the USIA to display in Russia. The USIA also exhibited other AIGA shows in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
AIGA’s small gallery began showing the work of designers and illustrators, among them Herb Lubalin, Paul Rand, Lou Dorfsman, Bradbury Thompson, Lester Beall, Rudolph de Harak, and James McMullan.

• Medalist: Paul A. Bennett (1897–1966), publicist, Mergenthaler Linotype and founder of The Typophiles.

1962

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging.”
“Paperbacks U.S.A.”

• Medalist: Willem Sandberg (1897–1984), designer and director, Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam).

1965

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging.”
•“Children’s Books 1963–1964”

• AIGA participated in an exhibition of American graphic design at the Louvre, Paris.

• Publications:  Journal of the American Institute of the Graphic Arts redesigned and renumbered; included exhibition catalogues.

• Medalist: Leonard Baskin (1922–2000), illustrator/artist.

1966

• President (1966–1968): George Tscherny (b. 1924), graphic designer.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Fifty Ads of the Year.”
“Graphics in Packaging.”

• Exhibition:
“Lively Alphabets: The Pictorial Use of Letterforms in the Graphic Arts”—originated at Yale University; organized by Dale Roylance (1924–2013).

• Medalist: Paul Rand (1914–1996), graphic designer.

1967

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”

• Exhibition:
“Books from the Press of T. B. Mosher.”

• Medalist: Romana Javitz (1903–1980), curator of the New York Public Library Picture Collection.

• President (1968–1970): Allen Hurlburt (1911–1983), art director of Look magazine.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Design and Printing for Commerce.”
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”
“Children’s Books 1967”

• Medalist: Dr. Giovanni Mardersteig, printer/typographer/type designer and director of the Officina Bodoni.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics”—formerly “Design and Printing for Commerce”; held under new into the 1990s.
“Outstanding Textbooks.”
“AIGA Magazine Show.”

• Medalist: Dr. Robert L. Leslie (1886–1987), graphic design advocate, president of The Composing Room.

1970

• President (1970–1972): Henry Wolf (1925–2005), graphic designer/art director/photographer.

• Joyce Morrow resigned as executive director; succeeded by Edward Gottschall (b. 1916).

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Exhibition:
“The Sign and the City,” an environmental graphics exhibition, cosponsored by AIGA and the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Arts; displayed indoors at the AIGA gallery and outdoors in Bryant Park, New York Public Library.

• Publications: AIGA competition catalogues separately produced until 1980.

• Medalist: Herbert Bayer (1900–1985), artist/designer.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers” inaugurated; held annually until 1984; traveled.

• Medalist: Will Burtin (1908–1972), graphic designer.

1972

• President (1972–1974): Robert O. Bach (1917–2010), art and creative director, N.W. Ayer.

• Art Directors Club members in Chicago, Buffalo, Washington, Detroit, Providence and Hartford invited to join AIGA as affiliated groups.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides” inaugurated—devoted to book and publication interiors; held annually until 1984; traveled.
“The Mental Picture: An Exhibition of American Illustration”—conceived by Seymour Chwast (b. 1931) and James McMullan (b. 1934); the first of several “Mental Picture” exhibitions organized in the 1970s.

• Medalist: Milton Glaser (b. 1929), artist/graphic designer.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”

• Medalists:
Richard Avedon (1923–2004), photographer.
Philip Johnson (1906–2005), architect.
Allen Hurlburt (1911–1983), art director of Look magazine.

1974

• President (1974–1976): Karl Fink, graphic designer/consultant.

• AIGA and the U.S. Department of Transportation collaborated to research and design a program of symbols and guidelines; 34 symbols published in 1974 and another 16 in 1979.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”
“Mental Picture 2: Useful Obsessions.”

• Medalist: Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), artist.

• AIGA equivocates as part of lobbying effort in Congress in favor of typeface design protection.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”

• Publications:  Journal of the American Institute of the Graphic Arts ceased with issue no. 28.

• Medalist: Bradbury Thompson (1911–1995), graphic designer.

1976

• President (1976–1977): Massimo Vignelli (1931–2014), graphic designer/consultant.

• Finn Gross replaced Edward Gottschall as executive director.

• Seminar on design for non-profit institutions.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“Fifty Books of the Year.”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides ’76.”

• Medalists:
Henry Wolf (1925–2005), graphic designer/art director/photographer.
Jerome Snyder (1916–1976), artist/illustrator/art director.

1977

• President (1977–1979): Richard Danne, graphic designer.

• Caroline Hightower executive director (1977–1994).

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”—formerly “Fifty Books of the Year”; no longer limited to 50 books; separate catalogues issued for covers, paperbacks, textbooks and juveniles; continued until 1992.
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”
“The Mental Picture III: Portraits.”

• AIGA national seminar.

• Exhibition: “Communications for Nonprofit Institutions,” under a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, held at the Ford Foundation.

• Medalists: Charles (1907–1978) and Ray Eames (1912–1988), designers.

1978

1979

• President (1979–1981): James K. Fogleman, design consultant.

• The AIGA library was installed.

• Chapters: Robert O. Bach proposed formation of chapters and agreed to organize the first in Philadelphia. The previous chapters in Detroit and Washington, DC were moribund by this time.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”
“Illustration”
“Packaging”
“Federal Design Response”—special competition and exhibition organized with support from the NEA, in conjunction with the Federal Design Council.

• The Library of Congress began selecting items from AIGA exhibitions for its archives.

• Exhibitions:
• “Masscom/Masstrans,” an exhibition of worldwide subway and bus maps held at AIGA. A formal debate on the new MTA subway map, replacing one designed by Vignelli Associates in 1972, was co-sponsored by AIGA, the Municipal Art Society and the Architectural League of New York.
“CBS Record Albums by John Berg.”
“Political Art: 10 Years of Graphic Commentary,” an invitational show, was covered by the New York press and ABC-TV.

• Publications: 50 Symbol Signs for the U.S. Department of Transportation provided repro art for sale to the public.

• Medalists: Ivan Chermayeff (b. 1931) and Tom Geismar (b. 1931), graphic designers.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”

• Exhibitions:
“Push Pin Graphic.”
“The Photographer’s View.”

• Publications:
Graphic Design USA first AIGA annual; replaced the individual competition catalogues;
Graphic Design for Non-Profit Organizations by Massimo Vignelli and Peter Laundy published with an NEA grant and distributed to a broad audience; result of 1976 seminar.
AIGA Education Directory; made possible by 1979 NEA grant.

• Medalist: Herb Lubalin (1918–1981), graphic designer/typographic designer.

• Design leadership award: IBM; this was a new award given out annually until 1993.

1981

• President (1981–1984): David Brown, vice president, Creative Services of Champion Paper.

• Renovations completed at the national office to accommodate a larger staff and library.

• Chapters: Philadelphia, the first new AIGA chapter; becomes model for subsequent regional chapters.

• AIGA published “Code of Ethics.”

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”
“Communicating with Children” inaugurated; held annually through 1991.

• Exhibition:
“California Design Show” organized for the Stanford Design Conference.

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 2.

• Medalist: Saul Bass (1920–1996), graphic designer.

• Design Leadership: MIT Press.

1982

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”
“Just Type.”

• Exhibition:
“Philadelphia Design Show” sponsored by AIGA Philadelphia.

• Publications:
AIGA Journal of Graphic Design revived as a newsletter with grant from NEA.
Graphic Design USA 3.

• Medalists: Lella Vignelli (b. 1934) and Massimo Vignelli (1931–2014), designers.

• Design Leadership: Container Corporation of America.

1983

• Chapters: Boston, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Texas established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”

• Exhibition:
“Warren Chappell.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 4.

• Medalist: Herbert Matter (1907–1984), graphic designer/photographer.

• Design Leadership: Cummins Engine.

1984

• President (1984–1986): Colin Forbes (b. 1928), graphic designer, Pentagram.

• AIGA received a Presidential Design Citation for DOT Symbol Signs.

• Chapters: more than 130 events held across the country.
Cleveland and Washington, DC established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Covers.”
“Insides.”

• Exhibitions:
“Portraits II,” an illustration show.
“The Poster Show.”

• Publications:
Graphic Design Resources, an archival listing, published under a grant from the NEA.
AIGA Journal of Graphic Design expanded to include analysis and criticism on design and design issues.
Graphic Design USA 5.

• Medalist: Leo Lionni (1910–1999), designer/art director.

• Design Leadership: Herman Miller, Inc.

1985

1986

• President (1986–1988): Bruce Blackburn, graphic designer.

• Chapters: Anchorage, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami and Minnesota established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“The One Color / Two Color Show.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 7.

• Medalist: Walter Herdeg (1908–1995), graphic designer/founder of Graphis magazine.

• Design Leadership: Esprit de Corp.

1988

• President (1988–1991): Nancye Green, partner in Donovan & Green.

• Chapters: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City established.
First annual chapter retreat for board members of AIGA chapters held in Spring Hill, Minnesota; became basis for annual AIGA Leadership Retreat.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 9.

• Medalists:
William Golden (1911–1959) [posthumous].
George Tscherny (b. 1924).

• Design Leadership: The New York Times.

1989

• Chapters: Colorado, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, St. Louis and Upstate New York established.

• Conferences:
“Dangerous Ideas,” the third national Design Conference, held in San Antonio, attracting 1,100 attendees.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Exhibition:
“Graphic Design in America: A Visual Language History” organized with the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis; displayed at IBM Center in New York; accompanied by catalogue.

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 10.

• Medalists:
Paul Davis (b. 1938).
Bea Feitler (1938–1982) [posthumous].

• Design Leadership: Adobe Systems and Apple.

1990

• Chapters: Honolulu, Nebraska and Richmond established.

• First “AIGA Survey of Design Salaries” published.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Just Type 2.”
“Under 30.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 11.

• Medalists:
Alvin Eisenman (1921–2013).
Frank Zachary, magazine editor/art director.

• Design Leadership: The National Park Service.

1991

• Chapters: Indianapolis and Portland, Oregon established.

• Conferences:
“Love, Money, Power,” the fourth national Design Conference held in Chicago.

• “Why is Graphic Design 95% White?” seminar organized with federal funding.

• Exhibition: “Issues and Causes: Propaganda in the Public Interest”

• Publications:
Second edition of  Graphic Design for Non-Profit Organizations by Massimo Vignelli and Peter Laundy.
• Publications: Graphic Design USA 12.

• Medalists:
Colin Forbes (b. 1928).
E. McKnight Kauffer (1890–1954) [posthumous].

• Design Leadership: MTV and Olivetti.

1992

• President (1992–1994): Anthony Russell.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“The One Color / Two Color Show.”
“A Decade of Entertainment Graphics.”

• Publications:
Graphic Design USA 13.
American Graphic Design: A Guide to the Literature compiled by Ellen Mazur Thomson (Westport, Connecticut and London: Greenwood Press)

• Medalists: Rudolph de Harak (1924–2002).
George Nelson [posthumous].
Lester Beall (1903–1969) [posthumous].

• Design Leadership: Sesame Street, Children’s Television Workshop.

1993

• Conferences:
“Living Contradictions,” the fifth national Design Conference held in Miami.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Information Graphics: Design of Understanding.”

• Publications:
Graphic Design: A Career Guide and Education Directory.
Graphic Design USA 14.

• Medalists:
Alvin Lustig (1915-1955) [posthumous].
Tomoko Miho (1931–2012).

• Design Leadership: Nike, Inc.

1994

• President (1994–1996): William Drenttel (1953–2013).

• Location (1994–present): former Knights of Pythias building at 164 Fifth Avenue; purchased as headquarters with ground floor as an exhibition space.

• Chapters: Iowa established.

• First biennial conference on business and design.

• Tobias Frere-Jones (b. 1971) designed Hightower as exclusive typeface for use in AIGA The Journal of Graphic Design.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Objects of Design.”
“Maximum Message / Minimum Means.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 15.

• Medalists:
Muriel Cooper (1925-1994), graphic designer, educator.
John Massey, graphic designer.

1995

• Richard Grefé became executive director.

• Hodgetts + Fung designed the gallery space in the new building at 164 Fifth Avenue.

• Chapters: Orange County (California) established.

• Conferences:
The sixth national Design Conference held in Seattle, attracting 1,700 attendees.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Information Graphics: Design of Understanding.”
“A Decade of Sports Graphics.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 16.

• Medalists:
Matthew Carter (b. 1937), type designer.
Stan Richards, graphic designer.
Ladislav Sutnar (1897–1976) [posthumous], graphic designer, information graphics pioneer.

1996

• President (1996–1998): Lucille Tenazas (b. 1953), graphic designer and educator; first president from outside New York City.

• Chapters: Oklahoma established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers”—formerly “The Book Show;” ended in 2011.
“Communication Graphics.”
“Information Graphics: Design of Understanding 2.”
“Sound Off”—show of CDs, music videos and print collateral.

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 17.

• Medalists:
Cipe Pineles (1908–1991) [posthumous].
George Lois (b. 1931).

1997

• Renovation of AIGA gallery and mezzanine completed, designed by Emanuela Frattini Magnusson.

• AIGA membership exceeds 10,000.

• Chapters: Austin and Houston established.

• Conferences:
“Jambalaya,” the seventh national Design Conference, held in New Orleans, attracting 2,400 attendees.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“The Book Show”
“Communication Graphics.”
“Information Graphics: Design of Understanding.”.

•Publications:
Articles from AIGA Journal of Graphic Design gathered as Design Culture: An Anthology edited by Steven Heller and Marie Finamore (New York: Allworth Press).
Graphic Design USA 18.

• Medalists:
Lucian Bernhard (1883–1972) [posthumous], poster designer, type designer.
Zuzana Licko (b. 1961), type designer, and Rudy VanderLans (b. 1955), graphic designer/publisher.

1998

• President (1998–2001): Michael Bierut (b. 1957), graphic designer.

• Renovation of the second floor of the AIGA building and the National Membership Center on the third floor completed; designed by James Biber, Pentagram.

• “Design for Democracy” initiative launched.

• Chapters: Las Vegas and New Orleans established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 19.

• Medalists:
Louis Danziger (b. 1923), graphic designer and educator.
April Greiman (b. 1948), graphic designer.

• Design Leadership: Champion International.

1999

• Installation of the new façade of the AIGA building completed; designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

• AIGA Fellow program launched honoring local design leaders.

• Conferences:
“America: Cult and Culture,” the eighth national Design Conference, held in Las Vegas, attracting 3,200 attendees.
“Design for Television and Video,” conference on motion design, hosted by AIGA.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: Graphic Design USA 20.

• Medalists:
Steven Heller (b. 1950), design journalist and historian.
Katherine McCoy (b. 1945), graphic design educator.
Tibor Kalman (1949–1999), graphic designer and provocateur.

• Design Leadership: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

2000

• “Get Out the Vote” poster campaign begun; continues quadrennially thereafter.

• Chapters: Charlotte, Orlando and Wisconsin established.

• Conferences:
“Risk/Reward,” the sixth Business and Design Conference, held in San Francisco, attracting 700 attendees.
“Collision,” conference on interactive design, hosted by AIGA.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 21—formerly Graphic Design USA; lasts until 2011.

• Exhibitions:
“Art Is Work: Milton Glaser Retrospective”; accompanied by book of the same name.
“Artist & Alphabet: Twentieth Century Calligraphy and Letter Art in America” accompanied by catalogue.

• Medalists:
P. Scott Makela (1960–1999) [posthumous], graphic designer and educator and Laurie Haycock Makela, graphic design educator.
Fred Seibert (b. 1951).
Michael Vanderbyl (b. 1947), graphic designer.

• No Design Leadership awards given out between 2000 and 2004.

2001

• President (2001–2003): Clement Mok (b. 1958).

• Chapters: Nashville established.

• AIGA publishes standards for professional practice in Design Business and Ethics.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications:
Trace: AIGA Journal of Design replaced AIGA Journal of Graphic Design; Andrea Coddington as editor.
AIGA 365: Year in Design 22.

• Medalists:
Samuel Antupit (1932–2003), book designer, graphic designer, private press printer.
Paula Scher (b. 1948), graphic designer.

2002

• Conferences:
“Voice,” the ninth national Design Conference, held in Washington, D.C., attracting 1,200 attendees.
“Gain: AIGA Design and Business Conference,” renamed biennial business conference renamed, held in Minneapolis.

• Chapters: Santa Fe established.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 23.

• Medalists: Robert Brownjohn (1925–1970) [posthumous] and Chris Pullman (b. 1941).

2003

• President (2003–2005): Michael Vanderbyl.

• Conferences:
“The Power of Design,” the 10th national Design Conference, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, attracting 2,200 attendees.

• Executive education program for creative leaders established; initially held at Harvard University; later organized in conjunction with Yale School of Management.

• New chapter: Blue Ridge.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 24.

• Medalists:
B. Martin Pedersen (b. 1936), graphic designer and publisher.
Woody Pirtle (b. 1944), graphic designer.

2004

• Conferences:
“Gain: AIGA Design and Business Conference” held in New York.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 25.

• Medalists:
Joseph Binder (1898–1972) [posthumous], poster designer.
Charles Coiner (1898–1989) [posthumous], graphic designer.
Richard Coyne (1926–1990) [posthumous], Jean Coyne (b. 1928) and Patrick Coyne (b. 1957), publishers.
James Cross (b. 1934), graphic designer.
Sheila Levrant de Bretteville (b. 1940), graphic designer and educator.
Jay Doblin (1920–1989) [posthumous], design strategist.
Joe Duffy (b. 1949), graphic designer.
Martin Fox (b. 1931), design writer.
Caroline Warner Hightower, former AIGA executive director.
Kit Hinrichs (b. 1941), graphic designer.
Walter Landor (1913–1995) [posthumous], identity designer.
Philip Meggs (1942–2002) [posthumous], graphic designer, educator and design historian.
James Miho (b. 1933), graphic designer and educator.
Silas Rhodes (1915–2007), founder of School of Visual Arts.
Jack Stauffacher (b. 1920), printer, book designer.
Alex Steinweiss (1917–2011), album cover designer.
Deborah Sussman (b. 1931), graphic designer.
Edward Tufte (b. 1942), information designer and author.
Fred Woodward (b. 1953) magazine designer.
Richard Saul Wurman (b. 1935), information architect.

2005

• President (2005–2007): Bill Grant.

• American Insitute of Graphic Arts changed name to AIGA: The Professional Association for Design.

• The AIGA Design Archives created as an online resource.

• Conferences:
“Design,” the 11th national Design Conference, held in Boston.
AIGA assumed responsibility for the International Design Conference at Aspen.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 26.
AIGA Voice with Steven Heller as editor launched as an online blog; replaced Trace.

• Medalists:
Bart Crosby (b. 1943), graphic designer.
Meredith Davis (b. 1948), design educator.
Steff Geissbuhler (b. 1942), graphic designer.

• Corporate Leadership awards: The Gillette Company and Hallmark Cards, Inc. This new business award continued until 2010.

2006

2007

2009

• President (2009–2011): Debbie Millman.

• “The Living Principles for Design,” framework which distills four streams of sustainability (environment, people, economy, and culture) launched at “Make/Think.”

• Conferences:
“Make/Think”, the 13th national Design Conference, held in Memphis.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 30.

• Medalists:
Pablo Ferro (b. 1935), film graphics designer.
Carin Goldberg (b. 1953), graphic designer.
Doyald Young (1926–2011), lettering designer and design educator.

• Corporate Leadership awards: JetBlue and Patagonia.

2010

• Conferences:
“Gain: AIGA Design and Business Conference” held in New York.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• Exhibitions:
“Design Journeys: You Are Here”,  interactive exhibition on diversity, organized at the AIGA National Design Center.
“In Search of the Miraculous or One Thing Leads to Another” work by Milton Glaser.

• Publications: AIGA 365: Year in Design 31. This was the last printed AIGA annual.

• Medalists:
Steve Frykholm (b. 1942), graphic designer.
John Maeda (b. 1966), design theorist and design educator.
Jennifer Morla (b. 1955), graphic designer.

• Corporate Leadership awards: Method and Tiffany & Co.

2011

• President (2011–2013): Doug Powell.

• AIGA launches “Design for Good” initiative, a movement for design-driven social change.

• Conferences:
“Pivot,” the 14th national Design Conference, held in Phoenix.

• AIGA hosts “One Day for Design,” a global dialogue on the future of design.

• First annual “Bright Lights” celebration of AIGA medalists held in New York.

• Exhibitions/Competitions:
“50 Books / 50 Covers.”
“Communication Graphics.”

• AIGA launches “Design Envy,” a curated blog of design excellence created by designers, for designers. AIGA Voice online blog discontinued.

• Medalists:
Ralph Caplan (b. 1925), design writer.
Elaine Lustig Cohen (b. 1927), graphic designer and artist.
Armin Hofmann (b. 1920), graphic designer.
Robert Vogele (b. 1928), graphic designer.

2012

• AIGA introduces new membership structure.

• Conferences:
“Gain: AIGA Design for Social Value Conference” held in San Francisco.
“Geographics: Design, Education and the Transnational Terrain, ”AIGA Design Educators Community meeting in Honolulu.

• Exhibitions/Competitions: “Justified,” based on case studies, becomes only AIGA show; sets off outcry.

• No medalists.

2013

• Co-Presidents (2013–present): Sean Adams and Drew Davies.

• AIGA Middle East becomes AIGA’s second international affiliate.

• Conferences:
“Head, Heart and Hand,” the 15th national Design Conference, held in Minneapolis.
“Blunt: Explicit and Graphic Design Criticism Now,” the AIGA Design Educators Community meeting in Norfolk, Virginia.

• Medalists:
John Bielenberg (b. 1957), graphic designer.
William Drenttel (1953–2013), graphic designer and design writer.
Tobias Frere-Jones (b. 1970), type designer.
Jessica Helfand (b. 1960), graphic designer and design writer.
Jonathan Hoefler (b. 1970), type designer.
Stefan Sagmeister (b. 1962), graphic designer.
Lucille Tenazas (b. 1953), graphic designer and design educator.
Wolfgang Weingart (b. 1941), graphic designer and design educator.

2014