2024 Honorees
Ann Pyne/McMillen Inc.
ALBERT HADLEY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
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There are long-lived firms, and then there’s McMillen.
Founded in 1924 by Mrs. Drury McMillen (later, Mrs. Archibald Brown), the New York institution is on the verge of celebrating a full century in business—by any measure, it’s the longest-lasting full-service interior design firm in America. Along the way, McMillen has served as the proving ground for industry icons like Albert Hadley and Mark Hampton, executing high-profile projects for everyone from Doris Duke and Babe Paley to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. There’s no single explanation as to why so many once-proud firms have fallen by the wayside while this one soldiers on, but having Ann Pyne as the president certainly helps.
Ann Pyne has a master’s degree in Decorative Arts from the Bard Graduate Center, as well as an MFA in Writing and an MA in English and American Literature, both from Columbia University. She came to McMillen Inc. in 2002. Before that she was a teacher, the author of a book of short stories, and a collector of aesthetic-period furniture and ceramics. Ann finds it rewarding to introduce clients to McMillen's standards of execution and to the tradespeople, artists, and artisans with whom McMillen works. She likes to think that her exposure to other forms of art plays a part in the decoration and design of her interiors, and that her experience as a collector is helpful to clients when they are assessing their needs for furniture and decorative objects.
Nate Berkus
LARRY KRAVET DESIGN INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD
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Since starting his interior design firm over 25 years ago, Nate’s design expertise and his philosophy, that your home should tell your story, has extended to television, and a number of thoughtful and accessible home collections. His current home collaborations include a sleep collection with Beautyrest, roller shades for The Shade Store, a furniture line sold at Living Spaces, and a fabric line with Kravet. Nate is also an avid collector of vintage furniture and decorative accessories, and his curated collections are available through his stores on 1stDibs, Chairish, and at Showplace in New York City. NATE HOME, a collection of bedding, bath and organizing essentials, launched in 2023 in partnership with mDesign.
Well known for his travel inspired collections, Nate currently serves as the Travel Ambassador for the Edge class of ship by Celebrity Cruises; and designed the Sunset Bar on Celebrity’s newest ship, Beyond. In 2011, he served as Executive Producer of the Oscar-winning film, The Help. Nate has appeared on countless television shows as well as those of his own: the daily-syndicated The Nate Berkus Show, 2014’s American Dream Builders (NBC), and Nate and Jeremiah By Design (TLC). Nate and his husband Jeremiah Brent competed in HGTV’s popular Rock The Block, and their most recent show, The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project, recently aired its second season on HGTV.
Erick Espinoza ’13
RISING STAR AWARD | SPONSORED BY THE SHADE STORE
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As a first generation American, I’ve always aimed and reached for the stars. With a humble beginning and a burning desire, I grew up in the suburbs of Miami, FL and was accepted into a magnet program for high school. I began painting at a young age and always had an affinity for color and pattern. Studying artists like Matisse, Picasso, Kandinsky and Cezanne made it easy to understand how color works together to please the eye. I was awarded the Albert Hadley Scholarship to attend the New York School of Interior Design and after my sophomore year I began interning with the venerable design firm Diamond Baratta Design.
Shortly after my start with the firm, Mr. Diamond retired, Mr. Baratta began his own firm Anthony Baratta, LLC and I was officially hired. Within a few years of working with Mr. Baratta, I became Creative Director for the brand and we have now worked together for 12 years.
We have worked on various projects throughout the U.S. and several charity projects such as the Ronald McDonald House, Design on a Dime, Rooms With A View, and the Center for Special Studies. We’ve also licensed with incredible American brands such as Thomasville Furniture and Capel Rugs. I have been named one of House Beautiful’s Next Wave Designers by former editor in chief Sophie Donelson in November of 2017 and will continue to reach higher still.
Quite the American dream.
Videos
Photos
Photography: Matthew Carasella
Our deepest appreciation to The Shade Store for once again sponsoring The Rising Star Award. Many thanks to Baccarat for being the awards sponsor by donating and engraving the stunning crystal OCTOGONE vases for our distinguished honorees and to the talented David Boatman for concepting and producing the spectacular videos about our three honorees.
Thank You to Our Supporters!
Patrons
Nate Berkus
John and Cynthia Fish
David Kleinberg
Ann Pyne/McMillen Inc.
John S. Pyne
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Sherrill
The Shade Store
Connoisseurs
Keith Granet with Studio Designer
Wilkinson Global Asset Management
Benefactors
Benjamin Moore & Company
Cullman & Kravis Associates
Jim Druckman/New York Design Center
Ferguson and Shamamian Architects
Kravet Inc.
Lloyd Marks & Michael Tavano/Marks & Tavano Workroom
Marc Phillips Decorative Rugs/Mr. And Mrs. Marc and Daniellah Partial
Natalie Officer
Schumacher
Gale Singer and Andy Singer/Visual Comfort and Co.
Robert A.M. Stern Architects
Kelly M. Williams and Andrew Forsyth
Underwriters
Thomas and Ingrid Edelman
Fairfax and Sammons Architecture
Allegra and Martin Kelly
Liz and David McCreery
Betsey Ruprecht
David Scott ’91/David Scott Interiors
Supporters
Acquavella Family Foundation
Baccarat
Sara Barsoom/Waterworks
Maribeth Borthwick
Design Leadership Network
Jill Dienst/Dienst + Dotter Antikviteter
Rosie Fiallo/Waterworks
Ann Gilligan/Waterworks
Paul Golaszewski/Waterworks
Dennis Miller and Milan Hughston
Brad and Eliza Schneller
Jessica Schuster
Joanna L. Silver, Esq./Bond Schoeneck & King
Susan M. Townsend
Young Huh Interior Design
Friends
Emily and Brian Beare
Ann and John Bookout
Chesie Breen
Clark Construction Corporation
Sarah Coulson
Vincent and Joseph DiSalvo/DiSalvo Contracting Co. Inc.
Mary Beth Donohue
Kathleen M. Doyle
Jamie Drake
Heller Furniture/John Edelman and Andrew McPhee
RoseHyll Studio/Robin Feuer
Clair Fitzgerald ’11
George and Alice Frelinghuysen
Julie and Tommy Frist
Gensler
Wendy Goodman
Elizabeth Graziolo/Yellow House Architects
Susan Zises Green
Marjorie Gubelmann
Tim Hamilton
Alexa Hampton
Alexandra and Philip Howard
Barbara and Thomas Israel
Michelle Jacobson ’18/MLJacobson Design *
Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates
Harry and Jill Kargman/Kargo
Peti Lau ’11
Pierre Frey
Minna Lee
Jon Liebman and Eliza DeVone/Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Tali Magal/Freebird Productions
Brian J. McCarthy
Emily and Brian Beare
Ann and John Bookout
Chesie Breen
Clark Construction Corporation
Sarah Coulson
Vincent and Joseph DiSalvo/DiSalvo Contracting Co. Inc.
Mary Beth Donohue
Kathleen M. Doyle
Jamie Drake
Heller Furniture/John Edelman and Andrew McPhee
RoseHyll Studio/Robin Feuer
Clair Fitzgerald ’11
George and Alice Frelinghuysen
Julie and Tommy Frist
Gensler
Wendy Goodman
Elizabeth Graziolo/Yellow House Architects
Susan Zises Green
Marjorie Gubelmann
Tim Hamilton
Alexa Hampton
Alexandra and Philip Howard
Barbara and Thomas Israel
Michelle Jacobson ’18/MLJacobson Design *
Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates
Harry and Jill Kargman/Kargo
Peti Lau ’11
Pierre Frey
Minna Lee
Jon Liebman and Eliza DeVone/Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Tali Magal/Freebird Productions
Brian J. McCarthy
Contributors
Marie Aiello ’04*
Charlie and Sara Ayres
Anthony Baratta LLC
Charles G. Berry
Catherine Besley
Paul Boardman
David Bohnett Foundation
Linda Boothby
Meredith Bowen
Virginia Burke
Athena Calderone
Carrier and Company Interiors
Lawrence Chabra ’09*
Thurston Clark
Suzanne Cohen
Joy Cooper
Nathalie Danilovich
Hilary David
Guy and Kitty de Chazal
Kathaleen Duffin
Kathleen Easton
Erick Espinoza ’13*
Jessica and Elizabeth Espinoza
Alan Falcone
Deborah Farrington
Samantha Fingleton
Anthony Freund
Emily Frick
Eric Gering
Elissa Grayer
Krista Gurevich ’16*
Lewis I. Haber and Carmen Dubroc
Camille Hellwig Interiors
Lauren and Timothy Horsburgh
Helen H. Houghton
Elizabeth Howard
Gail and Carl Icahn
Sarah Jurta
Nicole Keith Interiors
Cathy Kinney
Christopher Labrot ’22
Louise W. Lamphere
Maisie Lee ’00
Linda and Jim Lippman
Mark Magowan
Mr. and Mrs. Roman Martinez IV
Catherine and Michael R. Mayton
Linda McGrath
Christine McPherson
Jan Miller
Cal Nugent ’22
George Marshall Peters ’08
Stephen Prada
Anna Romano
Benjamin and Donna Rosen
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Rothfeld, in honor of Erick Espinoza
Olympia Rizzo
Nicola Rosendorff
Manuel Damian Samora
Schafer Buccellato Architects
Marjorie and Richard Schneidman
Eleanor R. Seaman
Benny Seda-Galarza ’22
The Sheehan Family
Zita Sheehan
Ajaeé Shepard ’18 and Moamen Ammar
Jane Simons
Anne Singer
Suzanne Slesin and Michael Steinberg
Jamie Lyn Smith ’23, Interior Design/Smith Home Studios
Doreen Rose Stempien
Barbara Toll
Brooke Wilson ’22
* Donors to Alumni Scholarship Fund
I/We would like to continue the Gala 2024’s positive impact by supporting the NYSID scholarship funds:
For more information:
Please contact Joy Cooper at joy.cooper@nysid.edu or 212.452.4197. You can also contact Samantha Fingleton at samantha.fingleton@nysid.edu or 212.472.1500 ext. 431.
New York School of Interior Design is a 501(c)3 organization. All other donations are tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. Thank you for your support!