About Spark

Fuse Alliance celebrates excellence in project design installed by its network members and is centered on flooring. Based on originality, quality of installation and design innovation, the awards represent outstanding craftsmanship, skill and expertise in the flooring industry. Winning projects are announced at the Fuse Alliance Annual Conference in the first quarter of the following year.

Mission

The mission of our Spark Awards is to honor the distinctive craftsmanship of a beautifully installed floor and champion the positive impact skilled contractors have on the built environment.

Our network is made up of some of the industry’s best and brightest flooring professionals. And, our Spark Award program gives us the opportunity to spotlight our standout members.

Judges

Mark Oliver

Managing Director
Material Bank
Kelly Ennis

Founding and Managing Principal
The Verve Partnership

Kelly Ennis, has been involved in the fundamental evolution of interior architecture in a varying degree of project types for over 25 years. With a full understanding of translating identity, business strategy and culture into the built environment, her expertise is, in nailing early on, how these three points impact community building, planning and ultimately design. Her unique experience gives her the opportunity to translate extensively, the future of design and changing trends in the built environment; with a true understanding of how those trends impact engagement, innovation, social structures and performance with in all types of organizations.

In 2009, as the sole founding principal of The Verve Partnership, Kelly has self-funded and grown a design firm of one to a thriving firm of 10 over the last ten years. This has been done with grit, determination, amazing team members and amazing clients.

Kelly is involved in many industry and non-industry associations where she has chaired committees, led round-table panels, cycled over 1,000 miles and created an event benefiting, via a scholarship fund, students of Interior Design and Architecture. She is a certified/licensed interior designer in many jurisdictions and holds a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

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Tom Marquardt

President + Founder
Marquardt+

Tom is the president and founder of the interdisciplinary design practice marquardt+ here in Chicago. He also is an executive board member and past president of SBID (Society of British and International Design) and a professional member of IIDA (International Interior Design Association) and an executive circle member of the AMA (American Marketing Association).

During his career Tom has been the recipient of both the IIDA Leadership Award of Excellence and the Interior Designer of the Year HIP Awards (Honoring Industry People) from Interior Design Magazine for his branded environments expertise. His work has been recognized with a variety of design awards here in the US and abroad and featured in publications including Abitare, Architectural Digest, Contract, Interior Design Magazine, Interiors + Sources, Objekt International, and Society Journal.

Tom also taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate level college studio courses for over a decade at Harrington College of Design, including creating and teaching the first Branded Environments interdisciplinary design studio in the country. He subsequently taught Corporate Interiors at Columbia College. Tom continues to write articles and provide thought leadership thru professional and academic panels, juries, speaking engagements and social media podcasts addressing a variety of design industry and business subjects.

“I have never been constrained by mediums or disciplines. From brand and marketing visioning and strategy to the built environment; from product and communication design to graphics – the common thread is my passion for problem solving and the experience to make it happen.”

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Seán Kendig

Associate | Project Manager
Jackson | Main Architecture

Seán has over 25 years of experience in design, project management, and strategic planning for a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, law firms, health care, and hospitality providers, technology-driven clients, and select residential assignments. He developed and honed his craft at some of the country’s top architecture and interior design firms.

He is passionate about design and has been actively involved in his community, taking on leadership roles with IIDA, IIDC, IDCW, and IFMA. Additionally, he has contributed his time and skills to a variety of not-for-profit community and national organizations, including volunteering as a tour guide for the Seattle Architecture Foundation.

He was born and raised in Michigan, received his Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from Michigan State University, and is NCIDQ Certified. He began his career in the Chicago design community prior to relocating to the Pacific Northwest.

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Robyn Taylor

Principal and Design Director
Westgroup Designs

Robyn Taylor, IIDA, CID is Principal and Interior Design Director for Westgroup Designs, an architecture and interior design firm based in Irvine, California.

Her experience spans 35 years in commercial design, working with both tenants and building owners for both new construction and renovation. Robyn leads her high-caliber team of design professionals to generate optimal solutions for clients in various business sectors, from hospitality and lifestyle to healthcare, education and creative workplace environments.

A past speaker at NeoCon, and guest lecturer in Innovation and Design Management at the Merage Graduate School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, Robyn has had projects featured in National and local publications, with several receiving the IIDA Calibre Award.

Robyn has been on the Executive Board of the IIDA Southern California for more than 20 years, including President of the Chapter, where she developed programs and achievements which led the organization to receive the prestigious International Chapter of the Year Award.

A Certified Interior Designer since 1993, Robyn holds a B.F.A. degree in Interior Architectural Design from California State University, Long Beach.

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Geoff Gordon

Executive Director
Fuse Alliance
Jerry Kenney

Executive Vice President
Fuse Alliance
Reva Revis

VP of Strategy and Business Development
Fuse Alliance
Lyndsay Soprano

Owner + CMO
Bound-by Marketing
Dawn Martinelli

Member Support
Fuse Alliance