Above: Photo submitted by Isabelle Roy

Above: Photo (L) submitted by Alison Vryhof, Photo (R) submitted by Isabelle Roy

Above: Photo (L) submitted by Amy Cadwallader, Photo (R) submitted by Shellie VanSickle Ayres

Above: Photo (L) submitted by Anthony Kuzub, Photo (R) submitted by Omer Lifshitz

Photo submitted by Noel O’Malley

Tartine of Pork with Celeriac Remoulade
1 baguette (about 2 ½ inches wide)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
½ cup aioli
1 large bunch watercress, coarse stems removed
1 pound cold, cooked pork, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tart apple, such as a Granny Smith, cored, quartered, and sliced into thin wedges
2 cups celeriac remoulade
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon minced chives
12 cornichons (dill gherkins)

Aioli
6 large garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Mince the garlic cloves and salt together, then crush with the side of the knife to make a paste. Put the egg in a glass or ceramic bowl and whisk in the garlic paste, or use hand (immersion) blender. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly or blending them in. If the aioli looks oily, mix in a few drops of warm water (aioli keeps refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 week).

Celeriac Remoulade
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced cornichons
2 tablespoon minced drained nonpareil capers
2 ¼ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced Italian parsley
2 teaspoons minced tarragon
2 taespoons minced chervil
2 teaspoons minced chives
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound (1 large) celeriac
Fresh lemon juice

Add the mayonnaise into a small bowl. Squeeze excess moisture from the cornichons and capers and stir them into the mixture. Add the mustard, vinegar, and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days, to allow the flavors of the remoulade to develop.

Cut off and discard the tops and bottoms of the celeriac. Remove the skin with a paring knife or a sharp, sturdy vegetable peeler. Using a mandoline or knife, cut the cleriac into 1/8-inch-thick julienne strips (you should have about 4 cups).

Put the celeriac in a bowl and toss with enough remoulade to coat the pieces; reserve any remaining dressing. Taste and season the salad as necessary. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.

Just before serving, toss the celeriac with additional dressing, if desired, and adjust the seasonings a final time, adding a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.

Tartine of Pork
Preheat the broiler. Lay the baguette on its side and cut it on a severe bias to get 4 slices approximately 10 inches long and a ½-inch thick. Drizzle each side lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place under the broiler until golden brown on the first side, then turn to brown the other side.

Spread one side of each slice with 2 tablespoons of aioli. Cover the aioli with watercress. Cover the watercress with overlapping slices of pork. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping layer over each sandwich. Top each sandwich with ½ cup celeriac remoulade and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the chives.

Serve with the cornichons.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate & Walnut Bread Pudding
1 loaf brioche bread, cubed
¾ cup white chocolate, cut up into small pieces
8 whole eggs
2 cups half & half
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Praline Topping
1 pound butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups walnut pieces
¼ cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Coat a 2-inch high stainless steel pan with non-stick spray; add cubed brioche and level with the height of the pan.
2. Sprinkle the white chocolate pieces evenly over the brioche.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half & half, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well.
4. Add the mixture to the pan of brioche, making sure all the bread is moist.
5. Wrap it tight and refrigerate overnight.
6. In a mixer, combine butter, sugar, pecans, corn syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended. Place in bowl, wrap, and set aside at room temperature until needed.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
8. Remove the pan of brioche from the refrigerator. Using a straight-edge spatula, spread the praline topping evenly over the brioche.
8. Place into the oven for about 40 minutes or until done.

Enjoy!

Serves 6

Breast of Duck Au Poivre
6 8-ounce boneless duck breasts
4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
3 tablespoons kosher salt

1. Place the duck breasts on a cutting board, skin side up. With a knife, slice four or five cuts across the skin. This will prevent the breast from turning up while cooking. The fat also will render faster.
2. Rub each duck breast with salt and thyme, and generously sprinkle them with black pepper.
3. Preheat a large skillet without oil. Place each duck breast skin side down. Sear until golden and crisp. CAUTION: The duck breasts render a lot of fat while they’re cooking. To prevent splattering and flair up, turn the stove’s flame off before turning each duck breast.
4. Place the duck breasts on a sheet pan and place into a preheated, 375-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and place it in a warm spot to rest for 5 minutes. Cut duck breasts into ½-inch slices and arrange on risotto.

Watch for another recipe from Marigold Lodge next week!

Walnut Vinaigrette
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup walnut oil

Add vinegar, sugar, and oil to a food processor or blender and mix slowly. Pour vinaigrette into a container. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toss frisee lettuce, apples, figs, blue cheese, and vinaigrette together. Garnish with walnuts.

Watch for another recipe from Marigold Lodge next week!

Curried Butternut Squash Bisque
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups heavy whipped cream
1 tablespoon yellow curry paste
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, sauté onions and curry paste in the olive oil. Combine squash and chicken stock in a 4-quart sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes or until squash is tender. Let it cool for about one hour and place in the blender and puree until smooth. Pour back in the stock pot, add cream, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Watch for another recipe from Marigold Lodge next week!

New York Strip Steak au Poivre with Avocado Butter
8 8-ounce strip steaks, seasoned with course ground pepper and salt
¼ pound soft unsalted butter
1 avocado, cubed
1 lemon, juiced

Avocado butter:
Place butter, avocado, and lemon juice in a food processor. Mix until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the butter onto a long sheet of cellophane wrap (about 12 inches long). Roll up butter in the cellophane to form a log. Place in the refrigerator for one hour.

Season steaks and grill them to a desired temperature.

Slice butter into half-inch medallions and place on steaks.

Enjoy!

This delicious Green Bean Salad recipe from Marigold Lodge is a perfect summertime side dish.

Green Bean Salad
3 pounds green beans, blanched
2 ears of fresh sweet corn, washed and cut off the cob
1 pint pear or grape tomatoes
½ small red onion, minced
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1½ cup olive oil

In a small mixing bowl, add vinegar and oil and mix well.
Set aside.

Add all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add vinaigrette and toss.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Watch for another recipe from Marigold Lodge next week!

Cantaloupe and Tomato Soup

Serves 8.
Preparation time: 20 minutes.

4 small ripe cantaloupes
6 ounces orange juice concentrate
4 large tomatoes, peeled and cored
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup Grand Marnier
Mint sprigs to garnish

Peel cantaloupes and remove the seeds.
Cut into 1-inch chunks.

Puree cantaloupe and tomatoes in a blender or processor until smooth.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except mint, and mix well.

Chill thoroughly.

Serve in chilled stemmed glasses or glass bowls.
Garnish with mint sprigs.

Click here for more recipes from Marigold Lodge.

It’s all part of a partnership with Herman Miller whereby industrial design students were charged with coming up with a theme, then executing their ideas in a competition. The prize? A booth at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), held in New York City May 15-18. The students’ theme “Empathy for Culture” and the resulting creations won them a place at the show.

Herman Miller lent some of its people, namely Fabienne Munch, Gary Smith, and Tim McLoughlin, to provide guidance to the students throughout the creative process.

“Empathy for culture is beyond feeling for others,” said Fabienne, Director of Ideation for Herman Miller. “It appeals to a peculiar understanding of a culture’s own dialectics: what’s visible, what’s invisible or taken for granted; what’s felt, what’s cognitive; what’s conscious, what’s unconscious; what’s symbolic, what’s ephemeral?”

“They helped us to not only focus on our concepts, but also made us realize that our ideas were valid as designers,” Sara McBeen, a graduate student at Pratt, said about the guidance provided by Herman Miller. “Each of us found our own way to stay true and honest to the messages we were trying to communicate with our pieces. These kinds of opportunities are invaluable in shaping where we will go from here.”

McBeen’s project, the Aata table, “reflects the coming together, socializing, and sharing so strongly exhibited in Middle Eastern culture,” which she chose to investigate after traveling there and “appreciating their generosity, goodness, and hospitality.”

“This project gave me a chance to experience design expression in its purest form by translating my passion for Buddhism and meditation into a physical manifestation,” said Ivey Lian, another Pratt grad student, who was inspired by 10 days she spent at a silent Buddhist meditation retreat in Thailand.

Her piece, the Enso Wall Light, was based on a Zen Buddhist symbol showing the moment when the mind is free to let the body and spirit create.

“Every day distances within the world are shrinking,” said Mark Goetz, the students’ instructor at Pratt, who initiated the partnership with Herman Miller. “Pratt, an international gathering place for talent, is uniquely suited to express these issues. The exhibit represents a sincere effort from our students to express a deeper understanding a respect for cultures different from our own.”

And what better way to prepare them for the global village they’ll be part of as industrial designers?



Photographs of students’ work courtesy of Armando Rafael.

The bees in the apiary on the east end of the property pollinate this landscape and help it to blossom each spring and summer. (Learn more about Herman Miller’s honey bees in this video, “Sweeter Solution.”)

Facing north, truck trailers are framed by a hillside designed to be left wild.

Just over the rise is a pond where geese congregate and a pair of resident swans call home. This landscape—in all its wildness—is not the result of a neglectful, uncaring owner. Instead it’s an example of how Herman Miller incorporates our environmental policy to provide green spaces around each of our facilities.

I’m sure many of us drive to and from work, hardly noticing the beauty of our surroundings. Personally, I enjoy taking a closer look at the residents we share this space with: Songbirds, bees, dragonflies, butterflies, ducks, geese, and swans—just to name a few—call this space home. We pass these neighbors every day to enter our workplace, which sits in the middle of their outdoor habitat.

Even the grass at this facility is special. Instead of the usual manicured lawns that adorn most commercial building grounds, Herman Miller has chosen a variety of buffalo grass, which requires less water than other grasses, and very little mowing. Every few years, we conduct a controlled burn, which helps the grass thrive the same way it would in a wild environment.

For much of the year, all around the GreenHouse the grounds bloom with a variety of wildflowers and provide habitat for a multitude of creatures. It’s one way we help create a better world around us.

At Herman Miller, sustainability has been part of our heritage since our founder, D.J. De Pree, said, “We will be a good steward of the environment.” That was 1953. Since then, we’ve innovated new ways of preserving and living with the natural environment. We’ve also helped found associations that help other companies do the same. These days, we remain committed to getting rid of the negatives–waste and contamination. But we don’t think that’s enough. As our CEO, Brian Walker, says, “The attitude we’ve adopted is to go beyond eliminating the negative to creating a positive. We’re constantly pushing ourselves to go beyond what is required.”

Check out our 2020 “Perfect Vision” goals to see what we’re aiming to accomplish. (We’ve already achieved one of them: 100% green energy.)

“So what” is that we were able to accomplish this goal due to the cost saving suggestions of our very own employees, rather than spending additional money.

Good business and sustainable business are accepted as one and the same and it’s deeply ingrained here at Herman Miller. Couple this with an environment where good ideas—no matter where they come from—are valued, and you have a cauldron of innovative and eco-friendly solutions.

There have been many ideas over the years that have helped Herman Miller save money and reach our 100% green energy goal. And there have been those that didn’t originally seem like a good idea, but have proven their worth and changed some of our own minds.

One example is the use of winding heaters on the big dust collector motors in our manufacturing facilities. (A winding heater uses the motor’s own internal wiring to keep it warm and avoid stress, which can occur by frequent stopping and starting during cold temperatures.) Roger Bosch, one of our master electricians, suggested using the winding heaters to help regulate the motors in the dust collectors. He figured Herman Miller could save operating expenses by having the option to turn off the motors when they weren’t in use. At first, some people were skeptical, but after closer evaluation the project was indeed a money saver. Energy manager Jerry Akers said the payback saved Herman Miller a “bucket load.” Overall, it’s estimated that the winding heaters will eventually help us save more than $52,000/year, nearly 700,000 kWh, and around 500 tons of carbon.

Not bad for a little people power, trust, and a penchant for sustainability.

Engage in Change is an effort established by a team of Herman Miller employees to engage coworkers in a way to create reusable grocery bags from Herman Miller’s scrap textile material. Another great benefit is that the project aligns with our environmental goals: Every time people use reusable bags rather than plastic, they are helping the environment.

Beginning in January, employees came together to sew and assemble reusable bags from scrap fabric—and to have a good time doing it. The project ran through April, in time to celebrate Earth Day. Over 80 volunteers sewed five bags to donate and were able to keep one bag for themselves. The sewing occurred at our GreenHouse facility—where our seating upholstery is done—and at the homes of our sewing-savvy coworkers. Volunteers made more than 500 bags over the course of the project, utilizing more than 500 yards of scrap fabric.

The bags were given to employees who participated in a company-sponsored Earth Day activity, such as the Adopt-a-Highway program or our annual Earth Day recycling event. A big thanks to all of those employees who helped make this project happen!

AIGA executive director Richard Grefé said, “AIGA is proud to recognize the 2010 Medalists for their exceptional contributions to the field of design. Each has contributed to the way design can intrigue the spirit, engage curiosity, enhance business, explore creative use of visual technique, and communicate value that is respected by business, society and our popular culture.”

Steve has directed Herman Miller’s graphic identity for 40 years. His iconic work has been widely published and exhibited at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, and the Danish Museum of Decorative Art.

As Cheryl Heller, chair of the AIGA awards committee, noted, “Each Medalist this year is completely unique, yet all three are stellar examples of how to be a true leader and live a life in design.”

Unique? That’s what we love about Steve. Stellar? Definitely. At Herman Miller, Steve Frykholm is as iconic as his picnic posters. We’re honored to have him here.

Dark Chocolate Orange Tart
Serves 12.

Candied Orange Peel
1 orange
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water

Crust
¼ lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup all-purpose flour

Filling
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

For Candied Orange Peel
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from orange in strips. Cut strips into matchstick-size pieces and place in small saucepan. Cover with cold water; bring to boil. Cook 30 seconds; drain. Rinse saucepan; add ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water and peel. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until peel is translucent and syrup is thick, about 20 minutes. Using tines of fork, transfer peel to plate and cool.

For the Crust
Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until smooth. Beat in cocoa powder. Add flour and beat until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 11-inch round; peel off top sheet of paper. Invert dough over 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Gently press dough into pan. Press dough overhang to form double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake crust until sides look dry and bottom looks bubbly, about 14 minutes. Transfer crust to rack. Using back of spoon, press up sides of dough if falling. Cool completely.

For the Filling
Toss almonds, sugar, and cinnamon into a small bowl. Chop all but two strips of peel. Sprinkle chopped orange peel, then almond mixture over bottom of prepared crust. Place cream in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer; remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth; mix in Grand Marnier. Pour into crust.

Refrigerate until filling is firm, at least 3 hours. Garnish with remaining orange peel strips.

We do a lot of talking around here about working for a better world around you. By “you” we mean our community of customers, employees, shareholders, and contributors of all sorts. Whatever else these awards mean, others are recognizing us for doing what we say.

Celery Root Puree
2 medium-sized celery roots (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 medium pototoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
1 small onion, diced
2 tsp. butter
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Rack of Lamb
2 French-cut racks of lamb, cut in half with 4 ribs per serving
4 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, removed from stem and chopped
½ cup olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1½ cups reduced veal or beef stock
Salt and pepper

Fresh Asparagus
1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut lengthwise into strips
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Celery Root Puree
In a medium sauce pan over high heat, add butter and onions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add celery root, potatoes, and chicken stock. Bring liquid to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until celery root and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and strain.

Allow celery root mixture to cool. Place into a food processor and puree until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. May be made one day ahead of time. Reheat in sauce pan just before serving. Note that puree may stick to pan while reheating, so stir often.

Rack of Lamb
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season lamb with salt and pepper and rub rosemary evenly on each rack. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Place lamb racks into skillet and sear each side until brown. Remove racks and place on a sheet pan; place into oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lamb reads 120 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove any extra oil from skillet; add wine and stock and reduce by half. Salt and pepper to taste.

Asparagus
In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Add asparagus and sauté until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly
This dish may be served on a large platter or individual plates. Line plate with asparagus and place celery root puree over asparagus. Cut each four-rib rack into half; cross the rib bones together and place over the puree. Spoon stock reduction over lamb and serve. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

This is the first in a series of three recipes. Visit Discover on Fridays to find out what the next two will be.

Steamed Halibut in Borscht with Chive-Horseradish Sauce (Dairy and Pareve)
Serves 8

2 Tbsp. olive oil or corn oil
1 medium onion, julienned
1 cup fennel, julienned
2 Tbsp. sliced garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh flatleaf parsley
1 cup chopped savoy cabbage, plus 3 of the darker outer leaves, finely julienned
1 quart well-seasoned chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups peeled fresh beets, julienned (about 1 ½ bunches)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
¼ cup prepared white horseradish
½ tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. chopped chives
8 halibut steaks or fillets, each 4 to 6 ounces

Heat oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add onions and fennel; cook slowly about 5 minutes, until softened. Tie garlic, thyme, parsley, and chopped cabbage in a double thickness of cheesecloth and add it to saucepan along with stock and beets. Simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove form heat. Discard cheesecloth and its contents. To serve the dish chilled, refrigerate beet mixture at least 4 hours or overnight.

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add julienned cabbage leaves, cook just until bright green, then drain. Set leaves aside, covered, to keep warm; for a cold dish, refrigerate.

Mix crème fraiche or sour cream with horseradish, sugar, and chives. This sauce can be gently warmed in a small saucepan or chilled to serve cold.

To serve, steam halibut until fully cooked outside and just warm inside, 6 to 8 minutes. Keep warm. Reheat beet mixture, spoon into warmed shallow soup bowl, sprinkle with julienned cabbage and top with fish. Serve horseradish sauce, warm or chilled, on the side.

WIN is one of seven Inclusiveness Resource Teams (IRTs) at Herman Miller that represent the diversity of our employees and our market. The IRTs’ mission is to work toward implementation of business recommendations, with many successes to date—including policy changes and education—to build awareness and celebrate the diversity of individuals. The teams are volunteer-based and each is supported by an executive sponsor. Besides the Women’s team, the other IRTs are Asian, Black, Employees with Disabilities, GLBT, Hispanic, and Male.

This year, the WIN team’s mission is “Growing Future Female Leaders.” To work towards this goal we have focused on initiatives around flexible work arrangements and mentoring programs for office and production workers. We have also sponsored webinars and discussion groups, and the “Get Noticed, Get Networked, Get Ahead!” conference.

The 2-hour conference was attended by approximately 75 people and featured Herman Miller leaders discussing these topics: Building Your Personal Brand, Creating Your Development Plan, and The Importance of Networking. At the end of the conference, attendees were invited to stay and participate in a networking exercise to put to practice the techniques they learned.

I was grateful to have had the opportunity to attend both the conference and the networking event. It was so beneficial to learn that a personal brand is one that consistently reflects my values, shows how others view me, and showcases my skill set. I also discovered that informal development opportunities, such as participating in special projects, are very likely the ones that will have the most impact on my growth and development. And, I learned that in all my interactions with people, truly listening to others is the best way to make a real connection with them. In fact, during the exercise, I made a connection with someone I plan to collaborate with in the future.

It could be the scenery, because Michigan is a place of pure beauty. And that certainly plays into my decision; few things are more lovely than a winter sky or sun (when we see it) glinting off snow.

But, why I really ride for is the money or, more accurately, the chance to win it. Herman Miller believes in conserving the world’s gas and burning employees’ calories, so it does a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card. You log your miles biked each month (in my case 5 miles each way) to enter. There’s a similar drawing for carpoolers.

I’ve yet to win, but I keep on biking in the hope I will, which is good because I’ve spent my yet-to-be-realized gift card several times over on goggles, balaclava, and other gear.

This last option fits in with our Health Management Program, which includes bicycle commuting, fitness programs, and flu shots. Why just the other day, as I was walking to lunch, I was nearly run over by the group in this picture. As I rounded a corner, they came barreling along, talking away, and intent on doing their noon-time walk. We all smiled, said hello, and I thought, “That’s one of the things I like about this place—work is part of life, and not the other way round.”

Of more than 250 companies, Herman Miller has been recognized not only as one of its Most Innovative Companies, but also as one of its “Innovation All-Stars”—a group of 59 global companies that “fought a dour economy with renewed creativity and bold initiatives.” We’re the only Michigan-based company to appear on the All-Star list and the only representative from the contract furniture industry.

Fast Company cited several of our award-winning products as examples of innovation: the Embody chair, the Setu chair, the Twist LED task light, and Teneo storage furniture system.

Rewind six decades. Have you ever wondered what the first showroom looked like?

Thanks to the Eames Office, we’re able to share vintage photos of the “Herman Miller Furniture Company Showroom,” opened in 1949 at 8806 Beverly Boulevard.

Designed by Charles Eames, the showroom was inspired by Case Study House #8 (also known as the Eames House), which was part of the Case Study House Program. Eames built upon what he learned from the Case Study houses to minimize the building’s interior connections and create a backdrop for the furniture–much of which was designed by the Eames Office.

The showroom’s exterior was similar to the Eames House, with its industrial steel frame and patterned glass panels. Skylights and windows let in natural light.

The Eameses always used an eclectic mix of objects in their showroom–from toys, plants, and folk art to found items in dime stores and specialty shops. It was the perfect setting for product introduction parties, as well as movie nights featuring Eames films.

For more information about the first Herman Miller Los Angeles showroom, check out the book Eames Design by Ray Eames and Marilyn & John Neuhart.

Including
Herman Miller also believes in a diverse, inclusive workforce, as evident in our corporate values statement, ”Things That Matter,” which states, “To succeed as a company, we must include all the expressions of human talent and potential that society offers—obvious and not so obvious.” This corporate-wide strategic business initiative, designed to enhance diversity and create a more inclusive workplace, includes the five critical areas of its value stream: Supplier Diversity, Dealer Distribution, Talent, Education and Awareness, and External Community Outreach.

Celebrating
In March 2009, we began a reduced work schedule because of uncertain economic conditions. Many companies in the same situation decided to reduce their employees’ base pay, but Herman Miller decided to work a reduced work schedule until business conditions improve. Meanwhile, management agreed to share back a portion of any operating income generated during this timeframe (above its required base-line level of performance) in a reduction recovery payment to employees working a reduced work schedule.

These programs and initiatives are just a few examples from Herman Miller’s “Best Companies to Work For” entry. Although they differentiate the company in many ways, they play a small role in what makes us unique. According to our President and CEO Brian Walker, “The people of Herman Miller have always defined our culture, both through their caring and their commitment to excellence. Through good times, and through difficult periods, it’s that spirit and determination that make our community special.”

Herman Miller’s Black Inclusiveness Resource Team—one of seven employee networks that work to implement business recommendations for a diverse workplace—sponsored the bowl painting opportunity in cooperation with our Inclusiveness and Diversity Team.

Our employees displayed great artistic ability in the 98 bowls painted in one day. This was our way of recognizing MLK Day as a “day of action”—doing an activity that benefits the community.

Coretta Scott King sums up the spirit of the event well: “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”

The keynote speaker was Dr. Lawrence J. Pijeaux, Jr., President and CEO, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Dr. Pijeaux’s presentation, “MLK and Birmingham: Turning Point of the Civil Rights Movement,” brought to mind that impactful and powerful movements are often attributed to an individual or at most a few individuals, when in reality it is the words and actions of many that lead to the resulting change. This is also true in the business world. The CEO or president of a company may set the strategy for its success, but it is the many employees who execute the strategy that make it a reality.

At Herman Miller, I have seen the impact of the average employee as we focus on our strategy to work for a better world. Our IRTs and Inclusiveness and Diversity team have expanded our awareness of the uniqueness of each individual through education programs, policy changes, and access to more resources. We have made amazing progress toward our environmentally-focused 2020 goals through the work of more than 400 employees. And our safety incident rate has steadily declined because of the decisions made every day by every employee.