Memorial service being held Sept. 9 for Pat Chapman

IFDA to honor former journalist, PR executive

Staff Staff -- Furniture Today, August 28, 2008

NEW YORK - The New York chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Assn. is planning a memorial service Sept. 9 to honor Pat Chapman, a journalist and home furnishing public relations executive who died unexpectedly in May.

Chapman was an active member of IFDA for more than 35 years with a stint as president of the New York chapter. She was also a Fellow of the international group, which has 16 chapters in the United States and one in Japan.

Chapman started her career at a small newspaper in North Dakota and eventually ended up reporting for Home Furnishings Daily and Floor Coverings Weekly. She also started a public relations company, Chapman-Jones Communications, which specialized in home furnishings.

Through her IFDA connection, Chapman worked with New York's Parsons The New School for Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, spearheading several programs for design students, said Linda Kulla, IFDA board member and chairwoman of the memorial service. The IFDA has established the Pat Chapman Memorial Scholarship, which will be given to a student in the media department at Parsons. Donations may be given at the memorial service or sent to the IFDA offices at 200 Lexington Ave., Suite 416, New York, NY l0016.

The memorial will be held from 4:30 to 6: 30 p.m. at Steelcase, 4 Columbus Circle in New York.