About Grace McNamara Inc.

Grace McNamara is president and CEO of Grace McNamara Inc. (GMI), based in St. Paul, MN. McNamara founded the company in 1986 with the purchase of Window Fashions magazine. In 1997, she founded FFi–Fine Furnishings International magazine, targeting upscale interior designers and high-end retailers. In March 2002, GMI launched loopreports, a fresh new trend quarterly for the interior-design industry. Each of these publications is the leader in its field.

In addition to publishing, GMI produces educational seminars, conferences, and trade shows for the window-coverings industry. Since 1997, the company has produced the International Window Coverings EXPO, the exclusive trade show for the window-coverings industry. In 2004, GMI successfully produced the West Coast INTERIORS EXPO and in 2006, the company welcomed the debut of its new regional program, INTERIORS Design Intelligence, along with two new larger regional shows, INTERIORS EXPO West Coast and INTERIORS EXPO Midwest.

Complementing the trade shows, GMI developed the Window Fashions Certified Professionals Program™ in 1990, the leading education program for the window-fashions industry, featuring CEU-accredited seminars. This multilevel program is offered at the International Window Coverings EXPO and at regional conferences throughout the United States, and is available on the Internet. More than a thousand individual seminars in more than 100 locations have been produced by GMI.

American Cake Decorating and Mailbox News were acquired by GMI in 2002 and 2003, respectively, and comprise the company’s Culinary Division. These publications represent a natural extension of GMI’s design focus into the delicious realm of sugar, offering information and inspiration to both professional and enthusiast practitioners.

McNamara has been a member of the International Furnishings and Design Association since 1986. In 2005, she was named IFDA’s Trailblazer of the Year. She is a press member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the International Interior Design Association.