[Sean Adams] In disaster movies, characters create tight bonds amidst burning skyscrapers, airplane crashes or earth-crust displacement. I formed a bond like this with Marian Bantjes when we both faced down a charging rhino in Africa. Really. This is a true story. Obviously, Marian is incredibly talented. She does work that, to me, is beyond the limits of human beings. And that’s all swell. But she has the most infectious and wonderful laugh you will ever hear.

[Tom Biederbeck] Wherever he goes, Sean Adams is at the center of activity — creative, educational, social, professional. Far from appearing rushed or distracted, Adams is both a part of and above the whirlwind. He makes getting a ridiculous amount of things done look easy, whether in his work at AdamsMorioka — the design firm in which he partners with Noreen Morioka — or in his efforts for the AIGA (he’s immediate past president).

[Sean Adams] This is the plot of a classic ’30s Hollywood movie: The young actor toils away learning his craft, then one night gets that big break and becomes a star. Unfortunately, the design world doesn’t work this way. It’s not enough to have one big hit — a career is built on a series of successes. Stefan Bucher, however, combines the grit and the glam. He’s based his career on a stream of fantastic design solutions … and he had his big break at the 2009 AIGA Biennial Conference. All of a sudden, everyone was talking about the “two Stefans.” Of course one was Sagmeister, and the other Bucher.

Here’s a thing you may not know about Chip Kidd: He may appear witty and sophisticated, and he is. But he’s got a big heart. Last year, Chip and I worked on Command X at the AIGA Conference; Chip was a judge. On stage he was hilarious and bumped the energy level enormously. You might imagine him breezing by the contestants backstage. Of course, he didn’t. He was back there reassuring the young contestants and being a remarkable mentor.

Debbie Millman has a disease, and it is contagious: Empyreanosis, a chronic condition of optimism and energy. When I see Debbie, I think, “How does she do it? Is Mountain Dew involved?” She will sit down with a group of people who are typically in awe of her, and by the time they part, everyone is excited and energized about making things better. And she actually reads books. When we talk, I pretend I’ve read something other than my usual nighttime Blueberries for Sal and nod a lot. I’m lucky to have Debbie in my life.