Co-op Member Lynn Furge Finds Love at CIW
It might not have been love at first sight when LM2 CreativeFounder and Co-op member Lynn Furge met Rob of Rute Design, but there was an undeniable immediate connection.
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| “Love Is the Answer,” Mr. Brainwash, 2009. Photo courtesy of Lynn Furge. |
“[At Chicago Ideas Week], you’re in a room with people with common goals, common interests,” Furge explained. “The introduction kind of is ‘I’m at Chicago Ideas Week’ or ‘I’m involved in Chicago Ideas Week.’ So, that’s the ice breaker. We’re all here to do something.”
That something, in this case, was the 2012 Talk “Giving: One Matters,” presented by United Airlines, after which Furge and Rob first chatted about their shared interests and their common desire to give back to their city. The two kept in touch over the next month via phone and e-mail, but it wasn’t until Furge complained about the unexpected cancellation of a weekend business trip to London that Rob, almost grudgingly, asked her out for a Sunday beer.
The date was a success, and this self-described “independent…gypsy” found herself falling in love and planting roots in Chicago.
“I’ve ended up with my homegrown but perfect guy,” Furge admitted.
Furge isn’t sure what Rob has in store for Valentine’s Day, but she knows Rob, a talented industrial designer who once made her a detailed etching as a gift, likely has a handmade surprise planned.
But Furge stresses that Rob—and his thoughtful gifts—aren’t the only things she’s gained through her involvement in CIW.
“Forget about relationships or love or friendships or anything, [CIW] has a really great ability to bring like-minded people together who actually want to take action,” Furge said.
