Excellence among manufacturers, designers and sales representatives will be recognized Wednesday, September 22, at an International Casual Furnishings Association awards reception during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago.
The 6:30 to 8 p.m. reception will be held at the Ballroom of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, located at 112 South Michigan Avenue, and will honor the ICFA Sales Representative of the Year, the recipients of the 2010 Manufacturer Leadership Awards, the Design Excellence Award category winners and the Lillian B. Winchester Best in Show design award.
The Sales Representative of the Year is a new ICFA award honoring an outstanding sales representative within the casual furnishings industry. Candidates must be recognized as exceptional representatives by their peers, by retailers, by manufacturers and by suppliers. ICFA members are selecting the winner in online voting.
ICFA is reintroducing its Manufacturer Leadership Awards this year. One manufacturer may be honored in each of 10 categories, including: cast metal, wrought iron/wrought aluminum, rattan/wicker/woven, wood, tubular materials, resin/fiberglass, shade products, outdoor lighting, outdoor rugs/carpeting/flooring and complementary casual products. Manufacturers will be rated on the design and quality of their products, along with merchandising, customer service, ethics, communications and trade relations. From the category winners, an overall Manufacturer of the Year will be named. ICFA members are selecting these winners in online voting, as well.
The September 22 reception also will include recognition for the 11 category winners in the Design Excellence competition, and from these the Lillian B. Winchester Best in Show award will be announced.
The awards reception is open to all ICFA members and their invited guests.