IHFRA Names Dean Winners

March 14, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on March 15, 2012 The International Home Furnishings Representatives Association has named its slate of 2012 winners of the Charles B. Costar Dean of IHFRA Awards.

The awards will be presented at the annual IHFRA Presidential Gala at the upcoming Spring High Point Market. The gala will be held on Friday, April 20, at the IHFC Ballroom on the 11th floor of the Green Wing of IHFC.

The Dean of IHFRA award recognizes quality of service and dedication to IHFRA and the chapter. The award was renamed in 2007 to the Charles B Costar Dean of IHFRA to honor Costar, a longtime member and officer of the organization, in recognition of Costar's dedicated service and loyalty to the group.

• Hank Holste is a member and 1st vice president of the Midwest Furniture Club in Chicago. Holste has been a sales representative since 1977, and he has represented Baker Furniture for more than two decades and in three markets, Minneapolis, Houston, and Chicago. He currently represents Harden Furniture in Illinois and southern Wisconsin. He enjoys golf and skiing.

• Barry White has been a furniture representative in South Carolina for more than 40 years. He is a longtime member of the Virginia/Carolinas Chapter and was presented the Ed Vosburgh Sr. Memorial Award for outstanding furniture manufacturers' representative. White currently represents Bernard's, Inc., Craftmaster Furniture and Mobel Furniture. He has been presented the Salesman of the Year award on two different occasions.  

• Jeffrey LaKritz has been a member of the Michigan Chapter since 1972, serving on the Chapter Board for many years.  Jeffrey currently represents StyleCraft, Nuevo Living, Holland Bar Stool and Naos. 

• Michael L. Burton Jr. is currently vice president of the HRFG of Southern California Chapter, as well as IHFRA member. He is third generation in the home furnishings industry. His grandfather, Larry Brooks, owned and operated Park View Furniture, and his father, Michael J. Burton, has been in the furniture business for 35 years. Michael is a sales representative for Robert Michael Ltd, USA Premium Leather Furniture, and Uniters N.A. for southern California and southern Nevada territories.

• Russell Bienenstock is editor in chief and CEO of Furniture World magazine. Furniture World has provided indepth retail marketing, finance, operations, sales management, and sales education information to retail home furnishings executives since 1870. Russell has written more than 23 educational guides that cover furniture product knowledge, styles, and interior design topics. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library, the American Furniture Hall of Fame, City of Hope's National Home Furnishings Industry, and serves as secretary of the Greater Metropolitan Home Furnishings Association.

• Brad Pyne serves on the board of Greater Metropolitan Furnishings Association and has earned the designation of CHR (Certified Home Furnishings Representative). He has been in the home furnishings industry for 25 years and currently represents Aico and Synergy Home Furnishings. Brad's career started as a corporate merchandise manager for Rowe Furniture. In 1997 he joined Benchcraft as a sales representative in New York.

• Les Neff has been a part of the furniture industry for most of his adult life. He held both selling and buying positions with Goods Furniture and Bruener's Furniture in Lancaster, Pa. Since 1997, he has been a manufacturer's representative with England Furniture, covering eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. At England Furniture he received the large territory top sales award and the "Mr. D" Award in honor of the founder, Dwight England. As a member of the Tri-State Chapter, he received the Congeniality Award for his industry work and engagement.  In 2010 he was honored with the Rep of the Year Award from Tri-State Chapter.

For more information on the IHFRA Presidential Gala, contact the IHFRA office via e-mail. Online reservations are available.