WithIt Adds Phillips, Cohen to Board of Governors

March 11, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on March 12, 2010 WithIt has named two additions to its board of governors.

Jason Phillips, vice president and creative director of The Phillips Collection, and Jerry Cohen, founding member and partner of Cohen, Tauber, Spievack & Wagner, a New York law firm. Phillips and Cohen join the advisory team, which consists of industry leaders representing several business disciplines and levels of leadership.

"WithIt is a brain trust, a learning space, and a growth engine for individual and business leadership," said Stephanie Lowder, WithIt president. "Our Governors are strategic thinkers, generous supporters, and advocates for WithIt. They help this organization€”and thus our individual members€”to grow and contribute to full potential. In other words, each of our Governors and their companies embody our cause. We are grateful for their partnership and support."

Phillips is an award-winning designer whose recent honors include the INSPIREDESIGN Design Excellence Award, 2010 ARTS Awards Product Designer of the Year, and the Trade Secrets Award, part of VERANDA magazine's inaugural Art of Design competition. Phillips is a board member for several associations, including the American Society of Furniture Designers, the Interior Design Panel at High Point University, and the Young Home Furnishings Professionals. Also, he is a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

"I am both honored and humbled by my inclusion in WithIt's Board of Governors," Phillips said. "I have been watching this organization branch out over the years, and I am very excited to join the team to add to the great momentum that already exists."

Cohen is a corporate counselor who handles financial, commercial and intellectual property transactions, and provides strategic business advice to public and private corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies. He routinely counsels clients in strategic alliances; joint ventures; licensing; marketing and distribution arrangements; acquisitions; divestitures; restructurings; and financings. Cohen has been a guest speaker at WithIt's professional conference.

"I'm proud and delighted to have been nominated to WithIt's Board of Governors," Cohen said. "WithIt's mission of outreach to professional women, which it accomplishes so well, is vital for the success and future of the home and furnishings industries. I'm excited and look forward to helping WithIt continue to fulfill its essential role."

In addition to Phillips and Cohen, the 2010 WithIt Board of Governors are: industry veteran Cary Benson, co-president, Palliser; Deborah Burns, senior vice president and chief innovation officer, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.; Peggy Burns, principal, Circle Furniture; Jeffery L. Cook, president, Broyhill Industries Inc.; Jerry Epperson, partner, Mann, Armistead & Epperson; Jena Hall, vice president of marketing and director of bedroom, dining and occasional, aspenhomeTM; Phil Haney, president, Lexington Home Brands; Caroline Hipple, principal, HB2 Resources; Edward Massood, president and chief operating officer, Thomasville Home Furnishings of New Jersey; George Perez, chairperson, Furniture Design Department, Savannah College of Art and Design; Rob Sligh, chairman and chief executive officer, Sligh Furniture Co.; Ken Smith, managing partner, Smith Leonard PLLC; and Margaret Traub, president and chief executive officer, Adesso Inc.