ADL Honors Furniture Executives

June 8, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on June 2008 Hundreds of executives from the furniture industry’s largest companies gathered in New York Thursday to honor three recipients of top Anti-Defamation League (ADL) awards.

During the event at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan, the ADL’s American Heritage Award was presented to AICO Founder and CEO Michael Amini and Havertys President Clarence Smith. The award recognizes unwavering commitment to humnanitarian goals and dedication to the community. Primo International Founder Hymie Itzkovitz received the Lifetime Humanitarian Award for teaching others to live “by the principles of good citizenship and devotion to the community.”

Keith Koenig, president of City Furniture, Tamarac, Fla., presented the American Heritage Award to Amini, who received the City of Hope’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. AICO (Amini Innovation Corp.) has grown to employ more than 20,000 people. The City of Hope research hospital recently broke ground on the Michael Amini Transfusion Center.

Havertys Chairman Clancy Ridley was the presenter for the American Heritage Award to Smith, who heads the 123-store chain based in Atlanta as president and CEO and serves as chairman of the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, vice chairman of the Marist School Board and is on the board of Oxford Industries.

David Itzkovitz of Primo International presented the Lifetime Humanitarian award to his father. The senior Itzkovitz escaped the German and Russian Armies as a boy in Poland and has led Montreal-based Primo to be one of the largest suppliers of upholstery.

Founded in 1913, the Anti-Defamation League is the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency fighting all forms of bigotry. The organization defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights in America and around the world.