IHFRA to Present 4 Rising Star Awards at April Gala

February 27, 2018  by Larry Thomas in Community / Charitable Support, Industry, Special Events   

The four – Jake Anderson, Tanner Womack, Scott Stachowski and Kane Mehaffey – will received their awards April 16 at IHFRA’s annual Furniture Industry Awards Gala.

IHFRA's Rising Star Award is presented to sales representatives who have been on the road for less than five years, but display qualities that make them stand out to both manufacturers and retailers. Nominations were received from various sectors of the furniture industry, including retailers, manufacturers, and sales representatives.

Anderson is a co-owner and vice president of Midwest Furniture Marketing Associates. He began working with his father as a manufacturer's representative for Fashion Bed Group several years ago.  He currently represents Aico and Coast to Coast Imports, among others. He is an active member of IHFRA and resides in Kansas City.

Womack has been a senior marketing specialist for Ashley Furniture for three years, servicing Orange County, Imperial Valley, and San Diego, Calif., as well as Yuma, Ariz., territories. He grew up around furniture, helping his grandfather, father, and uncle in the family furniture store. Womack is a member of IHFRA and resides in Riverside, Calif.

Stachowski began his furniture career in retail at Talsma Furniture in Grand Rapids, Mich.  He became a manufacturer's representative in 2015, and currently represents Coaster Furniture, Castelle, Barcalounger, and Amer Rugs. He is an IHFRA Ambassador, a member of the Michigan HFRM Chapter, and resides in Grand Rapids.

Mehaffey also started his career in retail as the co-owner of Good Morning Mattress Center with his father, Steve Mehaffey. After selling the retail business, he began working as a sales representative with Ekornes, where he found his passion as a sales rep.  Mehaffey is a member of IHFRA and lives in Houston.

For more information on the awards gala, contact the IHFRA Office at 336-889-3920 or email info@ihfra.org.

Others to be honored at the event include Aico President Martin Ploy, who will receive the Pillar of the Industry Award; Gardner-White Furniture President Rachel Tronstein, Retailer of the Year; and Mark Scharff, who will receive IHFRA’s Distinguished Service Award.