HFA Announces 2018 ROTY Winners

July 30, 2018  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

Rick and Pat Howard, husband and wife team of Sklar Furnishings in Boca Raton, Fla. are the HFA Retailers of the Year in the category of businesses with a sales volume under $10 million. Rick and Pat’s 16-year old contemporary lifestyle branded store is the culmination of a life-long passion for design, interior architecture and furniture.

Rob Burnette, CEO of W.S. Badcock Corporation in Mulberry, Fla. is the HFA Retailer of the Year in the category of businesses with a sales volume of more than $10 million. Badcock was a general mercantile 114 years ago and today has a dealer network that includes 340 locations throughout the southeast.  

Rick and Pat Howard and Rob Burnette will receive their awards and be celebrated at the 2018 Insights conference on Saturday, September 15 in Minneapolis.

The HFA also announced the winners of its Emerging Star and Trailblazer awards, which recognize retailers who’ve successfully jumped into the industry with both feet and those who’ve made a career of forging new roads, respectively. Greg Rich, owner of Habitation Furnishings + Design in Minneapolis is the 2018 Emerging Star and Karen Arakelian, owner of White House Designs for Life in West Fairfield, N.J. is the Trailblazer. Greg and Karen will be recognized during the Retailer of the Year celebration at Insights as well.
 
“Furniture retailers are a rare breed,” said Sharron Bradley, CEO at HFA. “Their drive and determination to not only create thriving businesses but positively impact their communities and the industry is remarkable. Congratulations to our 2018 winners, a stand-out group of business leaders.”

HFA members were nominated by members of the home furnishings industry or themselves and a panel of judges comprised of members of HFA’s Board of Directors; HFA members; manufacturers; service providers/suppliers, and members of the industry media, reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.