ICFA Honors 2018 Award Winners

October 1, 2018  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

The casual industry also paid tribute to the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Apollo Awards

Awards presented or recognized during the event included The Apollo Awards, recognizing retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings. Winners in two categories, single store and multi-store, were selected from a group of 10 finalists through an online ballot.

Bowman’s Stove & Patio of Ephrata, Pa., was the winner in the single-store category. Porch & Patio Casual Living, with a flagship showroom in Warwick, R.I., and a satellite store in Mystic, Conn., was the multi-store category winner.

Design Excellence Awards

The Design Excellence competition recognizes products in 11 categories for their overall design, as well as their marketability, innovation, color, construction and imaginative use of materials.

The 2018 category winners included: 

• Chaise Lounge: Lane Venture Jewel Chaise by Fred Spector
• Complementary Casual Products: Gloster Deco Bird Feeder by Mark Gabbertas
• Dining Bar Chair: Barlow Tyrie Titan High Dining Chair by Mark Tyrie
• Dining Bar Table: IndoSoul USA Montage Dining Table by the IndoSoul Design Team
• Fabric: Elaine Smith Birds & Cages by Elaine Smith
• Heating/Firepit: Lloyd Flanders Round Teak Fire Table with Faux Concrete Top by the Lloyd Flanders Design Team
• Lounge Seating with Cushion: Lane Venture Jewel Lounge Chair by Fred Spector
• Lounge Seating without Cushion: Gloster Sway by Henrick Pedersen
• Rugs and Flooring: Jaipur Living Polaris Collection Stowe Rug by the Jaipur Living Design Team
• Outdoor Lighting: Klaussner Outdoor Slant Table Lamp by the Klaussner Outdoor Design Team
• Shade Products: Tuuci Automated Max Cantilever Umbrella by Dougan Clarke.

Lillian B. Winchester “Best of Show” and “Lilly” Awards

The Lillian B. Winchester “Best of Show” award, selected from among the 11 category winners listed above, went to Tuuci’s Automated Max Cantilever Umbrella, which also received the Lilly Award in the Outdoor Accents category. IndoSoul USA’s Montage dining table received the “Lilly” award in the Outdoor Furniture category.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the casual furniture industry and to their individual communities. The 2018 honorees were Steve Elton, chief brand curator for Brown Jordan, and Larry Smith, owner of Village Green Home and Garden in Rockford, Ill. Both men are described as visionaries in the casual furnishings industry.

Manufacturer of the Year

Lloyd Flanders was named Manufacturer of the Year – a tribute to the design and quality of their products, as well as outstanding merchandising, customer service, ethics, communications and trade relations.

Sales Representative of the Year

This award recognizes an outstanding sales representative within the casual furnishing industry. Candidates were selected based on leadership, professionalism, exceptional service, communication skills, knowledge and product training expertise. The 2018 winner, selected from five finalists and determined through online voting, was Billy Markowitz, owner of W.R. Markowitz Enterprises of Tustin, Calif.