Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Sustainability Advocate Susan Inglis to Receive WithIt Visionary Award
September 28,
2022 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industry, announced it will present Susan Inglis, founding executive director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, with its annual Visionary Award, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.
Inglis, who also is owner of From The Mountain, a sustainable production and sourcing company, will be honored for her leadership and long-time advocacy of sustainability efforts in the home and furnishings industries.
The award will be presented at WithIt’s annual Wow Awards gala on Friday, Oct. 21 in the IFHC International Ballroom. At the gala, winners of the group’s Wow awards for education, mentoring, leadership, future leader and sales excellence also will be presented.
“It's an honor to recognize Susan Inglis with the Visionary Award,” said Renee Loper-Boyd, WithIt President and vice president of marketing at International Market Centers. “Her inspiring passion for sustainability and the contributions that she and the Sustainable Furnishings Council have made will continue to have a positive impact on our industry for many years to come.”
Loper-Boyd said her career has been marked by a passionate, purposeful entrepreneurial spirit. And her connections place and people have guided her path the entire way.
As a leader in the push for sustainability in the home and furnishings industry, Inglis has taken the Sustainable Furnishings Council from an idea to a reality. She clung to the notion that businesses have the power to change the world and, in doing so, became a part of that change — speaking to one business at a time.
Other Wow Award winners will be announced in October prior to the gala. Finalists for each award are as follows:
The Education Award recognizes an individual who has put forth significant effort to educate associates, retailers and consumers about home and furnishings. This year’s nominees are Kaprice Crawford, Home Furnishings Association; Jane Dagmi, HPxD; and Deborah Hernandez, Fashion Institute of Technology.
The Mentoring Award honors a company or individual for their efforts to foster advocacy, development and promotion of women in their company and the industry. This year’s Mentoring Award nominees are Lisa Hawkins, Room to Room; Louise Traficanti, Eastern Accents; and JoAnne Wiley, J.B. Hunt Final Mile.
The Leadership Award recognizes the contributions of a woman who has demonstrated successful leadership in her company, WithIt and the home furnishings industry. Leadership Award nominees are Rebecca Colyn, Magnussen Home; Lisa Koskela, Lisa Koskela Design; and Amy Vernon, La-Z-Boy, Inc.
The Future Leader Award honors a young woman in the industry who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and the potential to become an industry leader. The nominees for this award are Dorota Lopez, Dorota, Inc.; Erin Weir, Gail Doby Coaching and Consulting; and Shannon Williams, North American Home Furnishings Association.
The Sales Excellence Award recognizes a woman who is extraordinary in sales, demonstrates excellence in education and relationships with her customers, and exceptional commitment to the company she represents. The nominees are Jamie Gaston, Esquire Advertising; Jynne Harris, Kreber; and Kristin Olson, Covington Fabrics and Designs.
For more information about the 2022 WOW Awards and other WithIt events, visit withit.org/events.