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Gift for Life Announces Industry Achievement Award Recipient

March 6, 2024  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

Gift for Life’s Industry Achievement Award, which has been presented at Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ Retailer Excellence Awards (REA) since 2009, recognizes overall excellence and contribution to the gift and home industry – whether as a thought leader, standard-bearer or overall industry influencer.

“The Gift for Life Board of Directors unanimously chose Dorothy as this year’s Industry Achievement Award honoree,” said Ari Lowenstein, chair of the Gift for Life board. “We are delighted to recognize Dorothy for her career accomplishments and the impact she has had on so many in our industry.”

Dorothy Belshaw is Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for ANDMORE. She oversees all revenue generation opportunities including permanent leasing, tradeshow, advertising and digital sales, and leads new business development that enriches markets and unlocks value for buyers and sellers.

“I am truly honored to be recognized by this incredible organization founded by Peter Schauben in 1992 – the very same year I joined the gift industry,” said Belshaw. “Over the past 32 years, I have been amazed by the tenacity and dedication of Gift for Life’s leadership and by the widespread and whole-hearted commitment of this industry to help those in need and to do good.”

Belshaw joined ANDMORE (then International Market Centers (IMC)) in 2012, bringing 20+ years of home and gift tradeshow industry experience to her role as President of its fledgling Gift division, with the specific charge of expanding the Las Vegas Market’s gift, tabletop and housewares offerings.

Her role soon broadened to include marketing and digital oversight, with responsibility for all aspects of the end-to-end customer experience, driving increased buyer acquisition across all IMC Markets, and developing tools and services to improve the at Market experience for buyers and exhibitors.

In 2018, as a member of IMC’s executive leadership team, she was instrumental in the acquisition and integration of AmericasMart Atlanta, which included the then Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. In 2022, she led IMC’s acquisition of Shoppe Object and the subsequent expansion of the brand with the launch of Shoppe Object - High Point in 2023.

Most recently, she spearheaded the co-location of ANDMORE’s Las Vegas Apparel with Clarion’s Women’s Wear in Nevada (WWIN) Show, which debuted in February 2024 as a customer-centric, efficient experience that added value and enabled buyers to see more and do more while at Las Vegas Fashion Week.

Prior to IMC, Belshaw was SVP at George Little Management (GLM), then the nation’s largest producer of consumer product tradeshows for the gift and home industries. Belshaw is an executive board member of the High Point Market Authority (HPMA) and the Home Furnishings Hall of Fame and member of WithIt. Previously, she served as a board member of Gift for Life and the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA).

The 2024 Gift for Life Industry Achievement Award will be presented to Dorothy Belshaw at the 73^rd Annual Retailer Excellence Awards (REAs), on June 19 at the Dallas Union Station Grand Hall. Donations in celebration of Belshaw’s honor will benefit World Central Kitchen’s worldwide crisis-related hunger relief efforts. Donate at www.giftforlife.org/donate.

Past recipients of Gift For Life’s Industry Achievement Award are: Todd and Jannetta Litzman of MarketTime (2023); Warren Shoulberg (2022); Patti Carpenter (2021) Adam Glassman of O, The Oprah Magazine (2020); Anna and Nathan Bond of Rifle Paper (2019); Mitch and Seth Nash of Blue Q (2018); The Beekman Boys (2017); Julie Chavez and Joe Cerbo of Chavez for Charity (2016); Tom Mirabile of Lifetime Brands (2015); Dave Thomas and Kevin Mundt of HomArt (2014); Gregg Corzine and David Klass of Archipelago (2013); Les Mandelbaum and Paul Rowan of UMBRA (2012); Michael Aram of Michael Aram (2011); Randi Eller of Eller Enterprises (2010); Bobbie Gottlieb of Two's Company (2009)

Since 1951, Gifts & Decorative Accessories has been celebrating the best of the best in seven niche categories: Specialty Store, Multiple Locations, Visual Merchandising, Store Events, Store Design/Redesign, Social Media Outreach, Online Initiatives, and Socially Responsible. Awards are also presented to Manufacturer of the Year and Regional Sales Representative of the Year. Information, nominations and registration for the 73^rd Retailer Excellence Awards is available at https://www.retailerexcellenceawards.com/.