WithIt Announces Award Recipients in Advance of Gala

January 25, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

Amy Van Dorp, WithIt’s executive director, shares, “We are thrilled to announce this year’s recipients and to share that our 'Age of Aquarius' - WOW Awards sold a record number of tickets with 230 tickets purchased, and is now completely sold out!” WithIt received over 65 nominee submissions, the highest number in the WOW Awards’ 29-year history. Excitement over this year’s innovative theme, coupled with the announcement of the finalists on January 6, has led to a sold-out event with only 4 days left until the awards gala on Jan 25, during Las Vegas Market.

The mission of the annual WOW Awards is to spotlight women in the home and furnishings industry and to honor and celebrate their outstanding work throughout their careers. WOW Awards recipients are nominated by their peers, and the ceremony recognizes female business leaders and emerging professionals who have demonstrated significant impact through their work, experience, and industry contributions.  WOW Awards nominees are exemplary stewards who shepherd their companies, help them grow their businesses, and support the design, retail, and trade industries.

In addition to this year’s Visionary Award, WithIt will present awards in five categories, including Leadership, Mentoring, Education, Future Leaders, and Sales Excellence. Last week, a panel of judges composed of industry leaders scored the WOW Award nominee finalists' application packages and their letters of recommendation.

Receiving this year’s prestigious WOW Awards are the following women  in their respective categories:

VISIONARY AWARD: Laurie Tokarz, CEO & President, of Restonic Mattress Co. 

LEADERSHIP AWARD: Lisa Adair, Senior Vice President Global Design & Merchandising, Ashley Furniture Industries

MENTORING AWARD: Valerie Underwood, Vice President, Group Sales-Midwest, Loloi Rugs

EDUCATION AWARD: Lark Shirley-Stevens, Executive Director of Marketing & Membership, Furniture First

SALES EXCELLENCE AWARD: Heather Bolick, Senior Vice President, Sales, Manwah

FUTURE LEADER AWARD:  Stuart Stump Mullens, Partner at Stump & Company

As part of the gala, WithIt will also honor the following finalists as award recipients in their respective categories:

The Leadership Award recognizes the contributions of a woman who has demonstrated successful leadership in her company, WithIt and the home furnishings industry. 2026 Leadership Award nominees are Sheila Long O'Mara, Executive Editor, Furniture Today; and Kate Caddy, Director of Sustainability, International Sleep Products Association (ISPA).

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. 2026 Mentoring Award nominees are Jessica Green and Madeline Stewart, Press & Marketing, Mustard Seed Market & Home.

The Education Award recognizes an individual who has put forth significant effort to educate associates, retailers and consumers about home and furnishings. 2026 Education Award nominees are Jane Dagmi, Ericka Saurit, Jessica Duce, Co-Founders of the Vacation Rental Design Summit (VRDS).

The Sales Excellence Award recognizes a woman who is extraordinary in sales, demonstrates excellence in education and relationships with her customers, and shows exceptional commitment to the company she represents. 2026 Sales Excellence Award nominees are Alex Kennerly, National Sales Director, Luxe Interiors + Design; and Lynne Carroll, Midwest Sales, Valdese Weavers.

The Future Leader Award honors a young woman in the industry who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and the potential to become an industry leader. 2026 nominees for Future Leaders are Maddie Landers, Marketing Director, Interior Design Society, and Maggie Henning, Director of eCommerce & Marketing, Liberty Furniture.

This year’s “Age of Aquarius” WOW Awards will deliver an unforgettable celestial experience that reflects the passion and innovation of the WOW Awards Gala. Key elements of the Age of Aquarius theme are teamwork, collaboration, optimism, and yearning for interconnectedness. Like WithIt, this age embodies a balance between intellectualism, individualism, and positive development, and also encourages people to find their unique paths while also working together to foster a deep connection to their community. All of these are things that WithIt nurtures in its members and throughout our industry.

The WOW Awards Gala will be held during the Las Vegas Market, on Jan 25, at ANDMORE’s World Market Center, Worldview-B16. The event begins with networking and cocktails from 6-6:50 pm, followed by a 7pm gala dinner, with the awards ceremony from 8-9 pm.

The WOW Awards would not be possible without the generous support of our gala sponsors. The 2026 WOW Awards sponsors include ANDMORE, Tempur Sealy, Jola Interactive, Elite Comfort Solutions - A Leggett & Platt Company, J.B. Hunt Final Mile, Serta Simmons Bedding, and American First Finance.  For their dedication to bringing this gala event to life, thank you to the WOW Squad Committee, consisting of volunteers throughout the home and furnishings community, and through a creative partnership with global trend forecasting agency, Future Snoops.