ARTS Awards Judging Panel Set

August 29, 2013  by in Industry, Market, Special Events   

This judging panel will select winners in 24 different categories. The awards will be presented during a gala Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. ARTS Awards is the international awards program dedicated to home industry excellence held each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market. The judges are Ronda Rice Carman, Ignaz M. Gorischek, Nancy Kwallek, Kris Lindsey and Gale C. Steves .

Carman is the founder of "All the Best Blog" and author of Designers at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living (Rizzoli). "All the Best Blog" is known for its interviews and profiles with industry icons, entrepreneurs and global tastemakers.

Gorischek, returning as a judge for the second year in a row, is vice president of store development at Neiman Marcus where his role entails store planning, store design, visual planning and a corporate design studio. He has years of experience with creative merchandising, visual styling, managing and directing across the country and for a number of retail stores such as Burdines and a specialty jeweler. He's been with Neiman Marcus for more than 20 years 

Kwallek is the director of the interior design program at the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. She holds the Gene Edward Mikeska Endowed Chair for Interior Design and is a registered interior designer in the state of Texas. She is recognized as an international expert on the effects of interior color on humans and has presented on her research to international scholarly, design and professional groups on five continents. 

Lindsey grew up in the home furnishing industry, working with designer and entrepreneur Carolyn Kinder. During her 30-year tenure, she functioned in almost every administrative capacity, being named president and COO of Kinder-Harris, a high-end wall art, lamp and accessory manufacturer, in 1994. During her time at the company, Kinder-Harris was awarded ARTS Awards in multiple categories. Lindsey continued to serve as product and process development consultant when Kinder-Harris transitioned to Paragon. She also served as treasurer of ART for 10 years. Lindsey currently serves in Human Resources for an agriculture-based cooperative.

Steves is the creator of a home industries consulting company, Open House Productions, helping clients with special projects including strategic product positioning, branding, line extension development and more based on her years of experience working with manufacturers, retailers and consumers. Steves also served as editor-in-chief and vice president of the HOME Group, which includes Home Magazine, Best-Selling Home Plans and its associated titles, for 10 years. Under her leadership, Home attracted more than 4 million readers nationwide and established itself as the magazine authority on decorating and remodeling. Steves is an active member of a number of professional organizations.

The 25th annual ARTS Awards are sponsored by enLIGHTenment, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Giftware News, HFN, Home Accents Today, Home Fashion Forecast, Residential Lighting and the Sustainable Furnishings Council.