Andy Counts, CEO of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, will be honored in October with the Pillar of the Industry Award presented annually by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association (IHFRA).
This prestigious recognition is awarded to an industry leader who has gone above and beyond, using their creativity, dedication and effort to strengthen relationships among the various segments of the furniture industry. In addition, honorees are selected for their success in improving their individual companies and, by extension, the industry overall.
Counts will receive the award at IHFRA's Furniture Industry Awards Gala on October 25, 2024, at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center on the campus of High Point University. He was featured in a July 23 podcast with IHFRA’s Ray Allegrezza.
Additional 2024 honorees include Tammy Covington Nagem, CEO of the High Point Market Authority, who is also recognized as a Pillar of the Industry, and AHFA Board Member Caroline Hipple, chief creative officer of Hooker Furnishings, being honored as Industry Icon.
Broad River Retail will be recognized as Retailer of the Year; Ron and Jeff Russell and Dave McKinnon, all sales representatives for Ashley, will receive Legacy Awards; Chris Guseinov of AICO will be recognized as Rising Star; and Michael Neros, president of Profit Sales Management, Brighton, Michigan, will receive IHFRA's Distinguished Service Award.
“The combined strengths of this year’s slate of honorees made selecting our theme – IHFRA’s Industry Dream Team – a no brainer,” said Steve Allegrezza, IHFRA’s executive director.
Tickets for the IHFRA awards gala are $125 for IHFRA members and $175 for non-members. A non-member table of 10 is $1,500. Congratulatory ads in the commemorative dinner program are $500 for a half page and $1,000 for a full page.
In addition, dinner sponsorships are available at three levels. Gold ($7,500) includes two tables of 10 with premium seating and 2 full-page ads in the program; Silver ($5,000) includes one table of 10 and two full-page ads in the program; and Bronze ($3,500) includes one table of 10, and one full-page ad in the program.
For tickets and sponsorships, visit the IHFRA website or contact Steve Allegrezza or Ray Allegrezza.