Tri-State Home Furnishings Assn. honors Larry Karel as Person of the Year
Fred Kempner named to group's Hall of Fame
Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, December 1, 2009
 Larry Karel |
PHILADELPHIA — Tri-State Home Furnishings Assn. members presented several awards at their annual dinner here in November, including naming market impresario Larry Karel as its Person of the Year.
Karel and his company, Karel Exposition Management, have worked with the Tri-State group and its predecessor for more than 25 years, co-sponsoring regional markets.
Fred Kempner, a longtime Rowe representative, was named to the Tri-State group's Hall of Fame, the highest member-voted honor, for his loyalty and dedication to the association and the industry.
Other honorees included:
• Stan Luber, founder of World Imports of Philadelphia and past president of the Home Furnishings Assn. of Delaware Valley, who received a Senior Service Award for his innovations, service to the association and longevity in the industry. Marc Luber, his son and new executive vice president of the Tri-State group, gave a glowing tribute.
• Les Neff, who won the member-voted Buzz Hoffman Representative of the Year Award. It was presented by Ed Myers, longtime friend and current president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn. Other nominees present were Bill Jennings, Bobby Schwartz, Michael Landes and Jerry Cole, all multi-line reps.
• Brother and sister Jerry Lastick and Marsha Petnick, owners of Lastick's Furniture in Pottstown, Pa., who won the Harry Kahn Memorial Retailer of the Year Award. It was presented by Carmen Valleri, owner of Rosen's Furniture, last year's winner. Other nominees present were Andrew Jodlbauer of Jodlbauer's, Elkton, Md., and Dave Belitsky, Darro Furniture, Folsom, Pa.
• Barney Daley of KlaussnerHome, who received the Retail Advertising Award for his pioneering work with the Klaussner brand home stores. He was also voted winner of Congeniality Award for his professionalism. The only other nominee present was Mike Vogt of Homestead Furniture, Nescopec, Pa.
• Louis Cramer, Cramco Distributors, who received the Distributor/Importer of the Year Award. Bruce Marmer, who sells Coaster, stood in for the company's Scott Cohen, last year's recipient, in presenting the award. Other companies nominated were Homerica/HomElegance, Main Line Imports and Global Imports.
• Richard Good, retired from Good's Furniture, New Holland, Pa., who was presented with a Special Service Award. Les Neff, a former longtime employee, accepted in Good's absence because of a family emergency.
• Gus Bartz and Adam Stern, who won Youth Recognition awards. Bartz won the Young Rep honor and Stern the Young Retailer award. Presenters were rep Heidi Sager Gelnett and retailer Ted Matela of Diamond Furniture, who won the awards in 2008.
Tri-State President Gary Diamond also presented an award for "service above and beyond" to Ray Isser for his dedication to Tri-State. Isser has served on the group's board of directors for 25 years, and is a past president and chairman of Tri-State and of IHFRA.
