City of Hope to honor Mike Huber, Stefanie Lucas

Retailer, manufacturer to receive awards at April gala

Tanya Merritte -- Furniture Today, November 30, 2010

LOS ANGELES — Mike Huber, CEO of Virginia retailer Belfort Furniture, and Stefanie Lucas, president and CEO of Rowe Fine Furniture, have been named recipients of City of Hope's Spirit of Life Award, the medical research center's most prestigious honor.

Stefanie Lucas

Mike Huber

City of Hope's National Home Furnishings Industry group will present the awards at a gala on April 3 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. The event, held during the High Point Market, will benefit cancer research, treatment and education at City of Hope, based in Duarte, Calif.

Family-owned Belfort Furniture in Herndon, Va., started with one employee in 1987 and has now grown to more than 200 associates with 100,000 square feet of showroom space. City of Hope officials said Huber's passion for furniture and his vision to build the largest furniture store in the Washington, D.C., area contributed to the store's success.

"It's a privilege to receive this award from an institution that is on the cutting edge of cancer research," Huber said. "Together, the home furnishings industry and City of Hope will continue to work toward advancing innovative science and turning it into new treatments for patients battling life-threatening diseases."

Lucas joined upholstery manufacturer Rowe in 2003 and was named president and CEO in 2007. Under her leadership, the company has acquired the Clayton Marcus brand and expanded its sales to department stores, national chains and independent stores.

"It is an honor to be recognized by City of Hope, a research institution that is a great asset for patients everywhere who face a life-threatening disease," Lucas said.

Shannon Sullivan, director of development for City of Hope, said the group is honoring Huber and Lucas for their commitment to fighting cancer. "They recognize the critical role of research in making cancer a manageable and ultimately curable disease. City of Hope is fortunate to have their support and commitment to our mission," Sullivan said.

The National Home Furnishings Industry arm of City of Hope was founded more than 40 years ago.

To buy tickets to the April gala, contact Sullivan at ssullivan@coh.org. To register online or for more information on the National Home Furnishings Industry group, visit www.cityofhope.org/nhfi.