IHFRA to honor Gillispie, seven new Deans

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 19, 2012

HIGH POINT - Richard Gillispie, a longtime member and past president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn., will receive the group's highest honor, the Harold P. Braun Distinguished Service Award.
     IHFRA will present the award at the 18th annual Furniture Industry Awards Gala here April 23.
     Separately, at the IHFRA Presidential Gala on April 20, the association will honor seven members by naming them Deans of IHFRA.
     For 36 years, the Braun award has been given annually to a sales representative who has distinguished himself or herself on behalf of IHFRA, and has enhanced, by deed and action, the image of home furnishings sales reps in the community and the industry, officials said.
     Gillispie, a rep for Hooker Furniture in North Carolina for more than 25 years, joined IHFRA and its Virginia/Carolinas Chapter in 1995 and has been active in the chapter and the local Piedmont Club, having served as president of each. He became involved on a national level and was IHFRA's 69th president in 2007. He continues to serve on the group's board.
     He also has served on the High Point Market Authority board since 2005 and is one of the original Rep Ambassadors for the organization. He also served on the board of the National Home Furnishings Assn. from 2005 to 2010 as the liaison for IHFRA.
     IHFRA also announced the 2012 winners of the Charles B. Costar Dean of IHFRA Awards. The honor recognizes quality of service and dedication to IHFRA and the member's chapter. Recipients have set outstanding examples for others to follow, according to the association.

Gillispie	White	LaKritz
Burton	Bienenstock	Pyne
	Neff

     This year's Deans include:
     ► Hank Holste, first vice president of the Midwest Furniture Club in Chicago and a sales representative since 1977.
    ► Barry White, a rep in South Carolina for more than 40 years. He is a longtime member of the Virginia/Carolinas Chapter and is a recipient of the chapter's Ed Vosburgh Sr. Memorial Award for outstanding rep.
     ► Jeffrey LaKritz, a member of the Michigan Chapter since 1972, who has served on the chapter's board for years.
     ► Michael L. Burton Jr., vice president of the HRFG of Southern California Chapter and a third generation furniture man.
    ► Russell Bienenstock, editor-in-chief and CEO of Furniture World Magazine and the author of more than 23 educational guides that on furniture and interior design topics. He is secretary of the Greater Metropolitan Home Furnishings Assn.
     ► Brad Pyne, who serves on the board of the Greater Metropolitan Furnishings Assn. and has been in the industry for 25 years.
     ► Les Neff, who held selling and buying positions at retailers Goods Furniture and Bruener's before becoming a rep with England Furniture in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey in 1997.
     Both the April 20 and April 23 events will be held in the International Home Furnishings Center ballroom here. For information, contact the IHFRA office at (336) 889-3920 or email ihfra@ihfra.org. Reservations can also be made online at www.ihfra.org.