Withit honors WOW award winners in Vegas

Cindy W. Hodnett -- Furniture Today, January 31, 2013

LAS VEGAS - WithIt, a leadership and networking organization for women, recognized several of the furniture industry's leaders here Sunday at the organization's 2013 WOW Awards dinner.
Held for the first time in Las Vegas at Worldview Terrace with the city's night skyline as a backdrop, the event brought together industry icons, future leaders and hundreds of With-It members and supporters.
"These awards represent the heart and soul of WithIt," said Betty Lyn Eller, 2013 president of WithIt. "This is an exciting venue and it represents the growth of the organization. WithIt started on the East Coast but has grown regionally, and it is important for us to have a presence out here."
In the presentations, Margi Kyle, designer at The Designing Doctor, was surprised with the President's award.
Other honorees included Peggy Traub, president and CEO of Adesso, Lifetime Achievement/Founder's award; Cheminne Taylor-Smith, vice president of marketing for the High Point Market Authority, Education award; Wright Global Graphic Solutions, Mentoring award; Kiersten Hathcock, CEO and designer for Mod Mom Furniture, Future Leader award; Kimberly Brown Knopf, founder and president of Innovative Mattress Solutions, Leadership award; and Kathy Ireland, designer and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, who was honored with the Legacy award.
"I remember one of our first meetings (with a client), and when we went in, the sales team was wall-to-wall guys," Ireland said after accepting the award. "I asked them what percentage of their customers were women, and they answered 90%. I am so, so grateful to WithIt for helping to shatter glass ceilings and helping the industry gain more balance."
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