Tri-State HFA to Honor Ken Gilberg, Esq. as Person of the Year

Furniture World News Desk on 10/16/2014

Tri-State (PA, DE, and southern NJ) Home Furnishings Association reported that it will honor Chapter Attorney Ken Gilberg at this year's Awards Dinner. Since joining the association several years ago, Ken has been helpful in keeping our members (particularly retail) up to date on changes in legislation and information on insurance.

He is among the Top 25 Employment Attorneys in the US, and has worked with several other associations to negotiate better working relationships without union involvement. Ken is deeply involved with several regional charities, and in 2013 received TSHFA Humanitarian Award - awarded last in 1988.

Also on the agenda is Hall of Fame Award, presented this year to Kathy Parks, CHR - Executive Director of IHFRA (International Home Furnishings Representatives Association). She has been generous in travelling from North Carolina to help with TSHFA Annual Awards Dinner. Kathy was also instrumental in promoting retail membership in IHFRA to allow retail stores to receive the same great discount package that sales representatives do.

Other voted awards will be presented to Representative and Retailer of the Year, and of course, Congeniality Award. Nominees for Representative Award include (in no particular order) Gregg Lesser, Bill Jennings, Greg Weaver, Roger Ritchey, CHR. Winners of all voted awards will be announced at the dinner. Retail nominees are Interiors (Todd Lehman); Beiter's Furniture - Williamsport, PA (Joe Beiter); M. Grossman - Philadelphia (Neel & Sarit Kadakia); Kensington Furniture - Northfield, NJ (Michael Grossman); Mastroieni Furniture - Montgomeryville, PA(Nick & Larry Mastroieni, Jr.); and Just Cabinets - headquartered in Bethlehem, PA (Ted Bernstein). Congeniality Awards nominees include Mike Holmes - Home Furnishings Market and Sheffield Furniture - Phoenixville, PA); Michael Kay (at Raymour & Flanigan in Montgomeryville, PA) and Ron Page (Furniture First - Harrisburg, PA).

Committee chosen awards include Young Retailer Jeremy Reeser of Fecera's Furniture (stores in Reading, Sinking Springs and Collegeville, PA); Retail Display winner Kroungold's Furniture in Marlton, NJ; and Senior Service Awards to be presented to Buddy Robinson of Robinson's Furniture in Delaware County and Andy Miller of Miller's Carpet One in New Castle, DE.

As part of the evening's festivities will be induction of Ray Isser, CHR as President and Tommy Leflein will begin his term as Board Chair.

Dinner will be held on Tuesday evening, November 11, 2014 at Doubletree Guest Suites in Plymouth Meeting, PA (suburban Philadelphia) with cocktail hour beginning at 6:30 p.m. and dinner awards and speaker immediately following. For additional information or to attend, call Cathy Reed at (215) 646-5831 or e-mail tshfa_Cathy@hotmail.com.