Over 154 Years of Service to the Furniture Industry
Furniture World Logo

High Point Market Announces Fitness Challenge Results for Fall Market 2015

Furniture World News Desk on 11/17/2015


The High Point Market Authority reported that results are in from the inaugural Market Fit Challenge, and one thing’s for sure – High Point Market attendees do a lot of walking! Logging a total of more than 3.3 million steps, 106 Market Fit Challenge participants covered almost 1500 miles from Saturday, October 17, through Tuesday, October 20.

Developed in partnership with Matchup, the Market Fit Challenge took place over four days of the Fall Market (Saturday through Tuesday), with participants joining one of several peer groups for the competition – Designers, Exhibitors, Industry, Press/Media, Reps, Retailers and Students. A leaderboard then tracked participation, measured through individuals syncing their fitness trackers with the Matchup program. Total steps for individuals were tracked within each peer group, with the total steps per peer group being tracked on a separate leaderboard.

“This challenge was a great way for us to have fun with an integral part of this horizontal market,” notes Tom Conley, president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority. “You’re going to put in a lot of steps at Market, so you might as well make the most of it!”

In the individual challenge, Hope Harsin of Chatham Home from Indianapolis, Indiana, walked away with top honors, and a $250 Visa gift card, after putting down 134,814 steps. Close behind her in second place was Anna Stowe of Great Design 4 U with 129,247 steps, and in third place was Mark Bolotin of WhyPayMoreShoppe with 101,891 steps.

In the peer group competition, retailers were the clear leaders, almost doubling the step totals of the second-place industry team. Top steppers from each of the six groups were:
  • Retailers – Hope Harsin, Chatham Home (134,814 steps)
  • Press – Kelly Fallis, RemoteStylist.com (71,181 steps)
  • Exhibitors – Erica Wingo, Bernhardt Furniture (70,302 steps)
  • Industry – Kelly McCallum, Interior Design Society (68,866 steps)
  • Reps – Sherry Balsamo, Picture Source (66,914 steps)
  • Designers – Caroline Ficquette, Design West ( 47, 982 steps)
First-time exhibitor Brunswick/InMovement supported the challenge by adding these group leaders to a drawing for their new Elevate Desktop D2, an innovative tabletop workstation for those who wish to alternate between working standing up and sitting down. Sherry Balsamo, leader of the Reps group, was the lucky winner of the sit-to-stand desk.

Results can also be found at http://www.highpointmarket.org/event/market-fit-challenge. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up and sync up for Fall Market, this program is expected to return for Spring Market, April 16 – 20, 2016.


About the High Point Market Authority: The High Point Market Authority, www.highpointmarket.org, is the official sponsor and organizer of the High Point Market in High Point, N.C. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style, and price point, and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries twice each year, the High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry. Find the High Point Market anywhere online, and follow on Twitter using the hashtag #hpmkt.