ICFA honors design, leadership and retail excellence at 2025 gala

ATLANTA — The International Casual Furnishings Assn. brought together manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives and designers on Sept. 17 to celebrate industry achievements during its annual awards gala, held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The event, hosted by designer and television personality Carson Kressley, featured dinner on the stadium’s 85,000-square-foot playing field. Proceeds supported ICFA’s philanthropic partner, City of Hope.

The evening was co-sponsored by ICFA and Andmore, which together produce the annual Casual Market Atlanta at AmericasMart.

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Since 2001, ICFA’s Design Excellence Awards have recognized innovation in outdoor furnishings. More than 130 products were reviewed this year by a panel of retailers, designers and trend forecasters, with winners named in 11 categories:

From among the category winners, the Summer Classics Bari Swivel Lounge Chair received the Lilly Award for Outdoor Furniture, and went on to be named Lillian B. Winchester Best of Show.

The Jensen Outdoor Foundations Sage Serving Buffet earned the Lilly Award for Outdoor Accents.

Apollo Awards

The Apollo Awards recognize retail excellence in sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings. ICFA members selected winners in two categories through online voting.

The single-store winner was Fowler Brothers Home & Patio of Chattanooga, Tenn. Finalists included American Casual Living (Buford, Ga.), Daylight Home, Lighting & Patio (Paso Robles, Calif.), Island Living & Patio (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Villa Terrazza Patio & Home (Sonoma, Calif.).

The multi-store winner was Gasper Exterior Furnishings Studio of Furlong, Pa. Finalists included Jack Wills Outdoor Living (Tulsa, Okla.), Offenbachers Home Escapes (Herndon, Va.), Sunnyland Outdoor Living (Dallas) and Viridien (Charlotte, N.C.).

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Two longtime leaders were honored with ICFA’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Doug Sanicola, owner of Outdoor Elegance in La Verne, Calif., was recognized for his leadership as the first retailer to chair the ICFA board. Joining the association in 2011, Sanicola served on the Retail Council and in multiple board positions before being named chair in 2017. He promoted retail membership, encouraged peer networking and returned to leadership in 2020 to help steer ICFA through the pandemic. Notably, he hosted that year’s awards gala virtually from a Chicago hotel room.

Harold Hudson, vice president of strategic initiatives at Gabriella White, was also honored. After beginning his career in the defense industry, Hudson transitioned into outdoor furniture retail, holding leadership positions at Summer Classics before moving to Gabriella White.

He chaired ICFA in 2021 and 2022, guiding efforts to restore pre-pandemic business activity while expanding networking, education and philanthropic initiatives. Hudson also played a role in ICFA’s decision to relocate its annual trade show from Chicago to Atlanta in 2023.

Manufacturer of the Year

Berlin Gardens received the Manufacturer of the Year award. Finalists, all of whom received Manufacturer Leadership Awards, included Frankford Umbrellas, Jensen Outdoor, Polywood and Telescope Casual Furniture.

Sales Representative of the Year

The Sales Representative of the Year award went to John Pinion IV of Cedar Park, Texas, who was recently promoted to director of sales at Lloyd Flanders while continuing to represent a territory spanning Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Shelby County, Tenn. Pinion was chosen from six finalists through an online vote. Other finalists included Doug Becht (Geneva, Ill.), Chris Cafasso (Savannah, Ga.), Andy Hamilton (Dallas) and Claire Walvick (North Yarmouth, Maine).

Dudley K. Flanders Leadership Award

Megan Pierson, executive senior vice president of business development at Polywood, was named the 2025 recipient of the Dudley K. Flanders Sr. Leadership Award. Pierson has played a central role in Polywood’s growth while championing innovation, company culture and team development. She also co-founded the ICFA Women’s Leadership Network and has served in multiple ICFA leadership roles, including chair, vice chair and board member.

Mia Nault Unsung Hero Award

The Mia Nault Unsung Hero Award was presented to Stephanie Loomis of Telescope Casual Furniture. Loomis was commended for her professionalism, positivity and dedication to delivering consistent support.