PATRICIA (PATSY) PERKINS, who helped Walter Perkins Jr. start and grow Hatteras Hammocks (which later became The Hammock Source), died on November 4, after a courageous battle with cancer. She attended Meredith College and graduated from East Carolina University. After graduating, she began a teaching career, which she left to bring up her two sons.

In 1970, her husband, an ardent tinkerer and entrepreneur, began selling hammocks that he had developed, as a side business, to help provide for his family while he continued to work as a tobacco buyer. From the company’s inception, Patricia Perkins was essential to…

OW LEE presented Dave Digirolamo & Associates with the Sales Representative of the Year Award. This special presentation was made at Casual Market Chicago.

Digirolamo has been selling OW Lee products since 1994 and has successfully developed OW Lee’s markets in Northern California and Northern Nevada. Digirolamo started in business working for his father, Joe, who was also an esteemed sales representative working in the casual-furniture industry. Jeff Glarrow joined Dave Digirolamo & Associates in 2013.

Terri Lee Rogers, president, says, “Dave was the clear choice for the award this year. His professionalism and commitment to OW Lee…

OW LEE (Ontario, California), manufacturer of high-end outdoor furniture, firepits, and accessories, was honored with its fourth straight Manufacturer of the Year Award at the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) Apollo Awards at Casual Market Chicago. The event was full of excitement as manufacturers and specialty stores gathered to celebrate excellence in the casual-furniture industry.

The Manufacturer of the Year Award is one of ICFA’s top honors. ICFA, a sister organization of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, is a global leader in promoting business development and partnerships in the outdoor/casual-furnishings industry. ICFA retail members are invited to vote on…

ATTENDEES AT CASUAL MARKET CHICAGO were the first to hear Agio USA’s plans about its new domestic fulfillment program, intended to help cater to the needs of smaller retailers. According to Andy Sokol, Agio’s vice president for sales/retail stores, effective immediately, retailers are able to begin carrying select Agio collections with no container requirement or minimum order. Agio’s current sales representatives will also coordinate this program with retailers in their territories and will have all the details and terms.

Agio has partnered with Almo, a well-established distribution company. Sokol says, “Almo has served the appliance industry for years and,…

EUROKERA, A GLOBAL glass-ceramic manufacturer, is celebrating 25 years of providing innovative solutions for cooking surfaces, as well as hearth applications. From two sites in France to five worldwide locations, EuroKera has become the world’s reference supplier of advanced cooking surfaces. Formed through a merger of Saint-Gobain and Corning Inc., EuroKera has prospered due to the Corning discovery of glass-ceramic and its more than 150 years of experience with specialty glass and ceramics, as well as the glass-manufacturing expertise of Saint-Gobain (founded in 1665).

Two of the company’s most successful products are Pyroceram®III and Pyroceram Reflections™. Pyroceram III is…

PRIDE FAMILY BRANDS, award-winning designer and manufacturer of luxury aluminum outdoor furniture, presented awards to members of the company’s sales-representation team during Casual Market Chicago. The President’s Award for top salesperson of the year was given to Tom Durden, who represents Pride in the Midwest (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota).

Durden, who began working with Pride in 2002, exhibited overall excellence in customer service, superior product knowledge, and growth in territory and customer sales for the company’s Castelle®brand. Durden also was recognized with the award for the Specialty Representative of the Year for the…

ALLEN GANT III HAS BEEN NAMED Casual Market manager for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, responsible for the casual-furniture market and the specialty-outdoor segment. Suzie Roberts, vice president of sales for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, says, “Allen has been an important part of our team, helping to grow the outdoor-specialty segment. He has a proven record of innovative thinking and being able to find the white space in the marketplace. Allen’s leadership will be crucial in merchandising, marketing, and product support for the outdoor-furniture market.”

Gant joined Glen Raven in 2008 and was most recently the specialty accounts manager for…

OUTDOOR LIVING AND LUXURY CASUAL FURNISHINGS continue to draw a positive response from the home industry’s retail and design buyers. During the fall 2015 High Point Market, Pride Family Brands’ contemporary collections (coupled with custom design options) gained positive marks from show buyers. Durable aluminum furnishings in contemporary motifs and enhanced metallic powder-coat finishes scored big, as the potential of the outdoor category continues to grow.

“The response from buyers in High Point was once again very positive to the outdoor segment, as well as to our latest introductions. Attitudes were upbeat, with buyers also being attracted to the…