ORLANDO – Fashion-forward outdoor furnishings and accessories, an innovative and energetic professional staff, and a mission to inspire customers to create beautiful outdoor living spaces have earned Village Green Home & Garden its second Mary Fruehauf Retail Genius Award from the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA).

The Rockford, Ill., retailer was the first recipient of the Retail Genius Award in 2018. The award was created by the ICFA Retail Council in 2017 in memory of Mary Fruehauf, whose Colorado outdoor furnishings store was known for its imaginative visual merchandising and entertaining promotional events.

The Village Green team travels extensively around…

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) announces Eli Hymer, of Gasper Home & Garden Showplace, Richboro, Pa., is the 2022 Chair of ICFA’s Retail Council. He is joined on the executive committee by First Vice Chair Melissa Glikes of Sisset’s in Gainesville, Fla.

Hymer is a department manager, buyer, and designer at Gasper’s, which won ICFA’s prestigious Apollo Award for retail excellence in 2020. In addition to leading the Retail Council, Hymer serves on ICFA’s Board of Directors.

The ICFA Retail Council represents approximately 120 outdoor specialty store members nationwide and provides a strong voice in…

CHICAGO - Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet is launching a new gas grill as the company’s first drop-in style grill head. Kalamazoo’s first-ever global product lineup is driven by safety features, increased performance, and an updated aesthetic. The announcement comes as the National Kitchen & Bath Association reports that 60% of homeowners desire an outdoor kitchen as a primary need for their exterior living space.

“At Kalamazoo, we’re driven by a century-long legacy of innovation. Our new lineup builds upon this tradition by once again raising the bar for cooking performance, quality, safety, versatility and beautiful design,” said Alexis Hiller, head…

ORLANDO, Fla (February 8, 2022) – Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens, manufacturer of luxury stainless steel outdoor living solutions, is unveiling the latest in outdoor kitchen innovations at the 2022 International Builders’ Show (IBS). With a dedicated booth (#S2610), the brand is showcasing an array of outdoor living solutions including the market launch of the Cosmopolitan Table Collection.

Debuting at IBS, Danver’s new Cosmopolitan Table Collection is the brand’s latest collaboration with celebrated architect, designer, and creative director Daniel Germani. The portfolio includes three new product offerings: the Cosmopolitan Prep Table, Cosmopolitan Dining Table and Cosmopolitan Cooking Table. In keeping with…

Jensen Outdoor— known to the casual industry for crafting sustainable luxury wood furniture for the North American market—has appointed Schon Duke as the new president of the company. An experienced business leader, Schon succeeded Hlodver Olafsson and assumed responsibilities as of Dec. 1, 2021.

Olafsson retired as president and from his seat on the Board of Directors after a lustrous 40-year career in the wood-manufacturing industry. Olafsson’s passion and his outstanding personal commitment have helped position Jensen Outdoor as a strong brand across the U.S. and Canada. He will be greatly missed by all those who have worked with…

As Elaine Smith continues to build on its industryleading luxury pillow business, the company announced that brand builder, Alexis Maklakoff, has joined the senior leadership team as executive vice president. Maklakoff will be responsible for evolving and growing Elaine Smith from a luxury pillow brand to a luxury lifestyle brand in the U.S. and globally.

“When I first walked through the doors at Elaine Smith, it was immediately evident that this is truly something special. The culture is incredibly unique and I felt a sense of vibrancy, collaboration, skill, and professionalism among the team. At this stage of my…

Sarasota, Florida-based designer and manufacturer of casual outdoor furnishings, Windward, has expanded its corporate executive team with the addition of Chad Desmett as operations manager, Lisa Cobert as human resources manager, and Steve Waszazak as information technology manager.

“These three consummate professionals bring to the Windward organization an energy and expertise that will be a tremendous asset as our company continues to grow,” says Rachel Peace, CIO. “We welcome each as a valuable resource in our efforts to position Windward as a leading casual furnishing brand.”

As operations manager, Desmett joins Windward with a track record of ramping…

“Running a business is more than learning about how it’s done. It’s about making decisions and taking action,” says LuAnn Nigara, keynote speaker at the International Casual Furnishings Association Educational Conference in Orlando on February 15. The recognized author, podcast host, and business consultant will kick off the twoday program with her talk, “Excellence is a Decision.”

The former co-owner of Window Works, an award-winning window treatment and awning specialty store in Livingston, N.J., Nigara shifted her focus after 30 years in retailing to help other home furnishings professionals strengthen their business, sales, and negotiation skills, as well as…