By:     Jackie Hirschhaut

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The American Home Furnishings Alliance announces its 2006 Leadership Awards for environmental and safety professionals.

The awards were presented during AHFA’s environmental and safety committee meetings in December.

Recipient of the Larry Runyan Environmental Leadership Award was David Stout, corporate environmental manager and safety coordinator at Broyhill Furniture, and Donna Musick, environmental coordinator at Hickory Chair. This award is presented each year to individuals who demonstrate leadership within the AHFA environmental committee, take an active role in task groups, participate in committee projects and demonstrate proficiency in the skills required to manage their company’s environmental programs. The award is named for former AHFA staffer Larry Runyan, who served as vice president of manufacturing services for 22 years and spearheaded the association’s environmental affairs department.

The AHFA Environmental Excellence Award for corporate environmental performance was presented to Hickory Chair. This award recognizes a member company that embraces the AHFA message of excellence and, as a company, is on the leading edge of environmental compliance and performance.

Environmental executives from AHFA member companies also recognized North State Environmental with the 2006 AHFA Suppliers Award. The Suppliers Award acknowledges a supplier company that embraces and lends its support and expertise to developing environmental compliance tools for the AHFA membership.

Finally, the Wayne Bumgardner Safety Leadership Award went to Terry Owen, director of safety and compliance for American Signature. This award recognizes a safety professional who exhibits leadership on the AHFA safety committee, takes an active role in committee projects and demonstrates excellence in managing a corporate safety program. It is named for Wayne Bumgardner, who retired as corporate safety director for Bernhardt Furniture after more than 30 years and who was a longtime member of AHFA’s HR/Safety Division, as well as the Safety Committee.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance –located in High Point, N.C. and Washington, D.C. – is the largest association of home furnishings companies in the world and represents more than 250 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, as well as 225 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide.