Jul 31, 2017
GIFT SHOP’s Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards announced in Las Vegas

The inaugural Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards, presented by leading specialty retail magazines Gift Shop, Stationery Trends and Museums & More, revealed its Class of 2017 yesterday during a ceremony at the Las Vegas Market.

Nearly 140 young professionals were nominated for the first-ever Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards, with 40 honorees selected by representatives of Gift Shop, Stationery Trends, Museums & More, the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA) and GHTA’s Young Gift Executives Program (YGE). Honorees represent all facets of the industry – from retailers and manufacturers, to designers and sales managers.

“This has been an exciting awards program to launch, with a tremendous amount of industry support from the very beginning,” said Kim Baker, COO and Specialty Retail Division Publisher of Great American Media Services. “The selection process for this first year was difficult, with so many deserving candidates among the nominations. I congratulate each honoree and look forward to seeing how they help shape the industry over the coming years.”

The Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Class of 2017 is:

  • Caitlin Abshier, Owner & Founder, Cait & Company
  • Joanna Alberti, Founder & Owner, philoSophies
  • Lisa Ball Ponder, Fourth Generation Owner, Henry B Ball West
  • Steven Broukhim, President, Brouk and Company
  • Chad Corzine, Owner, The Urban Agriculture Company
  • Paul Cosaro, Managing Partner, Picnic Time Family of Brands
  • Jessica Dean, Guest Experience Manager, Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
  • Leslie Dickinson, Territory Sales Manager, Mud Pie Sales Division, OneCoast
  • Christa Dyer, Director of Operations, The DoSeum: San Antonio’s Museum for Kids
  • Courtney Fogarty, Account Manager, Incipio
  • Lauren Gryniewski, Owner & Creative Director, Old Tom Foolery / Modern Lore / Greater Goods
  • Molly Hatch, Designer & Potter, Molly Hatch Designs
  • Lindsay Henry, Founder & Creative Director, Inklings Paperie
  • Katie Hunt, Founder, Tradeshow Bootcamp
  • Kyle Johnson Smith, Design Manager, Coton Colors
  • Davidson Lewis, CEO, Eco Brands Group, Makers of Alchemy Goods
  • Inger McDowell-Hartye, Chief Curator, With Love from PDX
  • Lauren Miller Brekke, Vice President of Merchandising, Mud Pie
  • Carina Murray, Principal Sales Rep, Crow & Canary
  • Esther Ossei-Anto, Marketing Manager, Las Vegas Market
  • Elizabeth Olwen, Contributing Artist, Madison Park Group
  • Gina Peterson, Owner, Graphic Designer, Ginger P. Designs
  • Sarah Reed, Owner & Designer, Dodeline Design
  • Bridgette Reed, Owner, Olivia Sophia Stationery
  • Leanne Scanlon, Owner, Hardscrabble Gifts
  • Dylan Schauben, Vice President, J.Grob Associates
  • Serenity Shanklin, Store Operations Manager, Mill City Museum
  • Beth Snyder, Owner/Creative Director, 1canoe2
  • Kate Strzok, President, Broadway Paper
  • Virginia Thomas, President & CEO, Ann Page
  • Sarah Walsh & Erin Miller, Co-Owners, Haute Papier
  • Megan & Cedar Watson, Co-Owners & Operators, Paper Goat Post
  • Jessica Werner, Gift Shop Manager, Marketing & Event Coordinator, Long Island Science Center
  • Jacqueline White, Owner & General Manager, African American Art & More
  • Kristin Wilson, Designer, Grace and Serendipity
  • Kelly Wilson, Visitor Experience Assistant Manager, Mingei International Museum/The Collectors’ Gallery Museum Store
  • Christopher Wornom, Director of Business Development & Acquisitions, Evergreen Enterprises
  • Charlene Wright, Sales Manager, Emily McDowell Studio
  • Lawrence Yeh, CEO, Paper Pop Cards
  • Alaina Young, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Q Squared

“The Gift & Home Trade Association wants to extend its warmest congratulations to the 40 Under 40 Class of 2017,” said Allison Barrows, president of GHTA’s Board of Directors. “We are dedicated to fostering the growth of our industry and are proud to be a part of this program.”

The Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards were sponsored by Mud Pie, held in partnership with the Gift & Home Trade Association and its Young Gift Executives Program, and hosted by the Las Vegas Market. Nomination details for the 2018 awards will be available online beginning January 2018, at www.giftshopmag.comwww.stationerytrendsmag.com and www.museumsandmore.com.

About the Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards

Launched in 2017 by Gift Shop, Stationery Trends and Museums & More magazines, the Gift + Stationery 40 Under 40 Awards recognize the next generation of specialty retail industry leaders. The awards are open to all segments of the industry – from retailers and manufacturers, to designers and industry associations – with honorees selected based on leadership qualities, creativity, innovative thinking and commitment to the industry. The awards are presented in partnership with the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA) and its Young Gift Executives Program, and hosted by the Las Vegas Market.

About MudPie

Founded in 1988 by current CEO Marcia Miller, Mud Pie is an award-winning manufacturer of innovatively designed and affordably priced gifts. Based in Stone Mountain, GA, the company is comprised of three divisions – Mud Pie Baby, Mud Pie Living and Mud Pie Fashion. Mud Pie is a favorite brand of style-conscious consumers and is available in over 16,000 specialty retailers and department stores around the world.

About the Gift & Home Trade Association

The Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA) was formed in 2000, as the gift and home industry’s non-profit professional trade association. The Association was designed to help and encourage vendors, sales agencies, industry affiliates and retailers to work together, improving relationships and making business better by providing members with the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with industry leaders. Essentially, the GHTA is a place for members to connect, to learn, and to contribute.

About the Las Vegas Market

Since its launch in the Summer of 2005, Las Vegas Market has become the most comprehensive furniture, home décor and gift market in the Western United States, presenting a unique cross-section of 4,000-plus resources in an unrivaled market destination. At the Las Vegas Market you will find the only home furnishings market in the west; the fastest growing gift & home décor market in the nation; THE national bedding market, new category launches including casual/outdoor, and housewares/gourmet; and a 5 million-plus square-foot, state-of-the-art venue.




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