by Visionary Sleep CEO Barbara Bradford to receive Visionary Award at January Las Vegas Market
HIGH POINT — WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industry, has announced nominees for the 2024 Wow Awards recognizing individuals who have demonstrated significant impact on their companies and the home and furnishings industry.
The finalists will be recognized on Jan. 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the winter Las Vegas Market in the Worldview Room, Building B on the 16th Floor of the Las Vegas World Market Center. Individual tickets and sponsor tables are available to be purchased at withit.org.
The annual awards are sponsored by Andmore. The décor committee is led by award-winning fabric designer Aviva Shafor, president of Aviva Stanoff Design, a woman-owned business famous for its work on runways for high-end designers. Shafor will also serve as the emcee for the gala event.
During the awards, Barbara Bradford, the CEO of Visionary Sleep (doing business as Restonic Mattress), will receive the Visionary Award, the highest recognition bestowed by the nonprofit organization. The award honors women of achievement whose insight and actions have significantly impacted the home furnishings industry.
With over 50 years of experience in the bedding industry, Bradford is known for her passion, commitment to success and support of growing women in the mattress and home furnishings industries. Her leadership of innovative product introductions and marketing propelled Serta to become the No. 1 bedding brand in the U.S. in 2011. She and her husband, Bob Sherman, have used their long industry success and knowledge to grow Restonic Mattress since taking the helm in 2016. She also owns a small jewelry business named for her grandmother.
“Barbara broke the glass ceiling in the bedding industry with her keen intelligence, hard work and sales success,” said Tori Evans, WithIt 2024 president. “Her focus on building the people working for her through mentoring and sponsorship has created a legacy for the bedding industry.”
In addition to honoring Bradford, WithIt will present Wow Awards in four additional categories: Mentoring, Leadership, Future Leader and Sales Excellence.
Nominees for these categories submitted applications that will be judged by a panel of industry leaders. The Mentoring Award honors a company or individual for their efforts to foster advocacy, development and promotion of women in their company and the industry. This year’s Mentoring Award nominees are Kimberly Joi McDonald of Designing Joi LLC, Bill Creekmuir of Pinnacle Search Partners and Ann Reynolds of Valdese Weavers.
The Leadership Award recognizes the contributions of a woman who has demonstrated successful leadership in her company, WithIt and the home furnishings industry. Leadership Award nominees are Sarah Galimidi of Macy’s and Debbie Otten of Dorel Inc.
The Future Leader Award honors a woman in the industry who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and the potential to become an industry leader. The nominees for this award are Courtney Panther of Sleep Number; Jenny Cano of IDS, the Interior Design Society; and Hillary Frank of J.B. Hunt Final Mile.
The Sales Excellence Award recognizes a woman who is extraordinary in sales, demonstrates excellence in education and relationships with her customers, and exceptional commitment to the company she represents. The nominees are Sylvia Curtis of Norwalk Furniture, Karen Glass of Hooker Furnishings and Jill Mainwaring of Global Views.
Sponsors of this celebration of women’s achievement in the industry include Andmore, Jola Interactive, J.B. Hunt and Norwalk Furniture.
For more information about the 2024 Wow Awards and other WithIt events, visit withit.org/events.
