Read the full article below that was originally published in Gifts & Decorative Accessories on July 5th, 2023.
Gift for Life honored its 2023 Industry Achievement Award winners Todd and Jannetta Litzman last month at Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ 72nd annual Retailer Excellence Awards (REAs) at Southside Music Hall Gilley’s Dallas. In addition to the award ceremony itself, fundraising for World Central Kitchen’s crisis-related hunger relief in connection with the June 21 event has surpassed $15,500.
Gift for Life’s Industry Achievement Award – which has been presented at Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ REAs event since 2009 – recognizes overall excellence and contribution to the gift and home industry as a thought leader, standard-bearer or overall industry influencer.
The Award was presented to the Litzmans during the ceremony by Gift for Life Board Chair Ari Lowenstein and Gift for Life Founder Peter Schauben.
“Jannetta and Todd Litzman have served our industries for more than 25 years and pioneered much of the technological innovations that form the foundation of our wholesale ecosystem today,” said Lowenstein during his introduction at the awards. “Sales agencies, reps, brands, buyers, and service providers alike have benefited from their continuous and dedicated engagement. Gift for Life is proud to honor them with this prestigious award.”
While presenting the award, Lowenstein asked for anyone whose business had been impacted by the Litzmans’ work to stand, and nearly all of the more than 300 attendees stood and applauded the honorees.
Fundraising celebrating the Litzmans as Gift for Life’s 2023 honoree has topped $15,500 for World Central Kitchen and its hunger relief efforts at the time of this writing, and contributors reflect the Litzmans’ wide impact.
Gift and home furnishings leaders that contributed included Blue Q, Creative Co-Op, Darrah & Co., Eller Enterprises, Fieldstone Marketing, Fine Lines, J. Douglas, J Grob Associates, Main Street Reps, MarketTime, Next Step Reps, Sales Producers, Sugar B, Taylors, Terry Moore & Associates, Schauben & Co., and many others. Donations in the Litzmans’ honor will be accepted through July 10 online.
The 2023 REAs recognized winners in seven retail categories and gave special distinctions for Sales Representative of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year. For more information on the event, visit Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ dedicated website.