Gift For Life Bestows 2022 Industry Achievement Award to Warren Shoulberg

Dallas, TX. June 24, 2022— During the Retailer Excellence Awards last night in Dallas, Gift for Life bestowed its 2022 Industry Achievement Award to Warren Shoulberg, long-time industry editor and retail reporter.  Fundraising in connection with the event has surpassed $23,000 for World Central Kitchen’s crisis-related hunger relief. 

Gift for Life’s Industry Achievement Award, which has been presented at Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ Retailer Excellence Awards (REA) since 2009, recognizes overall excellence and contribution to the gift and home industry – whether as a thought leader, standard-bearer or overall industry influencer.

The Award was presented to Shoulberg by GFL Board Chair, Cole Daugherty, and GFL Founder, Peter Schauben.  In his introduction of Shoulberg, Daugherty said, “Along the way, his insights, analysis, and sometimes a swift kick in the backside helped make sense of this business. It’s safe to say that Warren’s columns have been studied by thousands of companies and consumed by millions of readers—at HFN, Gifts and Dec, Home Textiles Today, and more recently with Forbes, Business of Home, The Robin Report.” 

Retailer Excellence Awards fundraising celebrating Shoulberg as Gift for Life’s 2022 honoree has generated nearly $23,000 for World Central Kitchen. Contributors are a “who’s who” of gift and home furnishings leaders, including Dallas Market Center, International Market Centers, Eller Enterprises, Phil Haney, Kip and Sharon Tindell, Howard Henschel, Mary Liz Curtin, Robin Lewis and many others. Donations in Warren’s honor will be accepted through July 1 at https://donate.wck.org/REA2022.

The 2022 Retailer Excellence Awards recognized winners in seven retail categories, as well special distinctions for Sales Representative of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year. For details, and a full listing of winners, visit https://www.giftsanddec.com/reas/vendor-of-the-year-top-retailers-revealed-at-71st-annual-retailer-excellence-awards/.

About Gift for Life: Gift for Life was founded by Peter Schauben of Appleman Schauben in 1992 in response to the tragic loss of industry lives to AIDS. The organization’s first meeting at brought together a cross-section of the industry’s leading publishers, market centers, sales reps, manufacturers and retailers – all willing to convene and work together towards a common goal. Since that time, Gift for Life has raised nearly $6 million for AIDS research, education, treatment and care through nationwide at-market events, cause marketing programs and direct donations. In 2020, with COVID-19 temporarily causing cancelation of in-person events at industry markets, Gift for Life pivoted towards online digital events with a specific emphasis on COVID-related hunger relief. As Gift for Life celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2022, the all-volunteer organization will continue to support programs that address hunger relief. More information is available at www.facebook.com/GiftForLife.