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ADVISORY BOARDS
GIFT & HOME ADVISORY BOARD
Beth Brady is the retail planning director
for Orange Lake Resort, a Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare property in Orlando Fla. Product sourcing, development and planning for multiple retail outlets in Orlando combined with consulting with properties nationwide
has afforded her the opportunity to attend AmericasMart since 2006. She can be reached at 321.437.5210 or bbrady@orangelake.com.
Joseph Cilio is CEO and president of
Alfresco Home, a design and distribution resource to the outdoor living market throughout North America that specializes in developing products in the casual furniture, garden accents and outdoor gourmet markets. Cilio has partnered with AmericasMart since 1988 and has been a permanent exhibitor since 1994.
He can be reached at 610.705.8808 or jc@alfrescohome.com.
John Haste is senior vice president-Business Development for Surya. His background includes serving as a senior vice president with ELK Group International, senior executive with IMAX Corporation as well as the Managing Director of PRO Group. Haste has extensive experience on industry boards including American Floral Industry Association and
vice president of Gift and Home Association. He serves as vice chairman and treasurer of the Trustees of Oklahoma State University Medical Center and serves on multiple educational
and charitable boards. He can be reached at 918.809.6930 or John.Haste@surya.com.
AmericasMart.com
With her entrepreneurial spirit and 35+ years in the Gift industry, Kim Higgins, “Fearless Leader,” has built 225 Unlimited, Inc. into a leading manufacturers’ representative organization.
She started the company with $500 in 1987; today the organization is a nationally known company and an AmericasMart destination, Showroom 1718, 17th floor Building 2. Higgins was a founder of GHTA, past President of N.A.S.A and a Decade of Excellence Award winner of WBENC. She can be reached at 407.894.6675 or via 225unlimited.com.
John Hoerst is merchandising manager and buyer for Chalet, one of America’s premiere landscape and garden center firms on Chicago’s North Shore. He has been in the garden industry since 1985, joining Chalet in 2000 where he is responsible for purchasing lifestyle, home décor, holiday and outdoor garden products. He and his six staffers are responsible for merchandising these lines as well as all green product. He can be reached at johnh@chaletnursery.com or 847.256.0561.
Janis Johnson is president and founder of Gourmet Catalog, known in the industry as
GC Buying Group. Established in 1981, GC has consistently worked to strengthen independent kitchenware retailers in their local markets. Johnson and her Dallas-based team provide marketing and educational support to 350 retail store members who purchase products from the 200+ top tier vendor members. Assortments extend from a variety of cookware, bakeware and culinary tools to small kitchen electrics, serveware and gifts. She can be reached at 214-855-0005 or janisj@gourmetcatalog.com.
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