The awards gala will also honor the recipients of the Retailers' Choice Award. This is the 8th year the CHFA has celebrated the best in the Canadian Home Furnishings Industry..

The 2009 edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards will be held on Friday, January 9, 2009 at the Conference Centre in the International Centre, Mississauga, Ontario.

The Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance will host a gala dinner to honor the recipients of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award - Larry Rogers, President and CEO of Sealy Corporation and the Retailer of the Year - Sleep Country Canada. The awards gala will also honor the recipients of the Retailers' Choice Award. This is the 8th year the CHFA has celebrated the best in the Canadian Home Furnishings Industry. These awards acknowledge the leaders in our industry and recognize their exceptional accomplishments.

The event has been moved from Sunday evening to Friday night in order for the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance and the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers' Association to co-host a reception on the evening of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards and the opening of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market, the industry's largest and most important trade event.

The CHFA established the Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize those individuals who over their lifetime have made exemplary and sustained contributions to the Canadian home furnishings industry and their communities. Larry Rogers has certainly met those standards throughout his long and distinguished career. "Over the years Larry has played an outstanding and significant role in the success of Sealy and has recently been appointed President/CEO. He is a top level, high-energy business executive who is respected for his exceptional experience, solid customer relationships and commitment to leadership excellence. Larry is a most deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award," said Laine Reynolds who serves as Chair, Board of Directors for the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance.

Larry Rogers joined Sealy in 1979 and has served in a number of roles within the company and was most recently President of Sealy North America in December 2006. Prior to this appointment he served as President of Sealy International and as President of Sealy Canada. Larry has over thirty years experience in the bedding industry.

The 2008 honourees for the LAA were John Colalillo, President of Superstyle Furniture and Mario Colalillo, President, Edgewood Furniture. Prior recipients of the LAA include Hugh Owen, President of Owen & Company/Kingsdown Canada and Past Chair, Board of Directors of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Association; the late Orville Mead, then President of Durham Furniture; Terry Clark, long time President of the Canadian Council of Furniture Manufacturers and Chair, Board of Directors of Furniture; Serge Racine of Shermag; Guy Laflamme of South Shore Industries LTD; Bruce MacPherson of Gibbard Furniture and Pat Thody, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Simmons Canada.

The Retailer of the Year Award is dedicated to recognizing exemplary models of excellence and community service by Canadian furniture retail businesses. Reynolds noted that, "Sleep Country Canada is a great example of a retailer that truly represents success in our industry. They embody the spirit of enterprise and innovation that is admired and provides inspiration for other businesses to follow. Sleep Country is a very worthy recipient of this coveted award."

Sleep Country Canada began with just four stores and one warehouse. It has grown to encompass 133 stores and 13 distribution centres with more than 700 staff operating out of 5 provinces from Ontario to British Columbia. Sleep Country Canada also owns a chain of stores in Quebec called Dormez-vous and Sleep America in the United States. Sleep Country Canada believes it is their duty to give something back to the communities across Canada that have helped their business grow. Charity events and community organizations are the beneficiaries of Sleep Country Canada's generosity.

The 2008 Retailer of the Year was Mel and Blayne Lastman, founder and re-founder of Lastman's Bad Boy. Prior honourees include the Mega Group, Mark Dufresne, President and CEO of the Dufresne Group; Dennis Novosel of Stoney Creek Furniture; Leon's; Tepperman's and Bill Comrie, formerly President and CEO of the Brick.

Retailers will be asked to vote on-line for the supplier who does the best job not just in designing and building a product but also when it comes to marketing, service and delivery. The winners will be honoured with the Retailers' Choice Award at the gala dinner.

Manufacturers are divided into two categories: $10 million Cdn. and under in annual sales and over $10 million Cdn. Every member of the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance, Furniture West or the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers' Association is eligible for the award. Retailers will be able to vote on-line commencing in late October until December 31, 2008.