One of the leading families in the business of home furnishings, the White family, will receive the Academy of Achievement honor at the 33rd ARTS Awards taking place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Jan. 6, 2023.
The White family, including Bew White, William White and Wynne White Martin, own multiple furnishings brands and manage a total home assortment of product categories under parent company Gabriella White, including Summer Classics, Gabby and Wendy Jane, that serve the residential and commercial marketplace.
The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, acknowledge preeminent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, product designers and sales representatives. The Academy of Achievement, the industry’s highest accolade, recognizes extraordinary contributions to the industry.
“The story of the White family is one of entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity and generosity,” said Cindy Morris, president and chief executive officer of Dallas Market Center. “They built a business that’s extremely well respected not only for their products and people but for their purpose. We look forward to celebrating their achievements.”
For more than four decades, the White Family has designed and manufactured luxury outdoor furniture adding luxury indoor furniture, custom upholstery, lighting, pillows, rugs and accessories. Today, Gabriella White delivers compelling and differentiated design in residential and commercial furnishings across its wholesale, contract and direct-to-consumer divisions via its Summer Classics and Gabby brands.
“The growth of the Gabriella White brands over the years would be reason enough to honor this family,” said Sharon Davis, executive director of ART. “However, it’s their deep values and strong leadership that are being recognized with this accolade. It’s truly an honor to present the Academy of Achievement to a beloved family who continue to lead with heart.”
In 1978, company founder Bew White began his own sales representative company, the Vista Corporation. Along the way, he started multiple smaller companies in an effort to build a national brand.
In 1987 one of these, Summer Classics, began to gain traction and solid sales. Created around Bew’s idea to design and manufacture the outdoor furniture he would want for his own backyard, Summer Classics quickly began to be featured by notable retailers including Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma and Restoration Hardware.
In 2008, Bew’s son William joined the company and now serves as chief executive officer. In 2009, daughter Wynne also joined the company and now serves as national account manager and creative lead for Wendy Jane. In 2010, the company launched indoor luxury furniture brand Gabby and added Wendy Jane, a collection of handcrafted indoor and outdoor pillows, in 2018.
The White’s philanthropic endeavors are as passionate as their devotion to the company. They have been key donors to Lifeline adoption, cancer research, children’s hospice, church rebuilding, Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way and various Christian ministries. The Summer Classics Halo collection donates a portion of all sales to cancer research in honor of long-time sales rep Susan Lambeth, who lost a battle to ovarian cancer.
In 2013, Bew White was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Society of International Business Fellows and in 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Casual Furnishings Association.
The Academy of Achievement honoree is selected each year by the ARTS Awards Committee in order to recognize significant contributions to the industry. The committee serves one year and their duties include a review of the process and selecting the Academy of Achievement honoree. The 33rd ARTS Awards committee members are Colleen Visage, Progress Lighting; James Merida, Bountiful Home; and Leslie Taglio, Taglio & Associates.
Reservations for the ARTS Awards are now open. Tickets are $170 for ART members and $200 for nonmembers. Tables are also available.
Sponsors for the ARTS Awards include Aspire Design & Home; Business of Home; Décor News Now; Designers Today; Furniture, Lighting & Décor; Furniture Today; Gifts & Decorative Accessories; Home Accents Today; Home Textiles Today; Interior Design Society; and Sustainable Furnishings Council.
For more information, visit the ARTS Awards website.
