Manchester, NH – Carpet One Floor & Home announced the recipients of their company-wide awards at its Winter Convention in Orlando. Carpet One Floor & Home executives the presented awards, based on enthusiasm, participation, and commitment to the success of Carpet One members and the cooperative.
“We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our members,” said Eric Demaree, president of Carpet One Floor & Home. “These awards give us the opportunity to give some of our most outstanding members and partners some much deserved recognition.”
Carpet One Floor & Home presented awards in the following categories:
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Shaw Industries
Each year Carpet One Floor & Home recognizes the organization that has made the greatest commitment and most significant impact on the Carpet One Floor & Home membership over the past 12 months. It is important to note that members are asked to vote for the Partner of the Year prior to convention. Carpet One Floor & Home members awarded Partner of the Year to Shaw Industries for their exceptional products and services in 2012. Shaw has been very supportive of our partnership on exclusive product lines such as Resista Soft Style, Tigressa Soft Style and the new Tigressa Cherish. Their execution of these programs has contributed greatly to their success.
ALAN GREENBERG AWARD
John Taylor, Taylor Carpet One Floor & Home
This award recognizes the Carpet One Floor & Home member who most embodies the Carpet One Floor & Home spirit and best represents what Alan Greenberg stood for. It is based on overall participation in Carpet One Floor & Home programs during the previous year. This member should be enthusiastic and involved and should demonstrate the desire to improve their business and Carpet One overall.
This year’s Alan Greenberg Award winner John Taylor is the third generation in his family’s flooring business originally started in 1957.
In 1997 Taylor joined Carpet One. When asked why he joined, he said it was his way of “competing with the big boys.” He embraced Carpet One’s programs soon after joining the cooperative. His stores were some of the earliest to convert to Destination Carpet One stores, and he has supported product, merchandising and marketing programs enthusiastically. He is one of the first people to reach out to help other members. His leadership roles within the cooperative include the Disaster Relief Committee, Regional Network Group Coordinator and Advisory Council member.
Although he is very busy overseeing five Carpet One Floor & Home stores and being involved in so many Carpet One committees, he still finds time to help his community. He spent five years on the Board of the Organ Transplant Fund, 13 years on the Board of the Edison Festival of Lights, is a board member of the Florida State Alumni Boosters, as well as a participant in drives for Breast Cancer Research, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Cell Phones for Soldiers and Toys for Tots.
THE WALLY HILEMAN AWARD
Carolyn Manhatton, Excelsior Paint & Design Center Carpet One Floor & Home
The Wally Hileman Award was created in memory of Wally Hileman, Carpet One Floor & Home’s first VP of membership who from 1991-1998 brought in many of the great members that make Carpet One Floor & Home successful today. This award recognizes a member who has been in Carpet One for no more than 2 to 3 years and has shown an outstanding commitment to the co-op.
This year’s recipient, Carolyn Manhatton, joined Carpet One in 2010 and embraced its culture and its commitment to customers from day one. She purchased an existing Carpet One store and soon realized that the past owner had not fulfilled his responsibilities to many of the customers for insurance work. Although it was not her responsibility to honor those past commitments, she knew it was the right thing to do and proceeded to immediately complete those outstanding jobs, even when it meant money out of her own pocket.
When her region needed representation, Manhatton volunteered to be the RNG coordinator. When there was an opening on the Convention Variance Committee, she volunteered to be on that committee as well. She supports all of the Carpet One programs from training to product.
Manhatton also finds time to volunteer in community activities. She is active on The Seasons Committee of downtown Excelsior. This fund raiser has activities throughout the holiday season that encourages shopping locally.
THE EILEEN SHAPIRO AWARD
Scott Wheeler, COO
This award allows Carpet One Floor & Home members to recognize a colleague for outstanding dedication to Carpet One Floor & Home. Previously called the MVP award, The Eileen Shapiro Award was named after Eileen Shapiro, Carpet One Floor & Home’s VP of operations, after she won the MVP award several years in a row. The recipient of this year’s Eileen Shapiro Award is Carpet One Floor & Home’s COO, Scott Wheeler.
Wheeler’s responsiveness to the members, his follow up, his overall attitude, and his knowledge of the industry has had a major impact on the Carpet One members and staff alike. With a retail background Wheeler is able to truly understand what it means to run a store. He has helped so many members succeed especially during the economic downturn.