High Point, NC (December 5, 2008) – The American Home Furnishings Alliance presented its 2008 Leadership Awards for environmental and safety professionals during its November Sustainability Summit in Greensboro, N.C.

Recipient of the Environmental Leadership Award was David Davis of Hooker Furniture, Martinsville, Va. This award is presented each year to an individual who demonstrates leadership within the AHFA environmental committee, takes an active role in task groups, participates in committee projects and demonstrates proficiency in the skills required to manage their company’s environmental programs.

Hooker and C.R. Laine, Hickory, N.C., both received an Environmental Excellence Award for corporate environmental performance. This award recognizes an AHFA member company that embraces the AHFA message of excellence and, as a company, is on the leading edge of environmental compliance and performance.

C.R. Laine was the first AHFA member company to complete Sustainable by Design certification in 2008. The new program requires companies to conduct a rigorous evaluation of their corporate environmental footprint and global climate impact. For each key area on a lengthy “checklist,” C.R. Laine established numerical goals for improvement and a system for evaluating annual achievements.

The Wayne Bumgardner Safety Leadership Award went to Greg Carpenter of C.R. Laine. This award recognizes a safety professional who exhibits leadership on the AHFA safety committee, takes an active role in committee projects and demonstrates excellence in managing a corporate safety program. It is named for Wayne Bumgardner, who retired as corporate safety director for Bernhardt Furniture after more than 30 years and who was a longtime member of AHFA’s HR/Safety Division, as well as the Safety Committee.

Finally, environmental and safety executives from AHFA member companies recognized Kilpatrick Stockton, Raleigh, N.C., and Brown & Caldwell, Charlotte, N.C., with the 2008 AHFA Suppliers Awards. The Suppliers Award acknowledges companies that embrace and lend their support and expertise to developing health and safety or environmental compliance tools for the AHFA membership.