RICK & PAT
HOWARD OF SKLAR FURNISHINGS RECOGNIZED
AS “SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR”
AS “SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR”
BY BOCA RATON
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BOCA
RATON, FL (June 2, 2014) -- Contemporary furniture industry leaders Rick &
Pat Howard, co-founders and co-owners of Sklar Furnishings, were presented the
coveted 2014 “Small Business Leaders of the Year” Award by the Boca Raton
Chamber of Commerce at the organization’s annual awards luncheon at the Boca Raton
Resort & Club with more than 500 business, civic, and community
stakeholders in attendance.
According
to Boca Chamber CEO & President Troy McLellan, the Howards and their
achievements represent all that is “business mission critical” for success, serving
as inspiring role models of innovation and best practices supported by stalwart
community-conscious, eco-friendly business leadership. “From their stewardship
of Sklar’s 22,000-square-foot contemporary home and office furnishings showroom
and design center into the only one of its kind in the region, directing a
diversified team of credentialed
home and office designers and space planners, collaborating with
hundreds of custom vendors and suppliers from around the globe to their robust
industry leadership roles, long-standing “commitment to community” and
“sustainable live/work” philosophy, they set the standard extremely high for
others who work, live, and play in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County.”
The Howards were applauded for their year
‘round efforts to help drive the message of building a greater eco-community as
industry leaders in green advocacy who seek and forge furniture alliances
around the globe with designers and manufacturers that share its strong
commitment to the environment. As members of the Sustainable Furnishings
Council, the Howards said they take great pride in collaborating with a variety
of custom furniture lines that are invested, as they are, in heavily reducing
the environmental impact of its operations and use of reclaimed natural
materials. Going beyond the obvious best practices, Sklar Furnishings partners
in creating forests via the National Forest Initiative by donating a tree to
one of Florida’s four natural forests for each purchase of a wood product.
Rick
Howard serves as president of the North American Home Furnishings Association
that champions the independent home furnishings retailer -- the nation’s
largest organization devoted specifically to the needs and interests of home
furnishings retailers, with more than 1,800 members representing more than
7,000 storefronts across all 50 states and several foreign countries.
Since Sklar Furnishings opened its doors by the
entrepreneurial husband and wife team in November 2002, the company has had a
long, strong community presence and engagement, including a partnership with
Habitat for Humanity that provides "simple, decent, and affordable"
housing for low-income families. Sklar donates thousands of dollars in
merchandise to the organization that in turn is sold in ReStores, thus being
recognized as a recipient of the “I Gave at the House” Award for six
consecutive years. With Rick Howard serving on the Habitat for Humanity board
of directors, Sklar’s support escalated to underwriting the construction of its
first Habitat For Humanity home that was completed and dedicated in October
2013. Other nonprofits supported include Florence Fuller Child Development
Centers, Junior League of Boca Raton and Rotary International.
Open seven days a week with showroom hours:
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays 12 Noon to 6 p.m., Sklar
Furnishings is located at 6300 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33487. For
more information on its furniture and accessory lines, call (561)
862-0800.
About Sklar Furnishings
Complete with a full team of credentialed home and office designers and space planners, Sklar provides high levels of design and service with customization at the foundation of its philosophy. As an industry leader committed to “Your Space, Your Lifestyle, Your Choice,” Sklar works with selected high-end furniture, accessory and lighting suppliers from North America, Italy, Scandinavia and the Far East to offer customers maximum freedom in expressing their personal style by specifying the exact color, fabric, wood finish, shape and size of their furnishings. From sofas to dining tables, chairs and wall units, clients can literally design themselves by choosing the colors, finishes, fabrics, size and configurations to fit their requirements. Also committed to being a good neighbor, Sklar works to make a positive difference in its immediate community and beyond while being a good steward to the planet in its day-to-day operations and personally, in its team’s personal lives.
About Sklar Furnishings
Complete with a full team of credentialed home and office designers and space planners, Sklar provides high levels of design and service with customization at the foundation of its philosophy. As an industry leader committed to “Your Space, Your Lifestyle, Your Choice,” Sklar works with selected high-end furniture, accessory and lighting suppliers from North America, Italy, Scandinavia and the Far East to offer customers maximum freedom in expressing their personal style by specifying the exact color, fabric, wood finish, shape and size of their furnishings. From sofas to dining tables, chairs and wall units, clients can literally design themselves by choosing the colors, finishes, fabrics, size and configurations to fit their requirements. Also committed to being a good neighbor, Sklar works to make a positive difference in its immediate community and beyond while being a good steward to the planet in its day-to-day operations and personally, in its team’s personal lives.
