NYIGF Announces Staff Changes

In connection with the summer 2013 reorganization of NYIGF into four broad market collections, GLM has announced a series of personnel changes, effective immediately, for the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) team. These staffing changes include creation of new positions, a new hire, internal promotions and shifts in areas of responsibility. 

According to Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president, "These staffing changes will facilitate the reorganization and introduction of four broad market collections — Home, Lifestyle, Craft and New — at the summer 2013 NYIGF. The new positions and related internal promotions are designed to maximize each team members' contributions to the show and the market overall." 

Changes to the NYIGF team, which are effective immediately, include creation of two new positions, Sales Director for NYIGF Home and Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle, with responsibilities including oversight of exhibit floor layout changes and exhibitor relocations connected to changes planned for August 2013. Both of these positions report directly to Falkenberg. 

Randi Mohr, a veteran member of the NYIGF staff, has been promoted to Sales Director for NYIGF Home Divisions. In this capacity, Mohr will oversee NYIGF's Accent on Design®, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop divisions. In addition, she will continue to manage sponsorship and digital sales. Since joining GLM in 2003, Mohr has held increasing levels of responsibility on the NYIGF, most recently as sales manager for the Fair's Accent on Design, Baby & Child and Studio, and served as a member of GLM's sales team for the Gift Fair in Atlanta. Mohr graduated from Iona College, in 2003 with a B.A. in International Business, and in 2006 earned MBA Management with an International Business Certificate. 

Mohr will oversee five member of NYIGF's Home Sales team: Jaime Sikorjak, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Accent on Design and Studio; Marc Delman, Sales Manager for Tabletop and Gourmet Housewares Show; Danielle Giacoponello, Sales Manager for At Home; Kristen Hamilton, Sales Representative for At Home; and Mary Hennessy, Sales Representative for Accent on Design, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop. 

Scott Kramer, a gift and home industry veteran and former member of the NYIGF team, has returned to GLM to serve as Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle Divisions. In this capacity, he will oversee the Baby & Child, General Gift, EX•TRACTS, New York's Newest and Personal Accessories featuring Details divisions. In addition to Kramer's seven years with GLM – the first three for the Boston Gift Show and the last four for the NYIGF, his extensive sales and marketing experience includes three years with a school fundraising organization and eight years as the owner-manager of a gift retail operation. Kramer graduated in 1988 from the University of Hartford with a B.A. in Organizational Communications. 

Kramer will oversee six members of NYIGF's Lifestyle Sales team: Patricia Rivas, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Baby & Child and will continue to work on New York's Newest; Paula Bertolotti, Sales Manager for New York's Newest; John Kelly, Sales Manager for General Gift; Melissa Engongoro, Sales Manager for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS; Nicole Climent, Sales Representative for General Gift; and Bibi Javed, Sales Representative for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS. 

Additionally, NYIGF's Handmade divisions will continue to be managed by Liz Beauregard, Sales Manager and Michelle Karol, Sales Representative. The newly launched Artisan Resource show will remain under the direction of Allison Rober, Sales Manager. 

NYIGF is the nation's premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The winter market takes place Saturday January 26, through Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Information and registration is available online at nyigf.com.

Best New Product Awards Presented at EX-TRACTS; Dulce Caramelo Collection by Votivo Named "Best of Show"

Six companies were presented with EX•TRACTS "Best New Product Awards" Tuesday, with Votivo receiving "Best of Show" honors for its Dulce Caramelo Holiday Collection. EX•TRACTS, one of 10 divisions of the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF), which ran through yesterday at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Five additional EX•TRACTS awards were presented in the categories of Bath & Body, Beauty Accessory, Cosmetic & Fragrance, Natural/Organic and Packaging. A panel of editors selected the Winners and finalists in each category based on several criteria, including innovative design, creative use of materials/construction and use of new materials/technology. 

The summer 2012 EX•TRACTS Best New Product Award winners selected from 133 products, are:

BEST OF SHOW: Votivo (Spartanburg, NC) for Dulce Caramelo Holiday Collection, a new buttery caramel fragrance designed to warm the senses, available as a holiday candle, holiday tin and holiday sample tin. 

BATH & BODY: Napa Soap Company (St. Helena, CA) for Tuscan Citrus Zest, Blood Orange and Syrah all-natural lotions, made with fresh grape seed oil and wine.

BEAUTY ACCESSORY: Metropolis Soap Company (Brooklyn, NY) for Vegan Lip Creams, a 100 percent vegan product made with essential oils, sunflower wax and sunflower oil.

COSMETIC & FRAGRANCE: RICA bath & body (Brooklyn, NY) for Bourbon Cavendish Body Tonic, a warm, woodsy blend of leather and tobacco with notes of patchouli, cedar and lavandin.

NATURAL/ORGANIC: European Soaps LLC (Seattle, WA) for The Queen's Honey Collection, a bath and body collection harvested from organic honey and royal jelly combined with shea butter.

PACKAGING: AQUIESSE (Moorpark, CA) for Decorative Tin Candle, an 11-ounce stackable tin candle with "perfect match" matchbook compartment. 

The judges noticed these particular products for their unique and innovative approach to personal care products," said Melissa Engongoro, EX•TRACTS sales manager. "These awards further extend EX•TRACTS positioning as a showcase for the industry's best new products." 

The Best New Product Award judges were: Tina Benitez-Eves, Gifts & Decorative Accessories; Rona Berg, Organic Spa Magazine; Nancy Jeffries, contributing editor; Patricia Norins, GIFT SHOP; Candice Sabatini, Beautynews NYC; Barb Wujcik, Giftware News; Jean Warshaw, Beauty Store Business; and Victoria Wurdinger, Salon Today. 

EX•TRACTS features 100 exhibitors of cosmetics, perfumes, skincare, bath & body care, beauty accessories, haircare, natural and organic products and well-being lines. The winter 2013 edition will take place January 27-31. Information is available at extractsny.com.