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COVINGTON NAMES NEW TOP MANAGEMENT Joe Mattera has joined Covington Fabrics, New York, NY, as its new president. Mattera is a well-known textile industry executive who began his career with JC Penney Co. and has held divisional responsibilities at Burlington Industries Inc. and Crown Crafts, Inc. Roger Gilmartin, most recently the president and chief executive officer of Covington Fabrics, will now focus his efforts at the corporate level as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Covington Industries Inc. As of July 1, 2000, Oscar Reig-Plaza, most recently the national sales manager of Rapier-Cambridge for non-furniture accounts, will take up the position of national sales manager of Covington Fabrics. IHDG APPOINTS KELLY PRESIDENT, CEO The Imperial Home Décor Group Inc. (IHDG), Cleveland, OH, has named Douglas R. Kelly president and chief executive officer. He is the former president and chief operating officer of Fruit of the Loom, Ltd.'s Pro Player Sports and Licensing Division. Kelly has more than 25 years of experience in the sale, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of consumer products. Before joining Fruit of the Loom in 1994, he spent nine years as president and chief executive officer of Easton Sports, Inc. He also held executive sales and operating positions during five years with Curley-Bates. DECORATOR OF YEAR AND DREAM ROOM WINNERS ANNOUNCED Decorating Den Interiors (DDI), Montgomery Village, MD, announced the winners of its 16th Annual Dream Room Contest and named its Decorator of the Year at an awards ceremony held during its 31th Anniversary Market Conference held earlier this year in Biloxi, MS. Georgia Cox, New Brighton, MN, was named DDI's Decorator of the Year. (See Spotlight). Cox also took first place in the owner/decorator home office category of the Dream Room Contest. The first runner up was Connie Thompson, who also received first-prize recognition in the bedroom and owner/decorator kitchen categories. The second runner up was Judith Slaughter, who also took first place in the dinning room, kitchen and miscellaneous categories. Slaughter is a former DDI Decorator of the Year (See D&WC, July 1998.) The Dream Room Contest is held each spring. Entries consist of a 20- by 30-inch storyboard featuring before and after photographs, sample swatches of materials used and entry forms that outline the parameters of the room makeover. This year's contest consisted of 21 categories including window treatment, bathroom, bedroom, commerical, kitchen, model and show house.

MCGRAW JOINS TECHNIKU Laurie McGraw has been appointed customer service representative for Techniku, Inc., Denver, CO. Her responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day customer interactions, working in conjunction with sales and marketing to implement programs, and database management. McGraw is new to the window coverings industry, but brings a variety of skills from customer service program management to purchasing and accounting in both manufacturing and service-related companies. EISENHART WELCOMES SMITH Eisenhart Wallcoverings Co., Hanover, PA, welcomes Willie T. Smith as its new plant manager for all manufacturing operations at the company's Pine Street facility. Smith is new to Eisenhart, but not to the wallpaper business. A graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in textile technology, he has proven experience in the industry with 25 years in various management positions for Imperial Home Décor Group. JUKI APPOINTS YAMADA Juki Corp. has appointed Masayuki (Mark) Yamada president and chief executive officer of Juki Union Special, Inc., Wayne, NJ. With the Juki organization for 30 years, Yamada has served in the industrial sewing machine divisions throughout the company's worldwide markets. Yamada joined Juki in Japan in 1971 managing the foreign trade division for three years. He was transferred to Juki America, Inc. in New Jersey in 1980 where he served as a sales and marketing manager for the United States and Canada for more than nine years. WANZIE, WASHINGTON TAPPED AS ITMA SCHOLARS The International Textile Market Association (ITMA), sponsor of the semi-annual Showtime in High Point, NC, announced that the 2000 ITMA Scholar Award competition produced two winners: Mindy Wanzie and Charles Washington. The two were recognized for excellence in their written and oral presentations as well as their overall achievements at High Point University. Both students are seniors in the home furnishings marketing program at the university and were recognized at an industry dinner. This year is only the second time since the program's inception that there have been two recipients of the award. The ITMA Scholar Award is a merit award established in 1993. It serves to encourage outstanding students to enter the marketing field of the home furnishings industry. The program is funded by ITMA members and the ITMA Educational Foundation Sponsors.