Port Washington, N.Y.-based WAC will receive the 2021 HEARTS Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership, empathy, and service during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Dallas Market Center (DMC) and ART, the creative home furnishings network. The 2021 HEARTS Awards are taking the place of the traditional ARTS Award hosted by ART and DMC in January during Dallas Market. There are 12 other companies from other industries being honored as well.
In March, WAC supplied 500,000 surgical masks to U.S. hospitals, primarily in the New York metropolitan area, where healthcare workers were being overrun by caseloads and were in desperate need of supplies.
“Our community well-being lies in the hands of the heroic healthcare providers among us,” explained WAC President & Co-CEO Shelley Wald, at that time. “Medical personnel and first responders need all the protection and support we can muster.”
Recently, Wald adds, “With regards to our customers, we recognize the particular hardships that retailers have been facing in the pandemic. To help make it easier for dealers to operate safely and avoid personal contact during COVID, we have been subsidizing creative drop ship programs to eliminate unnecessary contact with their customers for handling deliveries that would normally be shipped to showrooms.”
In addition, WAC has created copious new content for completely virtual platforms. New product launches, sales/marketing presentations, sales promotions, product training and AIA, ALA, and IDCEC-accredited CEU courses are now offered on a variety of websites and social platforms so they can be safely attended from home.
The HEARTS Awards is a one-time special event to take place during the January 2021 Total Home & Gift Market in Dallas. The event is being held in partnership and solidarity with 13 leading industry organizations to honor 13 companies that have shown outstanding leadership, empathy, and service during the COVID-19 pandemic by going above and beyond in service to their industry and/or community. The event also includes a fundraising auction supporting No Kid Hungry.
