Home Textiles Today articles from May 2005

Home Textiles Today archives from May 2005

Hits and misses: companies reflect on what worked and what didn't at the New York market.(News)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- The industry put its best foot forward during the recent New York Home Textiles Market week, and the reviews are coining in for lines that will go into development. Hits included mix-and-match statements, globally inspired...

Kohl's changes its tune.(News)
May 2, 2005... MILWAUKEE -- Kohl's will revamp the home department later this year, introducing a new layout and some new brands across soft and hard categories. "Going into back-to-school and holiday, you are going to see a significant change," Chairman...

Belk buying Proffit's and McRae's.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The department store channel is being wrenched with yet another consolidation as Belk Inc. moves to acquire 47 of Saks Inc.'s Proffitt's and McRae's regional department stores, and Saks shops its remaining group of regional...

Big names returning.(News)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Cannon, Charisma and Royal Velvet brands are in various stages of evolution as the former pair plan their reintroduction at retail and the later looks to expand its distribution following a bumpy spring launch. Cannon--once...

Whiteheads lands at Brylane.(appointment)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Jim Whitehead has joined Redcats USA as vice president of Brylane Home. Whitehead previously was chief merchant, soft home, at The Great Indoors. He reports to Gary Kazmer, executive vice president, Home Lifestyles Group. Anita Iodice, who...

Jones named GMM of Stein Mart.(General Merchandise Manager)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Kassie Jones will join Stein Mart May 20 as general merchandise manager, home. Jones, who will report to Mike Fisher, president and CEO, succeeds Pat Stagner who left the company earlier this year. She most recently was merchandise manager...

Amazon strikes retail deals.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Amazon Services, Inc. and Macy's have reached a deal that will make Macy's products available on Amazon.com (www.amazon.com/macys). Macy's will fulfill the orders. Amazon Services has also been engaged by Sears Canada to build its new Web...

Lean inventory at linens.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Admitting it was "a little thin" on inventories of home textiles during the first quarter, Linen 'n Things plans on building back up its assortment in these categories this quarter and beyond, the company said during the Lehman Brothers Eighth...

Wal-Mart promotes Fleming.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has promoted John Fleming to executive vice president and chief marketing officer, effective May 2. Fleming will succeed Robert Connolly, who will retire at the end of the year. In the interim, Connolly will remain an...

Home Depot enters bath.(added bathroom textiles and accessories through its Web site and catalog)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... ATLANTA -- The Home Depot recently added for the first time bathroom textiles and accessories through its Web site and catalog. As seen on pages 40 and 41 of its April mail order catalog, the company has added an unbranded solid color...

Probe looks into Pillowtex collapse.(News)
May 2, 2005... WILMINGTON, DEL. -- Pillowtex creditors have launched an investigation into the events leading up to the defunct mill's second bankruptcy and effective liquidation, including the dealings of former CEO David Perdue and a dozen current and...

Ruling clears way for safeguard consideration.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- A federal court of appeals last week lifted an order imposed by another federal court that has prevented the U.S. government from ruling on 12 threat-based China-safeguard petitions filed by textiles industry trade groups. ...

Berkshire partners with Liz Claiborne.(News)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- American Pacific's Liz Claiborne Home has partnered with Berkshire Blanket, Inc. to add blankets and throws to its product lineup. The designer brand also entered the day bed and window shade categories at the recent New York Home...

Springs, Spade go their own ways.(News)(Kate Spade)(Springs Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... FORT MILL, S.C. -- Springs Industries and Kate Spade have ended their licensing relationship, under which Kate Spade brand bedding and bath textiles had been produced. The Kate Spade spring bedding collection currently out at retail marks...

Looking ahead to Las Vegas.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- While the new World Market Center here is preparing for its inaugural home furnishings show in July, the complex's developer already foresees the dedication of a permanent home textiles building on the site that would address the...

Seminar: time to improve.(News)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Home textiles suppliers and retailers should use the opportunity afforded by quota elimination to create better--not cheaper--products. That was one of the conclusions presented during a special seminar hosted by Home Textiles...

HTT's first hundred days seminar at 295 Fifth Ave.(News)
May 2, 2005... 1. WestPoint Stevens' Bob Dale and M.L. 'Chip' Fontenot chat with Mac Ryland, Kurt Salmon Associates. 2. Nancy Yu, Oceania International Group Limited; with Shi Chang Jia, Grace Group Co. Ltd. 3. Madau Wagh, Gateway Overseas Inc.; spent time...

Felpinter adds techniques/fibers, enters bath.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Felpinter Sofil has rolled out new techniques and fibers in bath towels and introduced coordinating bath rags and accessories as well as kitchen textiles for the Untied States. Its new seaweed towel, Mink Terry by Sofil, is...

PCF unveils new down alternative fiber.(News)(Pacific Coast Feather)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Pacific Coast Feather has introduced a new down alternative fiber called Trillium that is adjustable for additional support with a silky feel. It is being offered in three styles of pillow: a patented Excel construction, a...

Veratex fetes retailers.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- As part of its strategy to work with smaller specialty retailers, as well as home textiles giants, Veratex hosted an informational dinner party during market last month. Avi Cohen, CEO of Veratex, outlined his plans of offering...

Chinni wins Chairman's Award: event honors JCPenney execs for managerial excellence.(PEOPLE Today)(Charlie Chinni)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... PLANO, TEXAS -- Charlie Chinni, executive vice president, general merchandise manager, home, was the highest ranking recipient of the Chairman's Award at JCPenney for 2004. Chinni also holds the titles for fine jewelry, family footwear and...

The birthday boy.(PEOPLE Today)
May 2, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Bloomingdale's honored retail legend Marvin Traub on the occasion of his 80th birthday with a party at The Rainbow Room made up of friends, family and industry associates.

Dralon and Kelheim form venture.(PEOPLE Today)(Dralon GmbH )(Kelheim Fibres GmbH )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... DORMAGEN, GERMANY -- Dralon GmbH and Kelheim Fibres GmbH have signed a letter of intent to start a joint venture company in the area of spun-dyed (pigmented) and technical acrylic fiber. Robert Gregan, general manager, Kelheim Fibres GmbH,...

Pelczar retires, Cotton restructures.(PEOPLE Today)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Cotton Incorporated has restructured two positions in its global product marketing department to expand the company's reach. Mike Tyndall is now senior director, Latin America and Europe, and Mark Kametches has been promoted to...

Welcome to the club.(PEOPLE Today)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... 7 W New York joined the coterie of New York home furnishings showroom buildings with a kick-off party during the recent New York Tabletop Show. Joan Urich and Chris Kennedy, both of building management firm Merchandise Mart Properties,...

Martha narrows loss.(BUSINESS Today)(Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Helped by gains in its core publishing business, which offset continued declines elsewhere, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia reported a slightly narrowed first quarter Joss of $19.2 million, compared with a year-before deficit of...

Gas prices drag down same-store sales.(Johnson Redbook Index)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Hurt by a shift in the calendar and this year's early Easter, then hammered by rising gas prices, same-store retail sales remained soft and beneath plan during the third week of March, the Johnson Redbook Index reported. Sales...

Consumer confidence drops 5.1 percent.(BUSINESS Today)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Consumers grew increasingly antsy about the economy going forward, and a gauge of consumer confidence--a frequent precursor of consumer spending and retail sales--tumbled in April 5.1 percent, to a level of 97.7, down from 103 in...

CEO confidence inches back up.(BUSINESS Today)(chief executive officers)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- The nation's chief executives grew modestly more bullish about the outlook for the U.S. economy during the first quarter of 2005, and The Conference Board's quarterly gauge of CEO confidence inched up to a reading of 62, after...

Demand helping builder confidence.(BUSINESS Today)(for single-family homes )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Strong demand for new single-family homes is helping to shore up builder confidence as the market heads into the late spring selling season, according to a canvass of home builders conducted by the National Association of Home...

Housing numbers stay strong.(BUSINESS Today)
May 2, 2005... WASHINGTON -- After a hot run over the past several years, propelled by historically low interest rates, the broad U.S. housing market remained strong during March with housing starts tumbling, existing home sales running largely in place, and...

Wall Street watch: for the week ended April 28, 2005.(BUSINESS Today)(Illustration)
May 2, 2005... MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS % CHG % CHG. CLOSE THIS YEAR- COMPANY 4/28/05 WEEK TO-DATE Crown Crafts * (O)...

Market snapshot.(BUSINESS Today)(stock prices)(Illustration)
May 2, 2005... MARKET SNAPSHOT HTT Stock Index * 2427.26 -1.69% Dow Jones Industrials 10070.37 -1.45% NASDAQ Industrial 1904.18 -2.97% S&P 500 1143.22 -1.44% ...

The future of pricing.(OPINION Today)
May 2, 2005... THE PLACE: suburban Milwaukee. The store: Target. The endcap promotion: a $10 queen-sized sheet. The question: Is this a sign of things to come? With consumer confidence in a slump, a decline in housing starts and an expected...

Setting standards.(OPINION Today)
May 2, 2005... SITTING THROUGH the day-plus meeting at JCPenney for analysts last month, one of the more interesting sessions was presented by Charlie Chinni, executive vice president, general merchandise manager. Called "benchmarking for success," it was...

Nordstrom slips into 'heavenly' exclusive.(News)(trade show)
May 9, 2005... SEATTLE -- The Heavenly Bed, the Westin Hotels signature bed and bedding collection, is now being sold at retail exclusively at Nordstrom. Nordstrom, the fashion specialty store retailer based here, is featuring the Heavenly Bed collection...

LNT outlines objectives.(News)(Linens 'n Things )(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... CLIFTON, N.J. -- Linens 'n Things executives reiterated the company's strategy for 2005 during a brief animal shareholders meeting last week: becoming "the store of first choice" for consumers, injecting more newness across all price points,...

Anna's Linens set to go public: stock will be traded on NASDAQ as Anna.(News)
May 9, 2005... COSTA MESA, CALIF. -- Anna's Linens is on the IPO path. The 182-store chain last week filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of its common stock. It is set to be traded on...

Manufacturers cashing in on eBay.(News)
May 9, 2005... SAN JOSE, CALIF. -- Selling products on eBay is fast becoming more than a passing trend in the home fashions industry, with retailers and manufacturers finding the online marketplace an effective way to turn obsolete, returned or refurbished...

Easter shift means tough April.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... The early Easter holiday which bolstered sales in March had the opposite effect on April, according to results of the April NRF Retail Executive Opinion Survey, with the Retail Sector Performance Index dropping 7.9 points from March and 8.8...

Great Indoors store closing.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... The Great Indoors store in Deerfield, Ill., will close by July 31. Sears Holdings operates 17 The Great Indoors specialty stores that focus on redecorating and renovating. The Deerfield unit will close because of poor sales, according to a...

Federated ups first quarter guidance.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Federated Department Stores Inc. reported sales of $3.61 billion for the 13-week first quarter and year to date, up 2.5 percent from total sales of $3.57 billion last year, causing the company to up its first quarter guidance. The company's...

Penney more bullish on first quarter.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Strength in April comp-store sales resulted in J.C. Penney Company, Inc. increasing its earnings-per-share estimate for the first quarter. The company now expects earnings of approximately 61 cents per share against previous estimates of...

Court OKs Garden Ridge reorg plan.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... The Delaware Bankruptcy Court last week confirmed Garden Ridge's plan of reorganization. The plan provides for the distribution of preferred stock to general unsecured creditors and cash distributions to convenience creditors and qualified...

Bacova movin' on up: acquisition puts company in top 5 bath rug suppliers.(News)
May 9, 2005... HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Bacova Guild Ltd. is moving into the top five list of U.S. bath rug suppliers through its recent acquisition of Lacey Mills. The 67-year-old Lacey, a manufacturer and importer of bath and accent rugs based in...

Neiman Marcus selling to investment group.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... DALLAS -- The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.'s Board of Directors has agreed to sell the company to an investment group consisting of Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, Texas Pacific Group and Warburg...

Plej's on comeback trail.(News)
May 9, 2005... ROCK HILL, S.C. -- With its recent emergence from Chapter 11, Plej's Linen Supermarket is moving ahead with new business strategies to win back target customers and eventually expand into former markets where it recently closed doors. ...

Parimatex moves into new facility.(News)
May 9, 2005... DAYTON, N.J. -- Pakistan-based bedding manufacturer Parimatex Group has moved into a new 3,200-square-foot showroom and 500,000-square-foot warehouse facility here. This facility gives Parimatex room to operate all of its corporate offices...

Carpenter adds Holofiber in pillows and pads: company donates some Protech proceeds to American Lung Association.(News)
May 9, 2005... RICHMOND, VA. -- Carpenter Co. is introducing Holofiber, a new fiber used in the active wear of Olympic athletes for quicker muscle recovery after exercise. The product is being launched in polyester bed pillows, mattress pads and a body pillow...

Momeni partners up with Wools of N.Z.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... ATLANTA -- High-end area rug company Momeni recently became a brand marketing partner of Wools of New Zealand. Momeni is the 51st Wools of New Zealand partner supplying branded product in the North American market. Thirty-year-old...

Lawrence to enter bath accessories.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- Lawrence Home Fashions will enter the bath accessories business for the first time with five designs that include shower curtains, ceramic or earthenware accessories, and bath mats and towels that mimic the exact pattern of the...

FIT [Fashion Institute of Technology] honors Pratt.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Fashion Institute of Technology students, alumni and supporters last week honored Christine Pratt, who is retiring as chairperson of the Home Products Development Department later this month. Pratt, who joined the FIT faculty in 1974, was...

Window industry works hard to stay flat.(Window Report)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- A continued deflationary trend in the soft window business during 2004 saw retailers moving more lower-priced items for largely the same overall dollar amount, as the size of the business at retail remained flat at $2.6 billion. ...

Calendar.(Calendar)
May 9, 2005... May 10-13 Scoperta Chiasso, Switzerland www.scopertaexpo.com 11-13 Proposte Como, Italy +011 39 (0) 2805 5349 www.propostefair.it 14-17 International Contemporary Furniture Fair ...

Louisville Bedding makes organizational changes: president Elias named CEO of company.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... LOUISVILLE, KY. -- Louisville Bedding Company has made a series of organizational changes, including naming Steve Elias CEO and appointing Steve Thompson vice president of operations. In addition, Patricia Rudavsky has been promoted to...

Sferra launches new Web site and packaging: company seeks to strengthen brand identity.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- Sferra Fine Linens is revamping its brand identity with a new Web site and packaging. The company will embark on a rebranding campaign to strengthen its visual brand identity with the launch of a new brochure-style site for its...

Brites of spring.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Dale Williams, left, and Pam Maffei-Toolan, both Waverly Lifestyle Group, show Gerry Puschel, CEO of parent F. Schumacher, one of the new spring decorative fabric collections at a presentation last week. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Pioneer licensee Howard Kaplan dies.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Services were held here for Howard Kaplan, 64, founder of Howard Kaplan Fabrics who died April 28. In the early '80s, Kaplan was one of the first licensees of a decorative fabrics converter to market print-downs to...

D'Ascoli leaves Covington.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- Peter D'Ascoli has resigned from Covington Industries, where Ire was vice president, co-director of creative services. Christine D'Ascoli, co-director of creative services, now assumes fill responsibilities and also is director...

H.D. Buttercup opens for business.(News)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... CULVER CITY, CALIF. -- H.D. Buttercup Manutailer Furniture Mart, a direct-to-consumer furniture and design showroom, has opened its doors in the Art Deco Helms Bakery Building here. The space features 100,000 square feet of antique,...

Culp issues 4Q warning, layoffs.(BUSINESS Today)
May 9, 2005... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Facing weakening demand for its U.S.-produced upholstery fabrics, Gulp Inc. said it's laying off about 225 workers as it consolidates production, and warned of a deeper than expected fourth quarter loss. Culp had...

Same-store sales limp to end of April.(Johnson Redbook Index)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- With the nation's big discounters turning in a surprisingly poor performance, hurt by weather that chilled sales of spring apparel, and further hobbled by high gas prices, same-store retail sales limped ahead just 1.3 percent during...

Growth continues gradual slowdown.(BUSINESS Today)
May 9, 2005... TEMPE, ARIZ. -- The U.S. manufacturing sector continued to grow during April, but at a steadily slowing pace, with the rate of growth decelerating during each of the past six months, the nation's purchasing managers reported. The Institute...

April tells tale of two retail segments.(BUSINESS Today)
May 9, 2005... NEW YORK -- Soaring gas prices took their toll on those least able to afford them during April, and the pain was felt at the places where they shop, the nation's big discounters, where same-store sales dried up. Driving home the point was...

Wall Street watch: for the week ended May 5, 2005.(retailers and manufacturers of home textiles industry)(Illustration)
May 9, 2005... MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS % CHG % CHG. CLOSE THIS YEAR- COMPANY 5/5/05 WEEK TO-DATE Crown Crafts *...

Market snapshot.(retailers and manufacturers of home textiles industry)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 9, 2005... MARKET SNAPSHOT HTT Stock Index * 2488.46 2.52% Dow Jones Industrials 10340.38 2.68% NASDAQ Industrial 1961.80 3.03% S&P 500 1172.63 2.57% Greatest Gains...

Cliff's notes for the new millenium.(OPINION Today)
May 9, 2005... THERE'S NO FUTURE in this business." I can't count the number of times I've heard it said by American textiles executives. And yet, during a celebration at the Fashion Institute of Technology last week to honor the outgoing chair of the...

Retailing's next decade.(OPINION Today)
May 9, 2005... IT'S BEEN ALONG TIME, if ever, that the retail landscape has been in such a state of change. Day after day, week after week, there's yet another significant change taking place within the retailing community. At the same time, new and...

Amazon hears wedding bells.(entry intor wedding industry)
May 16, 2005... SEATTLE -- Amazon is looking to grab a share of the $50 billion wedding industry. The company's new Amazon Wedding registry pulls together Amazon retailer and vendor partners large and small across 25 product categories. Reflecting today's...

Target goes 'Vintage Modern' with O'Brien.(News)
May 16, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- "Vintage Modern," the home furnishings collection created by designer Thomas O'Brien, fills the last of the designer/high-end statements in the five-pronged Target home furnishings lifestyles. Vintage Modern will top the...

Wal-Mart bearish after tough 1Q.(News)
May 16, 2005... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart issued wide-ranging guidance for its second fiscal quarter of 2006 after a weaker-than-expected first fiscal quarter performance and warned that its original earnings guidance for the year would be tough to...

Sears making essential changes: company begins converting some Kmart units to new format.(Sears Essentials)
May 16, 2005... STUART, FLA. -- In a former, aging Kmart unit that has been spruced up with a fresh coat of paint, clean lifestyle bilingual signage and reconfigured departments; new freestanding prototype Sears Essentials made its debut here and in four other...

MSO hires president, merchandising.(Martha Stewart Living)(appointment)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has hired Robin Marino as president of merchandising. Marino, who was most recently president and chief operating officer of Kate Spade, Inc., will manage the company's merchandising programs and develop new...

Kohl's merchants to make mark.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Kohl's new merchants in home will start to make an impact in the second half of the year, particularly the fourth quarter, with new assortments and the introduction of new brands and presentations, executives said during the company's first...

Gov. delays safeguard decisions.(Government)(textile industry cases)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... The U.S. government has announced that it will extend its deadline for deciding on the threat-based cases filed by the textiles industry in 2004. Its new deadline will be 60 days from the publication of a release in the Federal Register...

Industry icon Stewart dies.(Sy Stewart)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 16, 2005... MANHASSET, N.Y. -- Services were held Friday for Sy Stewart, 79, who died last week. Stewart, founder of Alsy + Cycle II, once the largest lamp company in the country, was a person whose influence and reach went far beyond the lamp...

Li & Fung restructures.(Li & Fung USA )(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK -- Li & Fung USA has re-aligned its operation into a Home Brands Group and an Apparel Brands Group. Industry veteran Jack Toolan has been promoted to executive vice president of the home group, overseeing licenses for Royal Velvet,...

WPS looks to recover cash.(WestPoint Stevens )
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK -- In the final days before it goes on the auction block, WestPoint Stevens has filed more than 170 lawsuits against unsecured creditors seeking to recover payments it made to them in the 90 days before it filed for bankruptcy. ...

May merger on track.(News)
May 16, 2005... ST. Louis -- May Department Stores Company said during its first quarter conference call that it is on track to complete its merger with Federated Department Stores in the third quarter. (A full set of May and Federated quarterly numbers is...

Surface interest key in bath towels: bamboo works to gain footing in competitive marketplace.
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK -- The big trends in towels all point to surface interest. Whether from new fibers, jacquards or different varieties of terry, manufacturers and importers alike say surface interest is becoming more important to retailers. Two-ply...

Hallgarten enters throw market.(Rosemary Hallgarten )(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Custom carpet designer Rosemary Hallgarten has branched out into throws. The new collection of six patterns is band-woven by Peruvian artisans. Unlike Hallgarten's carpets, which are made to order and available only to the...

Taylor opens studio.(Linda Taylor)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... CARLISLE, PA. -- Linda Taylor, formerly a senior designer at the now-closed Hoffman Mills, has formed DMT Studio here. Taylor, who served as senior designer for the bedding line and weave development specialist, is joined by Chris Medonel,...

Company head donates $1 million to medical center.(Stanley Ho)(Allure Home Creation Co. Inc.,)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... BOONTON, N.J. -- Stanley Ho, president of bath product supplier Allure Home Creation Co. Inc., recently donated $1 million to help establish the Glenda Garvey Teaching Academy at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Ho...

Beyda winners announced.(Joseph Beyda Creative Foundation)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK -- The Joseph Beyda Creative Foundation recently awarded scholarships to students from Syracuse University, Philadelphia University and Rhode Island School of Design. The annual scholarship contest is named for the late founder and...