For Immediate Release
Contact: Karen Doodeman
Phone: (954) 893-7300
Fax: (954) 893-7500
E-mail: nasfm@retailenvironments.org

Hollywood, FL (March 23, 2001)—NASFM celebrated the 30th anniversary of its awards presentation on Thursday, March 22, by announcing 26 Outstanding Merits, 13 Grand Prizes, 13 Special Merits for Outstanding Store Fixtures, 1 overall Fixture of the Year (new this year!) and 1 overall Store of the Year. In addition, winners of the Magellan Awards and the prestigious Markopoulos Award were recognized. Display & Design Ideas, the Presenting Sponsor of the awards program, will be publishing a magazine supplement in May featuring the winning projects. NASFM received its second highest number of entries ever, making the judging process a daunting one. Judges for this year's competition were: Judith Bell, Corporate Manager of Visual Merchandising, Target; Barbara Fabing, Vice President - Group Design Director, Frankel Brand Environments; Dennis Gerdeman, Principal, Chute Gerdeman Group; Anthony J. Mancini, Vice President - Global Retail Store Development, Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Michael Saubert, Category Creative Manager, Hardware/Paint/Seasonal/Sporting Goods, Sears, Roebuck & Co; RoxAnna Sway, Editor, Display & Design Ideas; Marianne Wilson, Senior Editor, Chain Store Age; and Carole Winters, Associate Publisher, VM+SD Magazine.

Retailers, designers, and fixture manufacturers were recognized in the hour-long awards ceremony, which took place in the Vista Ballroom of McCormick Place at the conclusion of the first day of GlobalShop. This year's winners successfully integrated technology, service, and comfort into well-branded store designs. The judges saw a renewed interest in colors and the use of authentic materials, and continued application of curves and luminescence.

The winners were selected from projects completed between January and December of 2000. Canada fared well with 21% of the winning projects. International entries from Hong Kong, Australia, and South Africa also took home crystal awards. The remaining 28 projects were awarded to domestic projects, with Las Vegas and the northeast leading the way.

A list of award-winning projects and companies is attached. Please mark your calendars for next year's early entry deadline of Dec. 15, 2001.

NASFM is an international, not-for-profit association representing the store fixture manufacturing industry since 1956. The association's membership includes more than 450 regular member companies operating over 800 plants and employing more than 75,000 people worldwide; an additional 200 industry suppliers are associate members. NASFM members manufacture an estimated 85% of all store fixtures produced in North America, and the 100 largest North American store fixture manufacturers are NASFM members. The typical NASFM member employs 85 people, and generates revenues in excess of $10 million per year.