NEWH - Summer 2015 - 12

Who's Who

Remembering last year's ICON and celebrating this year's honoree

In Memory of Bob Thomas
Bob Thomas, founder of Signature Hospitality
Carpets, passed away on May 26th following
a battle with cancer. Thomas' much-lauded
career in the industry began more than four
decades ago in a sales manager role at Holiday
Inn, where he worked for more than a decade.
Thomas moved on to oversee John Portman's
design and purchasing firm for six years. In 1986,
Thomas entered the manufacturing side of the
industry, eventually starting Signature Hospitality
Carpets along with Brenda Smith and Bryan
Ownbey. In 2014, Thomas received NEWH's ICON
of Industry award.
For the past 16 years, Thomas helped
Signature develop into a major global resource
for hotels and design firms. With his guidance,
the company has grown into a vertical mill with

every carpet manufacturing process done in
house. Currently, the company has more the 50
sales representatives worldwide and continues
to grow and be a major force within the industry.
Yet what truly made Thomas stand out was
his never-ceasing altruism and philanthropy.
Thomas supported the St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, worked with the Muscular
Dystrophy Association, sponsored a child in
Ethiopia through Compassion International, and
through Signature, sponsored a team on the
Miracle League, which provides children and
adults with mental and physical challenges the
opportunity to play baseball.
Thomas is survived by his wife Carroll and
son Wesley.

Deborah Herman Named 2015 NEWH ICON of Industry
NEWH is proud to announce Deborah Herman
Innovations, now the preferred bedding and
as the 2015 NEWH ICON of Industry recipient,
drapery vendor for Westin, Aloft, Element, and
the youngest industry member to receive the
Virgin Hotels, as well as Delta Airlines. A strong
prestigious award, which celebrates the leaders of
advocate for women in business and womenthe manufacturing side of hospitality-those who
owned businesses, Herman was awarded the 2006
have impacted the industry through innovative
South Florida Business Woman of the Year and the
work and by dedicating their time and efforts
2006 NEWH Award of Excellence. She serves on the
to community or industry outreach through
board of the Association of Starwood Franchisees
education and/or corporate giving. Recipients
and Owners and is the largest-volume womanmust have 30 years or more experience working
owned business in Delta Airlines history.
in the industry.
Herman's mentoring through NEWH as
"In addition to building a thriving business,
an international ambassador, which provides
Deborah has always dedicated her time to give
scholarships to students and professionals in the
back to the industry," says Shelia Lohmiller,
hospitality industry, as well as the scholarships that
executive director of NEWH. "Her passionate work
she and her company endow at the Cornell School
Photo by David Joshua Ford
on behalf of NEWH and its many initiatives, in
of Hotel Administration, are testaments to her
addition to her work with the Women's Business Enterprises (WBENC),
ongoing support of growth within the industry.
the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), and within her
"Product awards are amazing but ICON is the only award that truly
community in South Florida all contribute to the ICON that she is."
recognizes the individual from the supplier side," Herman says. "It is
After graduating from Brigham Young University, Herman entered
a joy to wake up every day doing what I love: bringing the fabulous
the industry in 1982 where she became the national sales manager
products that my amazingly creative clients have designed to life. I love
for Bedspreads of California. Fifteen years later, she launched Fabric
this industry and consider hospitality friends part of my family."

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NEWH - Summer 2015

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