Crystorama Lighting received two awards from Lighting One, the largest lighting and home décor cooperative in the U.S. and Canada, at the group's annual convention held June 22-23 in Dallas.
During the convention's annual awards reception on June 23, Lighting One presented Crystorama Lighting with its Supplier of the Year Award. In addition, the co-op also honored Crystorama Lighting founder Abe Kleinberg with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
"We are deeply honored by both of these amazing awards," said Brad Kleinberg, Abe's son and president of Crystorama. "Being recognized by Lighting One, after having just received the ARTS Award in January as this year's top lighting fixtures manufacturer, is such an honor. Lighting One's membership represents the premier lighting retailers in our industry and to have the achievements of our company and our founder recognized by such a prestigious group is truly humbling."
Owned by its members and managed by CCA (Carpet Co-op of America) Global Partners, Lighting One is a national network of more than 260 independent lighting and home décor retailers in the United States and Canada and more than 30 affiliated suppliers covering the retail, builder and commercial markets. As a cooperative network, Earth City, Mo.-based Lighting One members benefit from increased purchasing power, marketing programs, exclusive benefits and products, supported by national business services such as consumer and professional financing, credit card savings, recruitment and hiring, as well as other business programs powered by the strength of the entire CCA membership of Independent business owners. Member stores collectively sell an estimated $750 million annually of high-quality merchandise.
With its Supplier of the Year award, Lighting One recognizes a single affiliated supplier for exceptional performance, product quality, service, support, engagement and commitment to the partnership.
"This award recognizes the supplier whose engagement and consistent commitment to the membership elevates them to the highest level," said Gregg Garofalo, president of Lighting One. "The foundation of Lighting One is the strength of our members and the support and partnerships with quality vendors. This award recognizes Crystorama Lighting as one of the very best."
Crystorama Lighting's second award from Lighting One for lifetime achievement was presented to Abe Kleinberg, widely known as "the gentleman of the lighting industry." Kleinberg founded Crystorama Lighting in 1958 after his military service during the Korean War. Kleinberg was attracted to the lighting industry by its "family atmosphere and enthusiastic people," he said, adding he started out by buying parts from local distributors and assembling them in his own shop in Brooklyn, N.Y. With a loan of $5,000 from his father, Kleinberg soon expanded his line to include crystal and brass chandeliers imported from Czechoslovakia.
As his business grew, Kleinberg began sourcing from European factories in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany. Europe became Crystorama Lighting's main resource until the early 1990s, when the company looked to Asia for additional suppliers. It started importing handblown glass arms from Japan, then expanded its Asian sourcing to include solid-brass lighting from Taiwan and eventually products from China.
During the past 50-plus years, Kleinberg and his team have built Crystorama Lighting into a leading producer of interior decorative chandeliers, pendants, sconces and other lighting across a wide range of styles. The company is known for superb craftsmanship, innovative use of materials and creative designs, which fuse timeless techniques with current inspirations to create fashion-forward styles with a unique mix of metals, finishes and crystals.
"Abe Kleinberg has created a company that values and treats employees and customers with respect, kindness and sincere caring," said Garofalo of Lighting One. "He has made a huge contribution to the home furnishings industry with his vision of the important role that fashionable lighting can play in livening up rooms and his unwavering commitment to quality and service."
As Crystorama Lighting heads toward its sixth decade of business, "our mission remains simple - to create truly beautiful and functional lighting that enriches lives," said Abe Kleinberg. "Working together with our valued retailers and designers, we will continue to push ahead with further innovations to grow consumer awareness and stimulate sales. We plan to do everything we can to continue producing new and exciting styles and set the stage for our mutual success."
Accomplishing this mission requires "staying open to innovation and new approaches," added Brad Kleinberg, who with his sister Nancy Lonoff - marketing director - represents the second generation to lead the company. "We're constantly studying the market and evaluating and adjusting the line to ensure our designs are of the moment yet grounded in the authenticity that helped us get where we are today."
Crystorama Lighting will celebrate the two awards from Lighting One with its customers at a reception being held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24 in the Crystorama Lighting showroom. The company exhibits in Space 3503 of the Dallas Market Center's Trade Mart.