Today The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) awarded industry leaders John Bradshaw (Shaw Industries Group, Inc.), Ashley Young (Mohawk Industries, Inc.) and Shawn McGill (Engineered Floors) with the 2024 Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award in recognition of their contributions to the carpet industry, including their efforts to engage EPR in the state of California. The award was presented during the CRI Annual Meeting.
“It is a true honor to present this award to these three standout leaders, who have given tireless hours over the past year to support and strengthen the carpet manufacturing industry,” said Russ DeLozier, president of The CRI. “This award recognizes their significant accomplishments for the industry.”
Marking its 26th year, the Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award was established in 1998 by Milliken and Company to honor the late Dr. Joseph Smrekar, a longtime industry professional who set the standard for service to the CRI and the carpet industry.
This year’s Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award was presented by Russ DeLozier, president of The CRI, and industry veteran Joe Yarbrough, past president of The CRI and last year’s award recipient. Many past recipients of the Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award were present and recognized during the ceremony.
For the second year, The CRI commissioned Dalton artist Chris Beck to handcraft a meaningful award sculptured from recycled metal from a CRI member facility.