The finalists of the Showroom of the Year competition are passionately involved with their communities…
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The Showroom Advantage: Community Spirit
The finalists of the Showroom of the Year competition are passionately involved with their communities — a business practice that consequently keeps them top of mind with local customers.
Home centers have deep enough pockets to have created their own foundations that partner with national nonprofit organizations (Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers of America, Rebuilding Together, among others) and are able to offer educational grants to the skilled trades. However, lighting showrooms can have a home field advantage — by thinking small.
To be fair, home centers and large supply houses also participate in neighborhood projects, but these tend to be on a larger scale such as initiatives for building affordable housing and community centers.
Conversely, there are lighting showrooms that also support the same large nonprofits and programs. What the finalists in the Showroom of the Year (SOTY) competition have in common with one another is their passion for hyper-local causes.
Encourage the next generation
While Home Depot and Lowe’s both offer grants to community and technical colleges to encourage young people to enter the skilled trades, Lightology in Chicago has its own version.
“Student groups of all ages are welcomed into our showroom for free guided tours that offer hands-on learning experiences,” explained Allison Hilliard, marketing manager. “These visits include one-on-one time with our in-house experts, who are available to answer questions about the lighting industry, career pathways, and student projects to create a bridge between education and real-world application.”
Lightology’s multi-story Chicago showroom has ample room – including a landscaped rooftop area that serves as a functional lighting lab as well as event space – to host networking events for local trade organizations and professional groups such as ASID, IES, ALA, RNDD, and WILD.
“These collaborations foster connection, education, and growth within the design and lighting industries,” Hilliard said.
Like Lightology, Construction Resources (CR) in Atlanta, makes every effort to stay actively engaged with local design organizations such as NKBA, NARI, GAHBA, and ASID. Cindy Herrin, general manager-lighting, explained that collaborating with design-focused regional magazines such as Modern Luxury and Atlanta Home Improvement has also increased consumer awareness of the showroom.
“We also support local student outreach, working with design students from Gwinnett Technical College and construction students from Kennesaw State,” Herrin said. “Our showroom hosts events, training sessions, and promotional videos, and has served as the venue for numerous award ceremonies in our dedicated lighting area.”
Utah-based Nova Lighting (formerly known as Hansen Lighting) offers lighting education to trade professionals and promotes responsible design practices, including energy efficiency and outdoor lighting compliance.
Noted Brooke Hatch, marketing manager, “We also contribute to Habitat for Humanity projects and other community initiatives, providing lighting solutions that support accessible, well-designed housing. Nova plays an active role in the ongoing growth and development of Utah’s building landscape. Our engagement extends beyond sponsorship, it reflects a sustained commitment to strengthening the partnerships, projects, and communities we serve.”
Keep a tight focus
Narrowing philanthropic efforts to their surrounding neighborhoods is particularly rewarding for these successful showrooms.
At New Mexico’s Bright Ideas Lighting Design Center, Inc., the showroom is committed to supporting other locally owned and operated businesses.
“We host and participate in a variety of community initiatives that allow us to give back and stay connected to the people we serve,” noted Arielle Cofer, showroom manager. “Over the past year we organized a food drive, hosted two blood drives in partnership with local organizations, and collected toys and gift cards for families receiving care at the local children’s cancer center.”
Bright Ideas also regularly contributes to the Women’s Housing Coalition and actively supports the Central New Mexico Home Builders Association.
“Beyond formal events, we work closely with local builders, designers, and remodelers to create opportunities for collaboration and professional growth within the industry. By opening our showroom for community events and consistently supporting local causes, we strive to make a positive impact in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico while building lasting relationships with our neighbors and partners,” Cofer said.
“At KIE Supply, community engagement is part of our identity. As a third-generation, family-owned business, we recognize that our success is directly tied to the health and vitality of the Inland Northwest. Supporting our local community is both a responsibility and a privilege,” commented Amelia Kittson, president.
“This past year, KIE Supply proudly supplied lighting fixtures free of charge for the rebuilding of a home for ‘Woo-hoo’ Jimmy Butcher, a beloved local icon known for his unwavering support of Tri-Cities local sports and youth leagues,” Kittson said. “After his manufactured home was devastated by flooding, more than 50 local suppliers and contractors came together to rebuild his home. It was an honor for our team to contribute by ensuring his new space was properly and beautifully illuminated. Projects like this reflect the heart of who we are, and show that when our community rallies, we rally along with it.”
KIE Supply also empowers the managers at all of its locations – there are six across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho – with an annual community giving budget that allows each branch to directly support causes that matter locally.
“Over the past year, this has included sponsoring youth athletics, rodeo and dance competitions, contributing to the rebuilding of a neighborhood playground, providing food for a wounded veterans’ charity dinner, assisting with high school graduation events, and helping a local volleyball team attend a national tournament,” Kittson recounted. “We believe community support is most meaningful when it is consistent, personal, and action-oriented.”
In Puerto Rico, LED Distribution embraces a similar ethic. As Bryan Rivera, president, explained, “We participate as sponsors in local events to celebrate and strengthen ties with the community. Additionally, we donate products to support fundraising efforts and help young athletes and graduating classes.”
For example, LED Distribution sponsors a professional basketball team in Pueblo, where the store is located.
“During the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico, especially in the southern region, many families lost everything, so we decided to act as a relief center in the northern area. We also donated emergency lighting products and personally delivered them to homes to provide direct support to the affected individuals,” he said. “This active relationship with the community reflects our values of solidarity and social commitment.”
Meanwhile, think of a typical summer block party on steroids and that’s close to what Lighting Design, which operates two showrooms in Utah, does for its community.
According to Maegan Eyre, marketing coordinator, Lighting Design has hosted a community party at the local water park for more than 10 years. “We invite customers, builders, and employees to attend and gather as a community. This provides an opportunity for Lighting Design to foster a sense of community and family as many gather for the party. On average, we reach 700-900 people every year,” she said.
Lighting Design is also deeply committed to supporting local schools by donating funds to the high school sports teams and advertising on their fields as well as helping to provide resources and opportunities for student athletes. The company also participates in local Fourth of July parades to celebrate alongside the community and reinforce its commitment to being an active and visible local partner.
“As part of our 25th anniversary, we launched a community giveback called 25 for 25. Lighting Design did 25 acts of service for our local communities in Utah, and Chandler, Arizona (where it has a warehouse and by-appointment showroom space),” Eyre said. By the end of that year, the company donated more than $10,000 through its 25 for 25 initiative.
Lighting Design also hosted a coat drive for the nonprofit One Warm Coat, which resulted in coats worth about $1000+ being donated to those in need. In addition, the company hosted a blood drive at its Draper location and its staff volunteered at the Gail Miller Resource Center and Open Doors Utah, both of which provide services for adults and families experiencing homelessness. The showroom also collected and donated to South Valley Services for local victims of domestic abuse.
In addition to its previously mentioned efforts in educating design students and architectural professionals about lighting, Lightology regularly hosts local charitable events such as the RNDD Pup Crawl and Cat Walk to benefit PAWS Chicago (the city’s largest no-kill animal shelter) as well as frequently donates lighting fixtures and materials to larger organizations that support those in need throughout the area.
Nashville-based Hermitage Design, a fourth-generation family company, has a long history of charitable work.
“For 82 years, Hermitage has been deeply embedded in our community — not as a sponsor, but as a partner in building it. We are long-standing members of the Rotary Club and active supporters of Share Built and Habitat for Humanity, contributing both financially and through hands-on volunteer service,” noted Daniella Fleischer, senior vice president of marketing. “Our employees participate in needs-based charitable initiatives year-round. We see community investment not as a marketing tactic, but as stewardship of the city that built us.”
At Pioneer Lighting in Georgia, “We try to give back when we can. We donate to local organizations that help the public like food drives, local law enforcement, etc. We also get involved with local community events, such as this past year’s Christmas parade,” said Shellie Schlenz, owner.
Non-profit organizations are also important to Western Montana Lighting. “We focus on arts and culture, and child education,” stated Drew Schilling, owner. “We not only attend many events, but we also donate funds to select organizations identified by our team each year. Missoula is driven by supporting local businesses, so we engage in community events like brewfests, as well as volunteering to work these events.”
At Georgia Lighting in Atlanta, “We regularly donate money and space to Planned PEThood of Georgia and the Gwinnett County chapter of the American Cancer Society,” said Frank Therrien, owner. “Additionally, we donate much of our discontinued and overstock products to The Quinn House (a faith-based, in-house Men’s Recovery Program for addiction) and Habitat ReStore.
For EL Design in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, the showroom keeps three things in mind: community, collaboration, and growth. According to Kelly Gallagher, president, “We partner with local vendors and designers to showcase their work and host events that encourage the sharing of ideas. Our space regularly welcomes informational sessions and CEU programs with lighting vendors, along with talks for women’s groups and aspiring designers from nearby colleges and universities.”
Creating space to comfortably accommodate a variety of gatherings is key. “Speakers and experts present in our conference rooms, and our on-site yoga studio hosts wellness events led by local leaders,” Gallagher said. “This focus on learning, wellness, and inspiration isn’t just for our guests, it extends to our team as well. We invest in keeping our staff happy, well-rounded, and up to date on the latest in design and lighting trends.”
In conclusion, although the lighting showrooms that are finalists in the 2026 SOTY competition happily support some of the nationally known charities, their staff seem to get the most personal satisfaction out of either physically doing the volunteer work at community events or by donating to local places in need that aren’t obvious choices when you think of philanthropy. Being visible in the community – even though the projects and events take a lot of organization, time, and energy – earns the trust of your neighborhood community and makes a business memorable.
The winners of the Showroom of the Year (SOTY) Awards in each revenue category will be announced live at Lightovation on Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m. on the Main Stage of Trade Mart 3 Loft.
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