{"id":3283,"date":"2026-05-01T15:51:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lightingnewsnow.com\/?p=3283"},"modified":"2026-05-01T15:51:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:51:34","slug":"judges-announced-for-showroom-of-the-year-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightingnewsnow.com\/?p=3283","title":{"rendered":"Judges Announced for Showroom of the Year Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Entries for this year\u2019s edition of the much-anticipated Showroom of the Year (SOTY) Awards will be judged by three retail experts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dallas Market Center (DMC) has announced the distinguished panel of judges for the 17<sup>th<\/sup> &nbsp;Annual Showroom of the Year Awards, which will be presented next month during Lightovation, June 24\u201327. The Showroom of the Year Awards honor outstanding lighting retailers across the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Entries and nominations for these awards were accepted between December 2025 and March 2026. Finalists for the Showroom of the Year Awards are evaluated on several criteria, including merchandising display, marketing and advertising, customer service and engagement, employee education and motivation, and community involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finalists are recognized in three categories based on dollar volume, with one Showroom of the Year winner in each category. All finalists are also eligible for three specialty awards: Outstanding Merchandising Display, Exceptional Community Involvement, and Showroom of the Future, which recognizes a retailer\u2019s use of technology, data, and digital media platforms to further its business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Meet the 2026 Showroom of the Year Judges<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kelly Inglis \u2013 Lighting Consultant &amp; Educator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With more than 20 years of experience, Kelly Inglis is a trusted lighting consultant specializing in residential and commercial projects. Based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, she represents leading manufacturers and is known for blending technical expertise with a strong creative approach. Since 2018, she has been a national speaker for the National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association (NKBA), presenting across North America and participating in the Voices from the Industry series at KBIS. As an <a href=\"https:\/\/kb.nkba.org\/2021\/11\/5-questions-with-kelly-inglis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NKBA CEU-accredited instructor<\/a>, she is passionate about helping interior designers confidently integrate effective lighting into their work. A dedicated traveler, she continues to draw inspiration from global design perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kenneth Ludwig \u2013 Kenneth Ludwig Chicago<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kenneth Ludwig is the founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kennethludwig.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kenneth Ludwig Chicago<\/a>, a premier destination for high-end home furnishings and interior design. Known for blending classic elegance with contemporary refinement, he has built a reputation as a leading tastemaker in the Midwest. His work emphasizes quality craftsmanship, curated luxury, and timeless style, with a focus on balancing comfort and sophistication. His interiors feature a mix of traditional forms, modern silhouettes, and globally inspired elements. Through his showroom, he offers designers and clients access to a carefully curated selection of furniture, lighting, textiles, and d\u00e9cor from artisans around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>John Mark Sharpe \u2013 John Mark Enterprises<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John Mark Sharpe grew up spending weekends and summers at his grandmother\u2019s home in Sardis, Mississippi, where his love for color, texture, and pattern first took shape. Inspired by her ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, his early experiences laid the foundation for what would become John Mark Enterprises. Today, he works with brides to bring their floral visions to life, helps clients transform their homes into seasonal showpieces, and partners with businesses through his ribbon line. He also connects directly with customers through his retail store, <a href=\"https:\/\/john-mark-enterprises.myshopify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Mark\u2019s<\/a>, in Germantown, Tennessee. His work reflects a deep appreciation for creativity, tradition, and personal connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Winners will be announced during the summer edition of Lightovation at a special Showroom of the Year Awards ceremony on Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m. The on-site event is open to all Lightovation attendees, exhibitors, and sales representatives with no tickets or pre-registration required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you haven\u2019t done so already, all Lightovation attendees and exhibitors are encouraged to book their hotel rooms for the June edition of Lightovation as soon as possible to secure availability and preferred rates within Dallas Market Center\u2019s official hotel blocks, especially with World Cup games taking place in the region. Hotel rooms for June can be explored and reserved <a href=\"https:\/\/book.passkey.com\/event\/51023095\/owner\/14227\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additional information about the largest residential lighting show in North America is available on the Lightovation page of the Dallas Market Center <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dallasmarketcenter.com\/lightovation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a>. Keep up with the latest developments by following the #Lightovation hashtag on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related articles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lightingnewsnow.com\/?p=1355\">2025 Showroom of the Year Award Winners Announced by DMC<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entries for this year\u2019s edition of the much-anticipated Showroom of the Year (SOTY) Awards will be judged by three retail experts. Dallas Market Center (DMC) has announced the distinguished panel of judges for the 17th &nbsp;Annual Showroom of the Year Awards, which will be presented next month during Lightovation, June 24\u201327. The Showroom of the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":2,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,391],"tags":[16,427,41,255,39],"class_list":["post-3283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-featured","tag-dallas-market-center","tag-june-lightovation","tag-lightovation","tag-showroom-of-the-year","tag-soty"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Judges Announced for Showroom of the Year Awards - Lighting News Now<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The judges of the 2026 Showroom of the Year Awards have been announced by the Dallas Market Center. 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