TGA Announces Industry Awards Winners

Princeton, NJ — The Travel Goods Show is more than the largest trade show dedicated to travel goods — it’s an opportunity for the industry to formally showcase its best and brightest, when the movers and shakers of the travel goods world gather at the annual All-Industry Awards Breakfast.

Peter Paradise, CEO/Founder of Colorado Baggage Company and Paradise Pen Company, took this year’s TGA Award for his many years of hard work, growing not one but two successful nationwide retail operations from modest beginnings. The TGA Award is the travel goods industry’s ultimate recognition of outstanding professional achievement. Mr. Paradise was recognized for his exemplary contributions to the industry and the community.

TGA’s Community Service Award recognizes an individual or company that has distinguished itself by making a positive social contribution, and was awarded to eBags this year for fundraising work on behalf of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, an effort that has netted over $300,000 in contributions.

This year’s Product Innovation Award winners represented the ultimate in traveler convenience and problem-solving.

• First prize went to Ricardo Beverly Hills for its Solutions Luggage Collection, featuring a built-in digital scale that helps travelers address the very real problem of overweight baggage fees.
  
• Second prize was won by Cartdesk for its luggage carrier that quickly converts into a desk, making any airport chair into a workstation on-the-go.
  
• Third prize was awarded to Landor & Hawa USA for its Frameless 4-Wheeled Molded Luggage Set, a lightweight take on wheeled luggage.

“The annual All-Industry Awards Breakfast is one of my favorite events,” said TGA President Michele Marini Pittenger. “This is such a vibrant, dynamic industry, and this is one of the few chances we have to give our industry’s stars some recognition in front of their peers.”

“This year’s winners truly represent the broad spectrum of our membership,” Pittenger said. “We have super retailer Pete Paradise, a start-up firm like Cartdesk, true product innovation from Ricardo Beverly Hills and Landor & Hawa, and an amazing example of corporate philanthropy from eBags. It’s a tremendous range of winners. I couldn’t ask for better companies or people to hold up as examples for the travel goods industry — or any industry, for that matter — and say these are the folks you want to emulate.”

For more information, please contact John Misiano at 609-720-1200, x-205, john@travel-goods.org. 

The Travel Goods Association is the voice of the U.S. travel goods industry. A national trade association, TGA represents the manufacturers, distributors and retailers of luggage, leather goods, business and travel accessories, business and computer cases, handbags and other products for people who travel.