2017 Winner
Melvyn Kahn, President and Co-owner
Lightstyles
Innovative Idea - LED Experience Center
Melvyn Kahn is the president and co-owner of Lightstyles, formerly Light Bulbs Etc., with three lighting showrooms in Southern California. He and his business partners are driven by the motto "innovation over imitation." Kahn has long embraced the changes occurring in the industry today, most recently developing the company's innovative LED Experience Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. He is a visionary with great passion for the industry. Kahn shared his experiences embracing new technology and opportunities with attendees of the Larry Sayah Innovation Forum during the Vancouver, B.C. ALA Conference.
2015 Winner
Glenda Milam, Owner
Lighting Emporium, Inc.
G. Milam Marketing and App Development
Innovative Idea - The Your Décor Customizable Mobile App
Glenda Milam has owned and operated Lighting Emporium since 1989. During that time, her style, taste and selections have proven to be consistently on-target with the marketplace, leading to great success and opportunities for growth. As her business grew, Milam continued to closely watch the market to determine her next logical step. As most people have experienced, technology has become an increasingly prevalent aspect of both consumer's lives and business models. Thus, Milam developed the idea of a mobile application as a way to take Lighting Emporium's shopping experience to the next level. She quickly began exploring app development, and eventually launched her business G. Milam Marketing and App Development. Their first app, Your Décor, took off - fulfilling both showroom and customer needs. Milam shared her ideas and experiences during the Larry Sayah Innovation forum in Huntington Beach, Calif.