NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) will host its American Made program for the third consecutive year. The program celebrates entrepreneurial stars of the growing 'maker' culture who have turned their passion for handcrafted, well-designed goods into small businesses and proudly manufacture their products in America. The panel of judges, led by Martha Stewart and made up of members of the Martha Stewart editorial and merchandise teams, are pleased to announce this year's American Made Winners.
Martha and the panel of judges have carefully selected nine entrepreneurs from the program's 3,259 nominees from all 50 states as winners in the categories of Food, Crafts, Style and Design. A tenth winner was chosen by popular vote online and will be honored in the Audience Choice category. Whether creating eco-friendly craft kits in Madison, Wis., or revolutionizing composting (and in turn, contributing to the growing urban gardening movement) in Detroit, Mich., these winners are not only building businesses for themselves, but also making a difference in their local communities, ultimately changing the way Americans eat, shop, work and live.
This year's winners will be celebrated at the 2014 Martha Stewart American Made Summit on November 7 and 8—a networking event and creative maker lecture series with industry leaders and innovators held at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's headquarters in New York City. Tickets for the event can be purchased through the American Made website.
2014 American Made Winners:
- Food: Hayden Flour Mills, Jeff and Emma Zimmerman – Phoenix, Arizona
A family business started by a father-daughter team, Hayden Flour Mills is devoted to producing the freshest and most flavorful flours and baking mixes from some of the world's oldest varieties of grains. Beginning with growing White Sonora wheat and stone milling out of a garage, the company now grows ten different heritage and ancient grains and sells to local chefs and home bakers.
- Food: Detroit Dirt, Pashon Murray – Detroit, Michigan
Detroit Dirt turns the city's organic waste (food scraps from local restaurants, garden debris, and even manure from the Detroit Zoo) into nutrient-rich compost. Founder Pashon Murray champions sustainable agriculture and works with businesses and gardens to help Detroit on its way to becoming one of the greenest cities in America.
- Design: Egg Collective, Stephanie Beamer, Crystal Ellis and Hillary Petrie – Brooklyn, New York
Pulling from their backgrounds in architecture, art and woodworking, Egg Collective's founders create furnishings that highlight their fascination with sculptural forms, natural materials, patina and the graceful aging of an object. The company, established in 2011, is committed to the creation of heirloom-quality contemporary furniture in America.
- Design: Floret, Erin Benzakein – Mount Vernon, Washington
Known for growing heirloom varieties, Floret, founded by Erin Benzakein, is considered one of the nation's top "farmer florists" and a leader in the American-grown flower renaissance. Beginning with sharing her flowers with friends and family, Floret now operates a commercial flower business, supplying seasonal blooms to specialty stores across the Pacific Northwest, including Whole Foods. A firm believer in sharing her floral knowledge, Benzakein hosts floral design workshops and teaches courses. She also creates gorgeous seasonally inspired arrangements for weddings and other special events.
- Design: Kalon Studios, Michaele Simmering and Johann Pauwen – Los Angeles, California
Founded by a husband-wife team in 2007, Kalon Studios focuses on seamlessly combining a love of contemporary design, simplicity and craft. With the belief that design should give as much as it takes, each piece is made using timber sourced from local, sustainably managed forests. Kalon Studios was founded not only to manufacture American made products that stimulate and inspire but also to use design for positive change.
- Crafts: Heather Lins Home, Heather Lins – Madison, Wisconsin
Heather Lins Home is putting a modern twist on classic cross-stitch embroidery. Motivated by the love of sharing the creative process and bringing people together, Heather Lins Home supplies craft kits that provide an opportunity for people to use their hands and become makers. Basing her production in the Midwest, Lins only uses eco-friendly textiles to create her interactive calendars and stationery.
- Crafts: Ricketts Indigo, Rowland and Chinami Ricketts – Bloomington, Indiana
Working with indigo since 1996, the husband-wife duo of Ricketts Indigo makes striking home textiles, art exhibits and installations. An eco-friendly operation, the indigo plants are grown organically with no synthetic chemicals used at any stage. The duo holds fast to the idea of moving forward by looking back to historical indigo farming and dyeing techniques.
- Style: WHIT, Whitney Pozgay – New York, New York
After working as a designer at Kate Spade and Steven Alan, Pozgay launched her debut line WHIT in fall 2010. The line, based out of Manhattan, has since been featured in top fashion outlets across the world. Pozgay believes everyone is creative, and celebrates individual style with color and a sense of humor. Clean shapes are energized by playful details, achieving an aesthetic that is at once strong, feminine, and modern.
- Style: Clark's Botanicals, Francesco Clark – Bronxville, New York
Francesco Clark suffered a spinal-cord injury in 2002 and lost his ability to sweat, leading to problem skin. Clark's remedy: jasmine absolute, which is featured in every product in his skin-care line, Clark's Botanicals. Derived from nocturnally blooming flowers, this precious essential oil is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immune stimulating. Clark also donates a percentage of the company's profits to the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to funding research for curing spinal-cord injury and improving the lives of people living with paralysis.
- Audience Choice: The Iron Fish, Chase Allen – Daufuskie Island, South Carolina
Real estate agent turned self-taught metal artist Chase Allen founded The Iron Fish 13 years ago to share his handcrafted coastal sculptures. The artistry of the metal sculptures coupled with the island lifestyle and location of South Carolina Lowcountry is unique to Allen's work. The art and Allen himself have turned the Iron Fish Gallery & Studio into a treasured local destination.
In addition to being celebrated at the Summit, these accomplished winners will each be awarded a cash prize of $10,000, a trip for two to New York City for the event, and will be featured on MarthaStewart.com, as well as receive marketing and public relations to help move their businesses forward. Look for a roundup of the judge-selected winners in the December issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.
Martha Stewart's 2014 American Made program is presented with support by sponsors including Hyatt House, Intuit QuickBooks, The UPS Store and Toyota. For additional information about the 2014 American Made Program and to purchase tickets, please visit the American Made website.
About Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Company reaches approximately 100 million consumers across all media platforms each month and has a growing retail presence in thousands of retail locations. MSLO's media brands, available across multiple platforms, include Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Everyday Food; the Company also offers books and utility Apps. MSLO's television and video programming includes "Martha Stewart's Cooking School" and "Martha Bakes" series on PBS, in addition to made-for-the-web video and a vast library of how-to content available online. Martha Live, a radio show hosted by Martha Stewart, airs every weekday on SIRIUS XM Channel 109. MSLO also designs high-quality Martha Stewart products in a range of lifestyle categories available through select retailers, including The Home Depot, Macy's, JCPenney, Staples, PetSmart, Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores. The MSLO family of brands also includes Chef Emeril Lagasse's media and merchandising properties. Additional information about MSLO is at www.marthastewart.com.
About Hyatt House
Launched in 2012, the Hyatt House brand was designed to welcome residents rather than guests. Inspired by extensive research of guest experiences, Hyatt House hotels are designed to surprise and delight with services, amenities, upscale spaces and a casual, comfortable environment that will remind guests of home. Residentially inspired studios, one- and two-bedroom suites feature contemporary full kitchens, living space with flat panel HDTVs and bedrooms with a plush bed. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. A complimentary Morning Spread, full hot breakfast, is served daily as well as a complimentary Evening Social with savory bites, beer and wine. In lieu of the Evening Social, some locations have an H BAR featuring the Sip+Savor menu and full bar. Public spaces include a 24-hour workout room, Guest Market and laundry facilities. A friendly House Host is available to check-in guests, provide directions or help with other needs so guests feel right at home. The brand is committed to helping guests keep their real-life routines rolling while on the road. The Hyatt House brand offers more than 55 locations throughout the United States. To learn more about Hyatt House or to book a reservation visit www.hyatthouse.com.
About Intuit Inc.
Intuit Inc. creates business and financial management solutions that simplify the business of life for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals. Its flagship products and services include QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, which make it easier to manage small businesses and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. Mint.com provides a fresh, easy and intelligent way for people to manage their money, while Demandforce® offers marketing and communication tools for small businesses. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit's leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants. Founded in 1983, Intuit had revenue of $4.5 billion in its fiscal year 2014. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.
About The UPS Store
With more than 4,400 locations, The UPS Store network comprises the nation's largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, print and business service centers. The UPS Store locations in the U.S. are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc., a subsidiary of UPS. Services, pricing and hours of operation may vary by location. For additional information on The UPS Store, including information on franchise opportunities for opening a The UPS Store location, visit www.theupsstore.com. Follow The UPS Store on Twitter at @TheUPSStore and like The UPS Store on Facebook at facebook.com/theupsstore.
About Toyota
Toyota, the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through its Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, Toyota has built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where it operates 14 manufacturing plants and directly employs more than 40,000 people. The company's 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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