2025 Dudley K. Flanders Leadership Award Recipient

ICFA presented its first Dudley K. Flanders Leadership Award in 2023 to recognize an outstanding up-and-coming professional under the age of 45 whose actions demonstrate a quest for excellence and the potential for strengthening and building the outdoor furnishings industry.

Megan Pierson, executive senior vice president of business development for POLYWOOD, received the 2025 Dudley K. Flanders Sr. Leadership Award. Candidates for this award are executives under the age of 45 whose actions demonstrate a quest for excellence and the potential for strengthening and building the outdoor industry.

The award’s namesake, Dudley K. Flanders Sr., guided the establishment of ICFA in 2008 and served as the organization’s volunteer leader in its formative years. A man of quiet strength and extraordinary vision, he led by example in his everyday life with an openness for new ideas, a reflective quality to manage change and a zeal for empowering associates and colleagues to reach their highest potential. He died in 2021, and the annual leadership award was created soon after to honor his legacy.

Pierson was honored as this year’s recipient in recognition of her visionary leadership, unwavering professionalism and deep commitment to the outdoor furnishings industry. She has played a pivotal role in her company’s growth while championing culture, innovation and team development. A longtime and active ICFA member, she has served with distinction as chair, vice chair and board member and recently co-founded the ICFA Women’s Leadership Network.