Kathy Juckett Receives 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award
Founded in 2002, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the casual furniture industry and to their individual communities. 
The 2023 honoree is Kathy Juckett, CEO of Telescope Casual Furniture. Representing the fourth generation of the Telescope Casual family, Juckett arrived at the company intending to simply complete an independent study in the human resources office in order to complete the last few credits necessary for her graduation from Skidmore College. She ended up staying 44 years (and counting). Early in her tenure, she focused on developing a company culture committed to continuous improvement and lean manufacturing best practices. “My objective has always been to create a culture where change isn’t scary but embraced as we strive for continuous improvement. By being a nimble manufacturing operation that maximizes opportunities and minimizes downsides, we can survive and thrive,” said Juckett. The winner of seven Manufacturer Leadership Awards since 2012 and three Manufacturer of the Year awards, the company now employs more than 320.