The Wallcoverings Association (WA) announced that the Allman Award, its highest honor, will be presented to Mark Goodman, president of Crown Surface Solutions and J. Josephson, at the WA’s Annual Meeting in Delray Beach, Fla., April 4 – 7. The industry’s most prestigious award is named for the WA’s founder and is presented each year to a leader who has made a long-lasting, positive contribution to the wallcovering industry.
Goodman has been a long-standing leader in the wallcovering industry. He committed to sustainability when the NSF342 standard was adopted by the WA and has been the highest scoring manufacturer since inception.
Goodman began his career in wallcovering at the age of nine sweeping floors in the Warehouse at Crown Wallpaper in Toronto. After a number of hands-on roles, his father and mentor, Gilbert Goodman (a 1991 Allman Award recipient) wisely noted that Mark might instead have a future in leading rather than doing. Gil’s “sink or swim” approach to leadership development resulted in Mark relocating to New York in 1980 when the family purchased J. Josephson. Mark has since led the company through the acquisition of Omnova Solutions’ North American Commercial Wallcovering Business in 2011, transitioning Omnova to JJ’s New Jersey factory, a manufacturing joint venture in Asia and the introduction of P3TEC.
“The wallcovering industry is fortunate to have leaders like Mark Goodman, who work continuously to improve the industry,” says Matthew Jones, Wallcoverings Association executive director. “His efforts have helped the industry’s commitment to sustainability, and he has built a lasting legacy.”
“I appreciate this great honor,” Goodman notes. “I am proud of my family’s 84-year tradition in the wallcoverings industry of keeping the values of quality, service, and integrity in everything they do. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed being part of the Wallcoverings Association.”
Outside of work you will find Goodman skiing, mountain biking, traveling, and staying in hotels where, to the embarrassment of his wife and children, just as Gil did, he checks every wall to make sure that they are covered with JJ wallcovering.