WCAA Announces Recipients of the 2021 Jill Robson Memorial Scholarship
The Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) is pleased to announce the three 2021 recipients of the Jill Robson Memorial Member Scholarship: Jonathan Bennett, owner of Unsprung Upholstery Company; Sue Moran, owner of Eaton Interiors; and Deborah Williamson, owner of Treatments for Your Panes;
The Jill Robson Memorial Scholarship was founded to honour the memory of the late Jill Robson, a longtime WCAA Member and industry advocate, and to promote education in the window coverings industry for those already in the industry as well as those new to window coverings. The scholarship fund encourages and equips WCAA business owners by supporting their education and providing foundational learning opportunities to promote professionalism in the industry.
2021 Jill Robson Memorial Scholarship Recipients
Jonathan Bennett
Owner, Unsprung Upholstery Company LLC
Jonathan’s love for design began at a young age when his grandmother taught him to sew on an antique Singer treadle sewing machine. Their first project was duplicating a pair of “Jams”, or store-bought board shorts, which were all the rage at the time. Taking the time to teach him how to make a pattern from the existing shorts with newspaper, then cutting them into cotton broadcloth fabric and then stitching them up into the final product - it was an afternoon with his grandmother he will always cherish. Now that very Singer sewing machine and the “Jams” they made together that day are beloved family heirlooms for Jonathan.
Sparked by that first sewing experience Jonathan pursued a BFA in fashion design graduating Cum Laude from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1997. A standout during his time at VCU he won the Golden Needle Award of Excellence and a fabric grant which were awarded based on his outstanding design and fabrication in children’s wear. Following graduation, he joined the VCU Fashion Department faculty as an adjunct professor and for 13 years taught garment construction, patternmaking, various design classes, as well as digital marketing.
In 1998, while simultaneously teaching at VCU, he carried his eye for design and sewing skills to the interior design industry. It was during this time that he fell in love with the fabrication of custom window treatments, pillows, bedding, headboards and more. His specialty is custom slipcovers, which fit so snugly they are always confused with upholstery. His attention to detail allows him to be a master of making patterns in fabric match-up making them appear to be uninterrupted and seamless – matching anything from florals to stripes and even plaids!
Unsprung Upholstery was opened in August 2019, employing staff from a former upholstery shop. Their staff has a combined 225 years of various industry work, including upholstery, woodwork, soft furnishings and more. They provide services such as residential and commercial upholstery, custom builds, slipcovers, pillows, cushions and more! They strive to be the best in the Richmond industry, providing the best work possible for their clients.
Sue Moran
Owner, Eaton Interiors
Sue Moran is a custom window treatment expert and the owner of Eaton Interiors. She has been involved in the window treatment industry for over 15 years. She began as a retail workroom and has transitioned to working with designers and retail clients as a window treatment specialist, using to the trade workrooms for fabrication.
Sue is a CPA and has a background in both public accounting and corporate accounting. She finds her knowledge of accounting to be very helpful in running her own business. She also works with other workrooms and designers in helping them to understand their finances.
Sue has recently returned to her business full time after working as a CPA for the last few years while her three kids completed college and is overjoyed to be committed to the business full time again. She is very thankful to have been awarded this scholarship and looks forward to paying it forward in the near future.
Deborah Williamson
Owner, Treatments For Your Panes
Deborah has owned and operated her custom window treatment business, Treatments For Your Panes, for more than 30 years, servicing the Greater Rochester area in Upstate New York. With a degree in Interior Design and a passion for sewing that took off when she was only 14, Deborah has turned her enjoyment of the craft into a thriving business, as well as an opportunity to positively impact both her local community and the window treatment industry.
With education paramount in her business, Deborah has attended, and hosted, many conferences in the industry over the past 28 years. Teaching young boys and girls to sew has always been a dream of hers, and she plans to use her scholarship funds to begin educating and passing along her knowledge to the younger generation.
“Grateful for my God-given talents, now is the time to make this dream a reality! Ready, set, sew!”