The ACT Board is requesting nominations for the 2026 Annette Schaich Changemaker Award. 

This award will be presented each year at Interact to celebrate current or past ACT members who, like Annette, are true changemakers. The presentation will be an annual occasion to take pause, remember Annette, recall her contributions, recognize another exceptional member of our community, and be inspired. 

You are welcome to nominate as many people as you wish. Please submit one form for each nominee. The Board will accept nomination on an ongoing basis. The submission deadline for the 2026 award is March 20. Submissions after that date will be considered for future awards.

Click here for the nomination form.

Jeff Layne, Co-Founder of Arc-Com Fabrics

Jeffrey Michael Layne, a loving father, grandfather, husband, and visionary entrepreneur, passed away peacefully on November 15, leaving behind a legacy as enduring as the company he built and the lives he touched. As the founder of Arc-Com Fabrics, Jeffrey was a true pioneer—an innovative leader whose creativity and determination helped shape an entire industry. His colleagues remember him not only for his tenacity, but for his compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation.

To those who knew him personally, Jeffrey was so much more than a successful entrepreneur. He was a teacher and mentor—tough when needed, always fair, and endlessly generous with his wisdom. He lived with a deep sense of purpose, guided by kindness, and grounded in love for his family.

Jeffrey is survived by his devoted wife, Sheila; his son, Marc and daughter-in-law Kristin; and his daughter, Ali and son-in-law Jeff. He was the proud grandfather of Gabrielle, Ryan, Ariana, Matthew, and Luke, each of whom brought him immeasurable joy and pride. His family was the heart of his world, and he cherished every moment spent with them.

Jeffrey’s influence will continue to be felt through the people he inspired, the business he built, and the family he loved so dearly. His legacy is one of vision, strength, generosity, and an unshakeable belief in the power of hard work and kindness.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

If you’re involved in textile, apparel, or fashion research, design, or product development, please consider taking this short, and optionally anonymous survey:

👉 Take the Survey Here: https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8205gsT4B8xQhXU

Participants who opt in will receive a copy of the final Industry Innovation Report, highlighting trends and insights from across the U.S. textile ecosystem.

Your input will directly support Erin’s dissertation and help strengthen the understanding of how innovation happens in our field.

Full obituary: https://www.jenningscalvey.com/obituaries/michael-hillebrand

Please consider contributing to the Annette Schaich Changemaker Award Fund to help ensure the success and longevity of this tribute, keeping her memory alive. This dedicated fund will be used to purchase the annual award, assist with travel costs when necessary for recipients to attend the conference, and underwrite other related expenses. If you or your company would like to contribute, please use the link below.

CONTRIBUTE HERE

This was the first time in the history of the Association for Contract Textiles that a board director passed away in the midst of a current term. Annette Schaich had served on the board continuously since 2007 and was ACT president from 2010-2013. She was knowledgeable, insightful, discerning and tenacious, and she brought both seasoned and fresh perspectives to the board’s interactions and conversations. She was generous with her time. She not only spearheaded but worked diligently on diverse and complex initiatives—social media outreach, CEU programs, training tutorials, website redesign, branding development, and many more—always keeping the mission and goals of ACT in the forefront. Annette’s incredible curiosity and extensive connections consistently opened up new avenues for Interact program content and speaker lineups.

Annette E. Schaich, Pioneering Force in Contract Textiles, Passes Away at 61.

by Paul Makovsky

Annette E. Schaich (1963-2024), a beloved and respected figure in the contract textiles industry, passed away on November 2, 2024, after an 11-year battle with ROS1 cancer. She died peacefully at home in Westmoreland, New Hampshire, surrounded by family and friends. She was 61. Known for her unwavering dedication to the world of furniture design and textiles, Annette’s career left a profound impact on the industry and those who had the pleasure of working alongside her.

Annette was born in Reutlingen, Germany, where she studied international business and marketing management at Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft und Technik. After graduating in 1991, she worked as a product manager at Knoll International, Germany, until the end of 1994. In 1995, she relocated to New York City, where she became a product manager at Knoll Studio, NYC, serving until April 2000. In July 2000, she became vice president of marketing at Maharam, where she played a pivotal role and was a key contributor to its emergence as the industry leader in contract textiles. She is celebrated not only for her strategic vision but for her advocacy in preserving the legacy of iconic designs, such as those by Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard.

In her roles at both Knoll and Maharam, Annette excelled at building strong relationships between iconic brands in the U.S. and Europe. "During her time at Knoll, she helped integrate Fritz Hansen into the KnollStudio collection," recalled Karla the Losen, a former colleague at Knoll. "She also played a key role in establishing the partnership between Maharam and Kvadrat," added Hillary Ellner, who worked with Annette at Maharam.

In November 2013, she left Maharam to start her own textile consulting business which she operated through 2023.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Annette was deeply committed to community and compassionate causes, often spearheading initiatives to help those with limited resources. Whether raising funds for a friend in need or contributing her time and resources to industry organizations, she embodied a spirit of kindness and generosity that inspired those in her personal and professional circles.

Her role as a board member since 2007 of the Association for Contract Textiles (ACT), and ACT Board President between 2010-2013, further demonstrated her dedication, helping to elevate the standards and value of contract textiles worldwide. “We are heartbroken about the loss of our dedicated long-time board member and past board president,” says Janan Rabiah, Executive Director of ACT, “Annette was always generous with her time and worked diligently in so many ways—from outreach to the A&D community through social media, to CEU programs and branding initiatives. With her incredible curiosity and far-flung connections, she opened up whole new avenues for program content and speaker lineups at our membership conference each year. But what we will miss most is our adventurous, upbeat dear friend who was so much more than a colleague.”

Annette lived a wonderful life of joy, creativity, adventure, travel and style which she shared with her husband, Tony Conway, an artist who she met in New York City in 1997. Speaking many languages, she often was found attending and speaking at Design Week in Cologne and Milan. Together, she and Tony forged lasting friendships around the globe. She was predeceased by her father, Immanuel Schaich, and she leaves behind her husband, her mother, and Evelyn Schaich, in addition to many relatives, friends, and colleagues, who mourn her loss but celebrate the remarkable life she led. Annette will be buried in the family plot in Germany, and a celebration of her life will be held in the spring in Westmoreland.

Richard Wagner, known so well to us as Dick, passed away on April 20, 2024. On behalf of all ACT members, the ACT Board of Directors expresses our deep condolences and appreciation for his many contributions to our association.

Perhaps some of you were part of the martini moment in Chicago when Bob Kingsley, Sina Pearson and Dick (who was with Knoll at that time) were grousing about the fact that furniture was promoted at Designer’s Saturday, but textiles weren’t. The conversation took a productive turn when they decided to get a group together to stand up for contract textiles. When the Association for Contract Textiles was formed in 1985, Dick served as first president. His daughter Amanda Eaton (VP of Design, Arc-Com) continues his legacy. She served as board director and president from 2014-2019 and remains actively involved.    

After getting his start with F. Schumacher & Co., Dick spent most of his successful career with Knoll International as Vice President and General Manager of their textiles division. He also founded his own company, Contex International, which he operated until retirement.

Amanda remembers one special piece of advice: “...this industry offers good opportunities for women. You’re going to be working with a great group of people, and there are not too many industries where you can sit in a room with your competitors and work openly and collaboratively toward the greater good.”

Dick was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated Syracuse University cum laude with a BFA in 1958 and then served four years in the National Guard, earning an honorable discharge in 1963. Though much of Dick’s professional success was due to his business acumen, he was a creative soul at heart. He enjoyed painting, building, tinkering and restoration. He loved golf, history, skiing, antiquing, travel and politics. 

Dick’s Celebration of Life was held April 29, 2024, in Millsboro, Delaware. If you wish to send a memorial, please contact The Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org. 

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