Stacy Garcia, a longtime hospitality design leader and founder of the lifestyle brand Stacy Garcia, Inc., has been named the 2026 Icon of Industry by NEWH.
The honor was announced May 5 at the NEWH Women in Design Awards Breakfast held during HD Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The Icon of Industry Award is NEWH’s highest distinction, presented annually to a manufacturing executive whose career has significantly shaped hospitality design through innovation, leadership and service to the industry.
Garcia, a 30-year industry veteran, began her hospitality career in 1996 as a textile designer with Richloom Contract. She later went on to build multiple global lifestyle brands, including her namesake company, earning a reputation for design that balances visual identity with performance-driven functionality across hospitality interiors.
According to NEWH, Icon of Industry recipients must have at least three decades of industry experience, hold an ownership or senior management role, demonstrate notable contributions to product design or technology, and maintain a sustained record of philanthropic involvement. The award recognizes manufacturing leaders whose work influences not only products, but also partnerships and professional standards across hospitality design.
“Stacy Garcia represents exactly what the Icon of Industry award was created to honor,” NEWH CEO Chris Tucker said in a statement announcing the award. “Three decades of innovation, multiple global brands built from the ground up, and a commitment to mentorship and giving back that has touched nearly every corner of our industry.”
Garcia has been a NEWH member since 1997 and serves on the organization’s international board. She currently holds the role of executive chair of NEWH’s Martha’s Mentors program, reinforcing her long-standing focus on education and professional development. Her philanthropic efforts also extend to organizations including the Black Artists + Designers Guild, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, the Heifer Foundation, and community-based initiatives.
Previously recognized as one of the Top 10 Voices in Hospitality Design, Garcia was also named to Designer Today’s 2024 Power List of 50 Leading Designers and Design Firms.
Garcia will be formally honored later this year at the Boutique Design | BDNY Gold Key Awards in New York City, where NEWH traditionally celebrates its Icon of Industry recipients.