MERIDIAN, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Direct Selling Association (DSA dsa.org) recently presented its 2009 annual industry awards for outstanding achievement and honored Scentsy Inc. with the first ever Rising Star Award at the DSA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The Rising Star Award is presented annually to one up-and-coming direct selling company that has dedicated itself to achieving a high standard of excellence in business operations.

Scentsy opened its doors in 2004 with the idea of offering a safe, wickless alternative to burning candles in homes and offices. Scentsy experienced record growth as customers saw its decorative warmers as not just a safer alternative but as a better alternative. Scentsy's success can be attributed to a simple and valuable product line sold through independent consultants at home parties.

"We always strive at Scentsy to bring value to customers by creating and selling high-quality products that warm the heart, enliven the senses, and inspire the soul," said Orville Thompson, Scentsy CEO and co-owner. "We are honored that the DSA awards committee has recognized our singular focus on quality and value in the midst of tremendous growth."

"This award further validates the success we have experienced," said Heidi Thompson, Executive Vice President and co-owner. "But our success is merely a byproduct of passionate customers and consultants, and an outstanding corporate team, who have shown great enthusiasm for our products and parties."

Each year the Direct Selling Association gathers for its annual meeting and hosts its annual Awards Banquet. The DSA presented awards in the areas of technology innovation, partnership, sales force development and program excellence. The five companies honored during the association's annual meeting were ACN Inc., Mary Kay Inc., Oxyfresh.com, Scentsy Inc. and ServiceQuest. Oxyfresh.com, ServiceQuest and Scentsy are all based in Idaho.

About Scentsy

Scentsy Inc. is a rapidly growing party plan company offering a variety of scented, wickless candles heated in decorative ceramic warmers, and other fragrance products. What began in 2004 in a 40-foot ocean container on a small Idaho sheep farm is now a national company growing 300 percent annually with more than 35,000 independent consultants in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Learn more about the Scentsy Candle Business.

About the Direct Selling Association

DSA is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers. Among its more than 250 active and pending members are companies selling both via a party-plan method and in the traditional person-to-person style. In 2007, U.S. direct sales were more than $30.8 billion with more than 15 million direct sellers nationwide. The vast majority are independent business people - micro-entrepreneurs - whose purpose is to sell the product/service of the company they voluntarily choose to represent. Approximately 90 percent of direct sellers operate their business part-time.

For more information on direct selling, DSA and its Code of Ethics, please visit the DSA website at www.dsa.org.