January 27,
2024 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Let’s explore the four “P’s” of merchandising with the first being PERSISTANCE. That is what it will take as the merchandising team balances short term profitability with long term BRAND that is the percentage of consumers in your market that will consider you when they started the shopping process. The table below present 2023 results by distribution channel.
Over half (53.9%) of consumers did not consider independent retailers while shopping but 46.1% did. 16.2% of consumers considered shopping at independents but didn’t follow through. and 16% shopped but did not purchase. Thankfully 13.9% did. Compare the many competing distribution channels – more on this in the next issue of Home Furnishing Business. What does this mean to the merchandising team? EVERYTHING. Merchandising influences all the factors that drive success – driving the consumer to consider to shop and to purchase.
This article is focused on the traditional furniture sector including both manufacturers and retailers. However, we realize that some traditional manufacturers and retailers are exploring other strategies as as illustrated in Figure 1.
Industries are always in a state of transition. With furniture manufacturing centers shifting from Jamestown, New York to Grand Rapids, Michigan to Western North Carolina. Likewise, distribution channels move from department stores and national chains to independents and regional chains to retail verticals and e-tailers. (Table B) But returning to the traditional channels, what can reverse the downward trend?
In the last 30 years we have seen the second generation expand the family’s single store/single market business to multi-markets, with many stores becoming corporations. Unfortunately, several have moved on to venture capital or public ownership with mixed results.
While the Commerce Department still recognizes over 20,000 furniture stores and home furnishing stores as shown in Tables C and D, the majority of the TRADITIONAL RETAILERS revenue is generated by the top 300 retailers (20.9%) of the TOTAL industry.
After the significant increase in revenue enjoyed by independent retailers, which created a financial windfall during the pandemic, many independent retailers are closing. The main reason for exiting is the lack of a family transition plan. PRODUCT – “THE FOUNDATION OF RETAIL“ There is much confusion about the definition of furniture store and home furnishing store. Here is the official definition from the Commerce Department:
Well, that didn’t help much. However, it does give some guidance to the revenue statistics shown in Table E. For traditional furniture retailers currently, the products would be defined as shown in Table F. It is interesting to note the merchandise line-up difference between the total industry and the larger stores as well as the change from 2017 to 2023.
If we went further back, we would see that other product categories have disappeared from the traditional furniture stores – small appliances, linen, dinnerware and so forth. Why? The most common response is competition from discounters. It is true that the “category killers” become part of the retail scene and drove many products from furniture retail stores. Recently these same “category killers” have met their demise, Babies R Us and Bed Bath and Beyond, to name a few. Today, the category killer is the INTERNET with the focus on the rug, accessory and bedding category, and yes furniture in 2023 with 18% of furniture sold on the Internet according to FurnitureCore, sister company to Home Furnishings Business and its research arm.
Today, there is much discussion about store traffic or lack of such. If we are limiting the reasons for shopping to items that are only purchased every two or three years, what is the impact? Even with a loyal customer base the time between purchases is significant. Consider Table G with 25%± of purchases beyond seven quarters. We should consider the RETAIL VERTICAL distribution channel that now provides 28.2% of all furniture sold. New entities such as Arhaus have 16,000 sq. ft. stores selling on average $10M per store by merchandising the total home. Difficult to execute, but so is a GOB. Harsh? But true. The industry’s emerging customers, the millennials and Gen Z, want more than just a sofa. Shop a Home Goods store and see the “lookers.” Wouldn’t you like that traffic in your store? Maybe they would discover that sofa that they couldn’t live without.
It may be time to take our product categories back. Should we reconsider infant furniture? PRICE POINTS – WHAT WE CAN AFFORD OR WHAT WE WANT? It took a pandemic to allow the furniture industry to attain a price increase. For decades the industry has bemoaned the fact that in 1964 a new Mustang cost $3500 and a sofa was $300 and now a Mustang is 15x that and the industry is still selling $399 sofas. The Consumer Indexes graphic (Graphic 1) illustrates.
Yes, the industry got a bounce, but so did the automotive industry. The price increase obviously accelerated industry growth after the initial shock of the pandemic store closures as can be seen from Graphic 2.
Where this situation resulted in a price increase driven by increased transportation cost, material cost and yes, an increase in gross margin at retail. Gross margin per square foot of selling space accelerated from the $6/sq ft level to the $10/sq ft level in 2021 peaking in 2022 at $12/sq ft before beginning to stabilize at $10/sq ft in 2023 as seen in Graphic 3.
Obviously, this was an increase in revenue but not units sold. However, the pandemic did cause a shift in traditional retailers’ merchandising price points measured by units sold by price point. Using upholstery/ stationary/sofa-love/fabric as a datum, the % of units sold in promotional drop from 24.2% in 2019 to 8% in 2023. This shift caused a 45% increase in average unit selling price of stationary-fabric sofas ($704 --$1027). Graphic 4 presents the comparison.
There is a reason that the furniture industry has been able to continue in existence without any significant price increases – the most frequent answer is the transition to offshore manufacturing. Yes, there was a cost savings after factoring in transportation cost. Now imports represent 26.9% of all furniture sold in the United States. The pandemic disruption caused a reconsideration of the offshore model. However, the many barriers of reshoring are significant. However, the major reason is the gradual reduction in quality. We say gradual because the consumer has a general perception of quality decline but not specific. How or why did the industry pursue this strategy? Gradually the marketing of furniture moved away from quality statements such as “EIGHT WAY HAND TIED” and discussion of wood species – “pecan/cherry/solid oak” to mixed hardwood or construction of “dovetailed drawers.” To illustrate the 2018 consumer awareness of eight way handtied at “did not know” at 41% in 2013 declining to 64% in 2017 and probably nil now. The results are the consumer not being educated about quality differences to justify the price differential. There is a difference between a $399 sofa and a $999 sofa, but does the consumer know or for that matter, does the retail sales associate know? The results are consumer’s purchase without a quality differential. The influence of the consumers income has little impact on the purchase. In fact, currently, in 2023 if the consumer’s household income is $100K - $150K, the probability of purchasing a $400 - $999 sofa is 1.7x compared to 2.1x for purchasing a $1000 - $2000. Graphic 5 presents the percentages.
The retailer’s communication of price/value is critical in the selling process. How important, on a scale of 1-5 of importance? PRICE/VALUE as would be expected ranks 4.55 no matter the age or income. As can be seen from Table H. The distribution channel that delivers the best price/value by far is regional chains as can be seen in Graphic 6.
But concern should be noted about the consumer’s perspective of mass merchants, Internet compared to the independents.
SELECTION - FOUND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR
The concept of selection has emerged as a focus. The question is HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? No matter the breadth of selection it is important with all ages and incomes. From consumer surveys in 2023 it was the number two behind price/value. (See Table I) While many retailers still have 100,000+ square foot stores, using a destination store strategy, in the last decade others have reduced their store footprint and moved the stores closer to the time starved consumer. The results have been an increase in occupancy cost offset by a reduction in advertising expense reflecting the retailer’s presence in a retail shopping area. Currently (2023) for traditional retailers, the performance is averaging $204/square foot (annual). Graphic 7 presents the monthly statistics.
This performance measure has increased since 2019 due to the average unit selling price the performing values between smaller independents ($145/sq ft) the larger regional chains ($275/sq ft).
The question is —store size versus consumer’s drive distance. The retail/ manufacturing verticals have more stores per household in the market but smaller stores (15M – 35M). However, the stores perform. Consider Arhaus store at 16,000 sq ft on average producing $625 per square foot, a statistic that makes traditional retailer’s question – how can they provide enough selection in that small footprint? The answer is simple. Arhaus focuses on a smaller segment of consumers (29%) than the typical regional chain serving 77% of the households in the market.
The major challenge in merchandising is the generation shift as the Baby Boomer exits and the next two generations become our prime customers. In fact, it has already occurred in 2020 when Generation X surpassed the Baby Boomers. (Graphic 8). With each generation comes a demand for a new style. In a recent survey, we compared from the consumer’s PERSPECTIVE their current style to their dream style. The results are shown in Table J.
While this is a significant challenge for the merchandise team, the extent of the challenge is to compare the dream styles of the Millennials to the Baby Boomers as shown in Graphic 10. Obviously, from the graphics above, retailers must get MODERN and INDUSTRIAL ready for the Millennials. The challenging merchandising question is, what is the definition of style from the consumer’s perception? Remember, it is in the eye of the beholder. Style quizzes have been overused and abused as website interceptors. However, those that are based upon research can help refine YOUR definition of style. Using your buyers’ perception of style as the product is placed in the merchandise lineup, survey your target consumer. When you present your style interpretation and they concur, the process of style refinement begins. (Graphic 11).
The ultimate measure is what sells. In most retailers, a “war room” exists displaying best sellers. A digital version of best sellers for upholstery/ stationary/sofa-line/fabric. (Graphic 12). Note that only one of the SKUs that are best sellers for Millennials are in the Top 5.
PARTNERSHIP - A REAL SHARING OF OBJECTIVES
What is required to reverse this downward trend? -- Simply put, PARTNERSHIP. A return to sharing between manufacturer and retailers, specifically.
The industry is undergoing a generational shift. This shift from the Baby Boomers that fueled the transition from department store and national chains to independent furniture stores has been unstable for the past decade with Generation X now generating 36.7% of the industry revenue and their children, the Millennials, following close behind. (Table K)
The feature article in the Nov/Dec 2023 issue of Home Furnishing Business addressed the consumer. Now we will address the most critical component, the product, and how retailers and manufacturers can address the merchandising task.
It has been a long time since the term “product maven” and “merchant” have been used to refer to furniture leaders. The truth is, it was never the individual that produces the magic, but a team that includes the manufacturer, retailers and the sales representative. For traditional manufacturers and retailers to reverse this trend requires getting the team back together. So, now let’s begin the process of sharing to create improved performance for both manufacturer and retailer. Just follow the red arrows below.
December 29,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry
Figure 1 summarizes all factors. As you can see, many of the factors are POSITIVE and few are NEGATIVE. However, much of the recent comments in the industry are about the impact of housing starts and inflation on the current performance.
For example, do you remember what happened when Reagan was elected? After Carter, inflation came down and mortgage rates declined. Yes, the industry accelerated. However, it began with Carter and only accelerated Table A.
The point is that the industry must recognize what drives it. If we recognize those factors that impact the industry and adjust our plans accordingly, performance will be maximized. Easy to say, but hard to do. Company management goes through distinct phases; DENIAL – It is just a temporary blip; ANGER – It’s the supply chain; ACTION – I must do something; and finally, RESOLVE – I will wait it out. The alternative is to have a fact-based plan. While the industry, at least the traditional industry, is experiencing a downturn, the TOTAL industry including furniture and bedding sold through all distribution channels is holding steady as can be seen in Table B.
Something’s Happening Here – What It Is Ain’t Exactly Clear However, we have a conundrum. While the industry appears to be stable if not improving as illustrated in Table C, the reality is that the TRADITIONAL furniture industry is faltering. It is not a typical industry rumbling, but a fact that since April TRAFFIC has plummeted. However, increased CLOSE RATES and maintained AVERAGE SALES have minimized the impact to written sales. The key performance indicators from top quartile retailers from FurnitureCore, a sister company of Home Furnishings Business, illustrate’s the trends below.
The question is, what caused the deviation in 2023, as illustrated by the furniture store results (retailers that derive at least 70% of revenue from furniture) and the KPIs of FurnitureCore’s top quartile? To understand, we must go to the consumer, the foundation of all retailing efforts. The following section examines TRADITIONAL retailers focus on the generational shift that is occurring; specifically, where they want to shop and what styles they desire, but most importantly, how do they perceive furniture in their priorities?
FURNITURE CONSUMERS – WHO ARE THEY? Times, they are a-changin’ It couldn’t last forever. The United States market has enjoyed the consumer consumption driven by the Baby Boomers. The population expansion that occurred after WWII resulted in one of the largest groups of consumers that wanted to spend. Without the constraints of wartime memories of their parents, and the “depression” of their grandparents, they were ready to consume, and they did. The HOUSEHOLD FORMATIONS is one of the prime drivers of the furniture industry. Table E presents the historical statistics. Each generation has different characteristics that influenced HOW THEY SHOPPED and WHAT THEY PURCHASED. And with each generational shift, retailers had to change the way they “retailed.” With each generational shift came different distribution channels that served the demands of this new generation. Table F illustrates the transitioning. It would obviously be easier if retailers could stop one generation and begin another. However, the transitions are the most difficult. Now we have a trifecta with three generations almost equally spending at the same time. The graphic below illustrates the expenditures and households.
This issue’s STATISTICALLY SPEAKING article provides additional information on the generations and their impact on the industry. The most important understanding is the consumers attitude toward decorating/home furnishings. As with other consumer products, the differentiation between “need” and “want” has shifted from a few product categories to many, especially among generation segments. When we asked the question, “WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS BEST DESCRIBES YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD DECORATING/HOME FURNISHINGS?” Figure 2 provides the response. The industry should be delighted to see that the coming generation is positive about our product and services. However, both retailers and manufacturers must interpret this attitude. The industry must gradually move away from “price” as a motivator to QUALITY and STYLE. The consumer does not want to communicate cheap and practical, but UNIQUE, STYLISH AND SUSTAINABLE. The marketing message must convey the same with quality visuals. Please note the caution related to the word gradually mentioned above. While the desire is there, the pocketbook may be reluctant to follow. When we analyze the survey results by income, we see the hesitation as shown in Figure 3.
This purchasing (expenditure) barrier is reflected when the purchase, by age/income of the majority of independent furniture retailers as well as regional chains. Figure 4 below presents the industry statistics for the past 12 months.
As can be seen in Figure 4, while traditional furniture retailers sell all demographics, their sweet spot is above $75K in income. The challenge is to return to communicating “Furniture is an investment – that will last for many years” and stand by that promise. Now traditional furniture retailing is focused on less than a third of the nation’s households.
There are distribution channels – value retailers, such as Big Lots, which are targeting the middle-income demographics, $35K - $75K. The use of retailer credit cards and revolving credit at the department stores can address a need and build loyalty. How has the purchasing process changed from the Baby Boomers to their children?
As can be seen in Table G, the initial shopping is NOT a family outing with partners on a shopping expedition. The impact of dual income families creating busy weekends, along with additional research on the Internet has led to delegation. Also, home furnishings are no longer the domain of the female with the male participating. However, the female/spouse is 3x more likely to take the lead.
When the consumer shops for furniture, what are they looking for? Interestingly, there is no significant variance between generations, as can be seen in Figure 5.
Now for the actual process of purchasing. With the limitations of the pandemic, you would expect a significant change, however not as much as expected. Figure 6 compares the length of the shopping prepandemic and post-pandemic. The table compares the shopping time by generation currently.
As can be seen from the graphic the shopping process is not savored as it was in the single income family time period (1980 – 1990) when the decorating project was a timeconsuming project. Figure 7 shows, the number of retailers shopped did not vary significantly by generation. Rest assured that the United States will remain a “shopping” nation.
During the pandemic, consumers were reluctant to travel great distances to shop or travel at all. However, furniture retail shopping has returned to normal with the majority of consumers driving 10-24 miles to shop. Table H presents the pre/post pandemic comparison.
As can be seen, there is no generational differences as to willingness to travel. This is important for future expansion plans to determine the number of stores in a market (Table H).
And finally, was the consumer satisfied with their shopping experience and if not, why not? When we solicited the consumers input, we got the following results as shown in Figure 8.
For the most part (30-40%) of consumers were extremely pleased with their experience. The most negative area was “good decorating advice from the retail sales associate.” This finding caused us to reflect on the growth of designers/personal shoppers.
In the last decade, the traditional furniture retailer has been under significant pressure with the disruption caused by the deterioration of the national chains; Montgomery Ward, JCPenny, Sears, Levitz, Helig, and Myers. While the decade, beginning with the year 2000, saw the decline of the national chains with many bankruptcies, other retailers that continued as more shadows of the concept of a national furniture chain also vanished. However, this disruption gave rise to the next generation of the family to expand the single-store independent to regional chains, such as ROOMS TO GO, RAYMOUR AND FLANIGAN, and HAVERTY’S, and later BOB’S DISCOUNT. Again, financial difficulties, often fueled by venture capitalists, led to the failure of ART VAN, FURNITURE FAMILY OUTLETS (FFO), and others. Furniture retailing is a tough business impacted by the ever-changing consumer purchasing and style preference. One furniture retail solution, after the deterioration of the national chains was the opening of dedicated manufacturer brand stores such as THOMASVILLE, LANE and BROYHILL driven by the conglomerate FURNITURE BRANDS. Most of this distribution channel has disappeared except for the ASHLEY brand that is now the largest furniture manufacturer/ retailer with more than 1,000 stores in 60 nations. There are other manufacturers that have pursued a combination of retail and wholesale such as LA-Z-BOY and BASSETT INDUSTRIES to name some of the larger retailers pursuing this manufacturer direct strategy.
Larger general retailers such as COSTCO and TARGET and more recently BIG LOTS attracted by the high margins embraced the furniture product. With the creation of offshore manufacturers capabilities new retailers collapsed the channel and began to design and produce their own product line. Led by entrepreneurs CRATE AND BARREL, RESTORATION HARDWARE, and POTTERY BARN, these major players developed product and a retail experience focused on a specific consumer group. And finally, the most recent retail challenge is the move to ecommerce in 2010 with WAYFAIR who after an experimental beginning as CNN STORES in 2002, became a threat to traditional retailers. Wayfair has been joined by general retailers and other ecommerce players such as AMAZON. The digital retail presence for furniture is here to stay. In fact, furniture manufacturers following their sister manufacturers in bedding, are beginning to sell direct to consumers (DTC). As always entrepreneurs are filling the space with no prior furniture experience and launching successful companies such as MAIDEN, BURROW and ROVE CONCEPTS.
This is the challenge for traditional retailers – can they change the product they merchandise and the buying experience to maintain their market share. Table I presents the historical transitions: The pandemic caused disruption in the furniture industry distribution channels with many furniture stores being declared “non-essential retailing” while other retailers continued to sell furniture along with other products. Retailers such as home improvement stores gained market shares.
Figure 9A and B compares distribution channel preferences before and after the pandemic. While ecommerce experienced an initial bump it was short lived. The major recipient was other alternative distribution channels such as home improvement stores and value retailers. While this temporary change in purchasing habits, driven by demand, many returned to their pre-pandemic preferences. A recent national survey shows the results. Driven by demand, long term consumers will return to their preference based upon lifestyle. A recent national survey measured this preference by generation.
Currently (2023), the traditional furniture retail distribution channels have just over half of the market share (62.1%). The Internet market share does not include those online sales in mass merchants and catalog chains such as Amazon. We estimate total online furniture and bedding sales to be about 18%. The next question is, “why are these various distribution channels preferred by consumers?” A recent national survey of consumers ranked specific retailers as #1, which we then attributed to specific distribution channels. As can be seen only in the valuation of the physical plant – exterior/interior—are regional chains found lacking.
What Does the Consumer Want?
As was previously mentioned, the Baby Boomer was easy to satisfy as long as it was traditional.
Yes, there were variations; CHIPPENDALE, LOUIE THE FOURTEENTH, or to the extreme SHAKER, but it was traditional. While not as exacting as their parents as to the finer styling details, the transition from craftsmen in small shops to manufacturing plants went well. Overtime the distinct design points were lost in each manufacturer’s interpretation of the style. With the next transition in the industry – moving to offshore manufacturing – more details were lost in the quest for manufacturing efficiency or just the ability to get something produced. The thoughts of dove-tailed drawers and 10-step finishes were traded in for the pursuit of margin. With this transition came a change in the consumer attitudes toward furniture from being an investment to a disposable item. As was discussed previously, the youngest generation’s attitudes especially in the upper incomes are returning to appreciate style and design. However, this return is not to the “Brown Furniture” of their parents and grandparents but a style that is uniquely their own.
Using visuals in a recent national survey, FurnitureCore asked consumers to identify their current style and then their dream style from the following visuals. The responses are shown in Figures 10 A, B, and C.
As would be expected, the American furniture consumer has not totally abandoned the traditional styling, but they have started in that direction as can be seen from the graphic below. Leading that direction is the Millennials and Generation Z as indicated in Figure 10A, when the findings were segmented by generation.
Styles changes slowly, especially in durables that are purchased less frequently. Style changes are influenced by what the consumer is exposed to. Before we moved away from stay-at-home moms, “soaps” were big influencers. Social Media has filled that role as shelter magazines have declined as well in content/ advertising for furniture in the magazines that remain.
Manufacturers observe the trends and hope to strike a chord with the consumers. In this issue of the magazine, Style Directions presents animal motiffs as one of these trends.
The consumer has a vision of what their personal design style would be. In the same national survey, the consumer was asked, “What is your DREAM STYLE,” and this was their input along with the variance from their current style: As with the current styles, the generations influence the style direction. Figure 10B presents the dream styles by generation.
As can be seen from the table, midcentury has lost its luster with the younger generation, but modern is more in favor with this emerging furniture buyer. Analyzing this same input by income range, the results are shown below in Figure 10C.
The major challenge related to style with furniture manufacturers and retailers is not identifying incoming style trends, but how to communicate both externally to its customers and internally to the staff that will sell the product to the consumer. To accomplish this requires that the retailer develop its own unique naming process for a style using a series of fun questions that require less than five minutes. DesignCliq identifies the consumers styles with a 90% concurrence. An output is shown below in Figure 11. This process, while informing, can be utilized to market with direct email and the website.
It is difficult to incorporate generational and style preference into the execution of a strategy. The use of the old standard of a war room with pictures and notecards posted to a conference room wall has served retailers for years. Transforming this concept to a digital format can provide a demographic and style preference to merchandising. Figure 12 illustrates.
July 28,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry
For a decade now, HFB’s Forty Under 40 has been a flagship that shines a spotlight on the rising stars who are shaping the future of this vibrant industry. As the landscape of home furnishings continues to evolve, it is crucial to acknowledge and honor the talent, creativity and innovative spirit that fuel its growth and transformation.
Throughout these pages, we invite you to meet a remarkable group of individuals who have not only demonstrated success but have also contributed to the industry in a variety of impactful ways. These talented individuals represent various sectors of the home furnishings industry, including design, manufacturing, retail, marketing, technology and more. Each one has brought their unique skills, vision and dedication to their respective fields, elevating the industry to new heights.
The Forty Under 40 honorees have demonstrated outstanding leadership, entrepreneurship and a keen understanding of consumer preferences in an ever-changing market. They have embraced the challenges of the digital age, incorporating technology and data-driven insights to reimagine traditional practices and foster innovation. These young leaders have successfully navigated the evolving landscape, adapting their strategies to meet the demands of the generation of consumers while preserving the essence of craftsmanship and quality.
In addition to their professional accomplishments, these extraordinary individuals have also made a positive impact on their communities and the broader society. Many of them are actively involved in philanthropic endeavors, sustainability initiatives, and advocacy for responsible business practices. They are not only shaping the home furnishings industry but also influencing the world around them, inspiring others with their dedication to social and environmental causes.
As we embark on this 10th annual celebration, we also take a moment to reflect on the journey so far. Over the past decade, HFB’s “Forty Under 40” has become a prestigious platform that provides a launching pad for young professionals to reach new heights in their careers. Many past honorees have gone on to become respected industry leaders, influencers and game-changers, leaving an indelible mark on the home furnishings landscape. They have built upon their recognition and leveraged it to create new opportunities, collaborations and ventures. Home Furnishings Business is honored to play a role in recognizing and promoting these individuals, and we are excited to present The Class of 2023. This year’s honorees have been nominated by their peers and selected by our distinguished industry experts, taking into consideration their achievements, vision, potential and commitment to excellence.
We invite you to join us in celebrating the outstanding achievement of these rising stars as we showcase their stories, aspirations and contributions. In the following pages, you will find inspiration, innovation and a glimpse into the future of the home furnishings industry through the eyes of its most promising leaders. Together, let us applaud the Class of 2023 and continue to support those that will shape the future of this dynamic industry for years to come.
NATALIE APTER, 31
Ekornes Stressless Sales Representative,
Apter and Associates
Sales representatives are brand ambassadors in the marketplace, so it’s important that they maintain the highest level of integrity—a personal quality that exemplifies Natalie Apter. Not only is Apter hard-working, but she brings positive energy with her wherever she goes .and is eagerly responsive and ready to help problem solve. Described as someone who is ready to roll up her sleeves and jump right in, Apter is always ready to assist with building sales displays or constructing floor samples any time she is asked. With an outstanding work ethic, Apter deeply cares about the success of her clients and the company she represents. Her follow through and follow up abilities are second to none as she consistently goes above and beyond for each account she handles.
When she’s not at work, Apter volunteers her time to work with special needs children, as well as at the Food Bank of San Francisco. She also works with the Benicia Community Action Council to provide dinners for senior citizens. In addition, Apter is an advocate for Arts Night in San Francisco in support of underserved children.
TYLER BASSETT, 36
IT Director, Customer Experience & Business Intelligence, Bassett Furniture
Optimizing the customer experience, both on its website and in a traditional retail setting, is a priority at Bassett Furniture and Tyler Bassett is the person in charge of that task. He leads the team that develops and implements technology solutions that allow customers to digitally see and “feel” the stores customizable products online. He owns the technical strategy and management of Salesforce platforms, manages Basett’s digital transformation initiatives and directs the 3D product visualization strategy. He is also the one leading the technical deployment of Bassett’s new eCommerce solution, which supports the new web platform across the business and includes the deployment of CRM, customer tracking and phone software. Tyler represents the fifth generation of the Bassett family at Bassett Furniture.
When he’s not working, Bassett serves on the selection committee for the Park Scholarship Program at NC State University and is an active Member of the Henry County, VA Broadband Planning Team. He is also a volunteer coach for children’s soccer and baseball teams.
CHELSEA BOHANNON, 33
Director, Internal and Corporate Communications,
Andmore (formerly International Market Centers)
Chelsea Bohannon is an integrated communications professional with experience promoting arts, culinary, fashion, gift, design, home furnishings and hospitality clients. Her expert traditional media relations skills, datadriven digital strategy and industryspecific knowledge gained from hands-on, in-house experiences yields impactful storytelling and relationship building that effectively influences target audiences. She is devoted to learning the elements that make each industry under the Andmore umbrella unique and seamlessly weaves professionalism with personality to serve those with whom she works. Her natural curiosity and drive for excellence has provided her with invaluable insight into a variety of topics including trend developments in consumer goods, retail buying habits, planning and execution of large international events, day-to-day operations of fine-dining and hospitality organizations, client management and the passion of the arts and non-profit community. Bohannon is adept at community and media relations, executive communications, influencer marketing, social media management, media buying, email marketing, content creation, trend forecasting, special events and account management.
Bohannon is an active member of Georgia’s Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and a gold member of Atlanta Junior League.
CRYSTAL BRUNS, 32
Director of National Accounts,
Cozzia USA
In the five years she has worked at Cozzia, Crystal Bruns has shown progressive growth in all areas. Responsible for growing the eCommerce channel for Cozzia, Bruns monitors the call center, which she helped establish, and makes sure all customer service issues and sales questions are handled appropriately. Crystal has been instrumental in growing Cozzia’s special accounts using the different brands under the Cozzia umbrella and in particular JPMedics. She has also helped grow commercial accounts. In addition, Bruns handles Cozzia’s paid advertising programs with various trade publications. Because Crystal’s role within the company is extremely varied, her success shows that she has drive, discipline and the focus to be successful.
Crystal donates her time working on charitable events for the Atlanta Hawks organization. She also helps run a camp for “Next Play”, a non-profit organization that is sponsored by the Jeremy Langford foundation. The foundation supports youth mental health by using positive reinforcement through life enhancing activities.
SHAUNA CARDENAS, 40
Catalog Data Manager, AVB Brand SourceFurniture
Shauna Cardenas leads AVB BrandSource’s largest data entry & analysis department and is responsible for of managing the buying group’s global online catalog of hundreds of home furnishings vendors, which is deployed on hundreds of retail websites. She is tasked with optimizing her team’s performance, launching new digital processes and enhancing the quality and breadth of the catalog itself. Despite the challenges of a constantly shifting online landscape, Cardenas works diligently and tirelessly behind the scenes on behalf of the group’s furniture technology source dealers. She successfully united four separate teams spanning multiple time zones into a single, cohesive unit. Cardenas also achieved 100% staff retention despite a reorganization, which included changes in titles and responsibilities.
Cardenas is active with Veterans Affairs and is an animal lover who fosters strays and abandoned pets. She is described as “an all-around sweetheart who is a joy to work with and an inspiration to all.” She embodies the best of AVB BrandSource and its members-first focus.
PHILIP CARLITZ, 31
Chief Revenue Officer, Bedding Industries of America
As chief revenue officer, Philip Carlitz is responsible for leading the sales and marketing efforts for Bedding Industries of America’s portfolio of mattress collections, which include the newly debuted Eclipse Glacier series, Hemingway Key West and Lifestyle collections, the Eclipse Hope Charity line, and the Eclipse Cares roll pack series. During his first 18 months with the company, he spearheaded many of the company’s growth and sales initiatives. He is credited with executing the company’s acquisition of Illinois Sleep Products in 2022 and launching several successful new collections nationally for the company.
Beyond his professional achievements, Carlitz serves on the Young Professionals Committee in Illinois, a group that is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center through fundraising events and educational programs. He is also an Ante 4 Autism sponsor, working to raise money and awareness within the home furnishings industry for families who have been impacted by Autism.
JOE CRANDALL, 35
Independent Sales Representative,
Crandall and Associates
Joe Crandall is an excellent example of an outstanding and youthful sales representative. His success is rooted in 10 years of outdoor specialty retail experience. His professionalism and integrity is highly respected by everyone with whom he works. Selected as a finalist for the International Casual Furnishings Association’s Sales Representative of the Year since 2020 (including 2023), Crandall has received numerous awards and multiple times in some cases from manufacturers over the last five years including: TUUCI Territory Growth Award, the Brown Jordan Hubert Jordan Award for outstanding sales growth, the TUUCI Retail and Trade Territory Improvement Award, the TUUCI Rep of the Year Award and the Jensen Outdoor Representative of the Year. He is a rational arbitrator in disputes between manufacturers and retailers, and trusted by dealers to guide them in the right direction. His dedication to working hard is a refreshing inspiration for younger men and women to recognize the success and appeal of being an independent rep. Committed to giving back, Crandall was a founding member of the ICFA Casual 100 Club, which created a new funding stream for City of Hope. He is a father of three girls under the age of six and a dedicated family man.
MARLON DAVILA, 39
Merchandising Manager,
Rana Furniture
Marlon Davila is the merchandising manager for Rana Furniture in Doral, Florida. He is responsible for buying all furniture & Accessory categories by collaborating strategically with suppliers, graphic designers and global leaders in order to create winners and maximize GMROI. With 20 years of product design success his portfolio includes hundreds of successful products. Using his experience together with market analysis and design interpretation, he curates products by leveraging strategic partnerships & furniture shows to gain insight into furniture design trends that will help maximize sales growth. Davila is also a passionate leader who is adept at strategic management including setting objectives, analyzing the competitive environment, analyzing the internal organization, and evaluating strategies to help meet its goals.
Davila has volunteered with City of Hope, the organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses.
ANTHONY (TONY) ERICKSON, 36
Senior Client Support Lead,
FurnitureDealer.net
Overseeing the FurnitureDealer.net client team, Tony Erickson and his team provide website support to over 100 brick and mortar retailers across the U.S. and Canada. His responsibilities include assisting on multiple top 100 retailer’s websites, new client onboarding, tool support and training and onboarding new team members. He has long been a key behind the scenes member and mentor at the company and an important contributor to the client journey. In his 10+ years in the industry he has played an integral role in the success of many retailer’s digital strategies as well as training and mentoring many members of the company and its retail partners. As the lead of the client support team, he has been heavily involved in designing both the internal team member and new client onboarding programs. Tony has long been a key behind the scenes contributor to the success of FurnitureDealer.net and it’s retailer partners.
Erickson participates in a series of charity video game marathons called GamesDoneQuick that feature high-level gameplay by speed runners raising money for charity donations. The group teams up with several non-profit organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Erickson holds multiple world records for speed runs in video games.
RACHEL GOMEZ, 36
Vice President of Marketing,
Rachel Gomez joined the DreamFit team in July of 2022 as its vice president of marketing. Her primary responsibility is to implement a cohesive marketing plan that will help increase the brand’s awareness across all platforms. Since joining the team there have been tangible results in terms of her efforts to grow the company’s digital presence and increase its digital sales. After a relaunch of the company website, and the effort Gomez put into generating new and creative ways to engage with retailers and consumers, the results were substantial including an increase in followers, brand awareness and online sales. Utilizing the company’s online wholesale portal, unique product swatch cards with QR codes and a monthly newsletter, DreamFit was able to effectively communicate with its retail partners, which ultimately helped increase sales.
Gomez is passionate about helping women succeed in the workplace and donates 50 hours of her time each year consulting with women of all ages to help them achieve a healthy work/life balance. By donating her time, she hopes to empower more women in the industry.
BRETT GROLEAU, 39
Vice President of eCommerce,
Kingsdown
Brett Groleau serves on the executive leadership team at Kingsdown where he is responsible for all strategy and planning of the eCommerce business, providing thought leadership as it relates to omnichannel growth. Not only has he made significant contributions to the growth of the company’s eCommerce presence, but also the business overall. Two years into the role, Groleau was able to grow the eCommerce channel by more than 300 percent. In a move that would ultimately prove to be a game changer, Groleau performed his own version of a brand audit. Not only did he help remerchandise the online assortment, but he also improved online content and launched Kingsdown’s highly regarded Sleep Love Share product review program, which now exceeds 7,000 online reviews of 4.7 stars or higher. Groleau was also responsible for generating $1 million in profits. Groleau’s love of the outdoors and sports align with his passion for helping others. He raises money for the children at St. Jude’s hospital. He also donates to and provides resources for the National Alliance on Mental Health.
DANIELLE HALL, 33
Vice President of IT, Backoffice
and Operational Applications,
Andmore, formerly known as International Market Centers
In her seven years at Andmore, Danielle Hall has progressed through the company’s digital marketing and IT departments. She began as a digital marketing coordinator at AmericasMart and when they merged with Andmore, she became the digital optimization manager. Most recently she transitioned to the IT department first as a project manager and then to her current position. Danielle’s work touches the tools that impact Andmore’s business including its financial, HR, registration, leasing and property management software. She oversees the enterprise application platforms, serves as the primary IT leader for the executive business stakeholders and helps guide these initiatives through Collaboration Framework for their applications. She defines and designs solutions that will meet the business objectives and strategic goals.
Danielle is instrumental in the company’s dedication to ongoing education around issues of diversity, inclusion, human rights, and social justice.
SYDNEY HARRIS, 27
Director of Organizational Development, Furnitureland South
As a member of the third generation to be involved in the family furniture business, Sydney Harris is making an impact at the world’s largest furniture store. Having joined FurnitureLand South in 2018 as a sales and design consultant, she transitioned into the role of sales education team trainer, where she spent three years training new sales associates and educating the company’s team of 150 sales and design consultants. In July of 2022, she was promoted to her current position and since then has been working with upper management to improve processes and develop curriculum and metrics to allow for measurable success. She is described as an incredibly hard worker who possesses impressive character and integrity.
Harris has been recognized as a WOW Future leader award finalist, a 20 in their 20’s by the Triad Business Journal, and an HFA Emerging Star of the Year. She has served as vice president of membership at WithIt and is also a member of the board of advisors for her local Salvation Army.
MITCH HODGES, 37
Vice President Sales, Bassett Mirror
Mitch Hodges is described as a selfmotivated, determined young man who strives to succeed in his career as well as in his personal life. He has proven himself time and time again to be an empathetic leader and has a terrific sense of being able to look at the big picture and make decisions that lead to success. He progressed from an entry level sales manager at Bassett Mirror to vice president in less than five years, accomplishing so much along the way. He is a great motivator who is responsible for driving a top tier sales force to success in the U.S. and Canada. He is also the company’s youngest vice president in its 100 years history. Hodges strives to better himself on a daily basis and in doing so helps others to accomplish their goals.
He volunteers as a referee for football, basketball and baseball games even though he does not have a child that participates in these sports. He also leads an anti-bullying campaign within the local school district. Additionally, he works closely with the local homeless shelter and helps fundraise for them to assure they have the necessities. Mitch has a mission to change any negative perspective to a positive one, from his family, friends and even co-workers. He thrives to encourage everyone to see things in a new perspective and desires to see others succeed at life and business.
MEGAN HUDSON, 39
Merchandising Manager, England
As merchandising manager, Megan Hudson is responsible for introducing and merchandising new styles for England. From conception to research and development to marketing she works across all departments and fabric mills to assure the fabrics are approved, in stock and ready for Market. She has a vast knowledge of fabric buying, flowing and application. Her eye for design trends, colors and style has helped to mold the England line into a more transitional look. During the course of her tenure at England she has grown to be responsible for not only Merchandising the England line but also in Marketing it to the public through the website and social media. She overcame various obstacles and managed to bring to market small offerings of new styles in the midst of the pandemic.
She also has an incredible memory and can recite the names of almost all the fabrics that have been introduced in the past 17 years.
JORDAN JONES, 35
Delivery Manager, Turner Furniture
As the delivery manager of Turner Furniture, Jordan Jones is an exceptional individual who has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead and achieve remarkable results. His sincerity for the well-being and development of his team sets him apart. Jones is a resultsoriented manager and has set new standards of excellence. Since joining the management team, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. He always goes the extra-mile to make sure that tasks are completed promptly and with the utmost accuracy. In his first year as delivery manager, Jones achieved an outstanding feat by setting an all-time company record for overall delivered value in dollars. This accomplishment serves as a testament to his leadership skills and ability to motivate and inspire his team. He displays a genuine interest in his team members’ well-being, supports their personal development and creates a positive and nurturing work environment. Jordan actively participates in volunteer opportunities with the Boy Scouts, the Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA.
FAUZIA KABANI, 36
Corporate Manager, Exclusive Furniture
As the corporate manager of this family business with eight locations and one distribution center, Fauzia Kabani is a major contributor to the success of Exclusive Furniture. Working alongside her brothers, she coordinates supply chain logistics, oversees operations, manages inventory and maintains the customer service experience as well as the brand. Kabani has worked hard and has been an inspiration to those around her as a strong female presence in a male dominated industry. Her leadership skills have helped increase sales and revenue through effective strategies, streamlined operations and a customer-centric approach.
She has developed high-performing teams, created a positive work culture and expanded the company’s market presence through strategic partnerships. Wanting to give back to the community, Kabani has played a key role in establishing successful philnthropic outreach programs, which have made a significant impact by improving the lives of those in need.
ANDY KAHAN, 33
Business Development, Regal Fabrics
Since 2018, Andy Kahan has been an integral part of Regal Fabrics, the Kahan family business. He spends his time focused on various areas of the company, managing the samples department, creating the company newsletter, leading marketing initiatives and overseeing operations. During the pandemic, when supply chain challenges were prevalent, Andy dramatically increased the speed and capacity of the samples department. This was a major factor in the company gaining market share during a time when others could not even get their product to market.
In addition, Andy led efforts to successfully grow relationships with contract distributors. In a move designed to improve communications within the organization, Kahan also created —and continues to maintain— the company newsletter. He brings a youthful energy and a new set of eyes to a traditional business in an older industry. He consistently looks for new ways to create efficiencies in the work environment to achieve increased productivity, making him a valued member of the team with whom he works.
SCOTT KAHAN, 37
Business Development, Regal Fabrics
In 2019 Scott Kahan joined Regal Fabrics as a member of the third generation of the Kahan family. During his burgeoning career he has been tasked with pursing new opportunities for the company. He has led the effort to acquire one of its competitors, Diversitex Home and its evolution into Kindred, an expanded selection of stylish, sustainable fabrics for a growing segment of eco-conscious consumers. He also pioneered Regal’s entrance into the digital printing business including buying the printer and hiring an expert to operate it. Kahan spearheaded efforts to further develop Regal’s business relationships and growth with eCommerce companies and continues to look for ways to pursue new opportunities for the company.
JAMES LAMB, 40
Tradeshow Coordinator, Lean Practitioner and Woodlands Manager,
Telescope Casual Furniture
James Lamb organizes Telescope Casual Furniture’s exhibition in 12 industry trade shows each year, from selecting featured products to the extensive logistics of packing and delivery to onsite set-up and breakdown. He has completed training and certification to lead the company’s just-in-time manufacturing methodology and oversees the management and maintenance of the company’s 8,500 acres of timberland in upstate New York. During his 10 years of employment, he has pursued advancement of his love of forestry with the company’s timberland and gained expertise to lead the manufacturer’s lean production protocols. His close involvement on the production floor has been a catalyst for the company’s commitment to superior environmental concern and efficiency. Lamb has earned admiration throughout the company for his diligence to handling the unique needs of the sales team.
James supports organizations that do good for the community and is an advocate for City of Hope.
KATIE MOCOL, 36
Senior Product Catalog Specialist,
FurnitureDealer.net
Katie Mocol has long been a key contributor and mentor behind the scenes at FurnitureDealer. net. Her responsibilities are to ensure that manufacturer catalogs are fully up-to-date and properly convey to the end customer the reasons their furniture might be right for them. Katie is responsible for the customer experience for the brands that she manages as well as handling any product data issues that might arise. Her knowledge of furniture is vast, and she is always happy to share what she knows with newcomers to the team as well as its retail partners. Mocol has long been responsible for managing many of the most important vendor catalogs that FurnitureDealer.net maintains. In addition to being a mentor to team members, Mocol helps onboard new employees. She is also involved in guiding the company’s standards for producing content for its clients websites and creating a leading furniture and mattress shopping user experience.
Katie is a member of WithIt, a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional development of women in the home and furnishings industry.
ALANA MOSKOWITZ, 37
Vice President Communications,
Kravet, Inc.
As the VP of communications at Kravet, Alana handles everything from strategy for Kravet’s brand and partner collection launches to PR and media partnerships. She has developed meaningful relationships and strong programs for the designers and the design community as she positions Kravet as the go to resource for luxury interiors. Moskowitz successfully brought modern marketing methods to an over 100-year-old family business. When she began working for the company in 2016, she launched an influencer program, which enhanced existing relationships. With an intimate understanding of the interior designer’s approach, she was able to build mutually beneficial and meaningful partnerships between the company as the brand and the ‘influencer’. Additionally, she has taken the lead on digital advertising, defining the brand’s approach, which led to an increase in trackable lead generation.
Alana is involved in New York Cares and Jewish Family Services. She is also committed to some of the most meaningful Kravet philanthropic tie-ins from Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, to DIFFA, to the Kaleidoscope Project, the Ronald McDonald House and more.
KAYLEIGH NETT, 27
Sales Manager,
Dunk & Bright Furniture
Kayleigh Nett quickly earned a promotion to sales manager at the newest 90,000 square foot showroom of Dunk & Bright Furniture. She is directly responsible for managing five designers, three salespeople and two bedding specialists. Nett helps to close sales for others and works with customers herself. She also improved the online shopping experience for customers by organizing and uploading hundreds of merchandise photos to the Dunk & Bright website. The sales team that Kayleigh leads is the largest of Dunk & Bright’s and sells $10M annually. In addition to her management responsibilities, she is on-track to sell $600K in her first year of furniture sales.
In terms of civic and community involvement, Kayleigh supports and fundraises for Hello Health, an organization that treats drug and alcohol addiction in the Upstate NY community. She also raised a significant amount of donations for her participation in Hello Health’s annual 5K run in May 2023. She was a local restaurant owner in Central NY, prior to her employment with Dunk & Bright, and employed dozens of people in the community. Through her restaurant, she donated food to homeless shelters and others in need.
MEGAN OSBORNE, 30
Visual Merchandising Director,
Codarus
Megan Osborne was hired by Codarus as an intern in the spring of 2014 while she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in visual merchandising at North Texas University. She was such a good fit that she was offered an entry level position at the end of the internship. The following year, she was promoted and given more responsibility. Being with the company for nearly 10 years, she has played an important role in the company’s success. Osborne is responsible for merchandising five Codarus showrooms around the country as well as working with 12 different brands point of view. Her colleagues say she handles this work. with ease because she has a great work ethic, is creative, and is extremely dedicated to her field. Osborne is also an excellent communicator and expertly manages a team of furniture movers, contract helpers and other industry tradespeople in the frantic environment of a market showroom set-up. Osborne is also dedicated to making sure the large product donations that are allotted to Habitat for Humanity and Dwell with Dignity are organized and prepared so they can be distributed to various locations throughout the country.
BREANA PENNINGTON, 38
Vice President,
Diamond Mattress
Breana Pennington is a fourthgeneration leader at Diamond Mattress and has been with the company for nearly 20 years. She works closely with the executive team to advocate sleep wellness while developing a culture aligned with the company’s ICARE core values. Pennington started her career at Diamond as general manager upon graduation from college. She exceled under the mentorship of her father and brother and was promoted in 2017 to her current position as vice president. Her contributions to the company, including helping to drive explosive growth in the last five years, is immeasurable. She assures communication and collaboration among all departments, and leads initiatives that focus on continuous improvement and strong company culture. An advocate for diversity and inclusion Pennington supports the empowerment of other women in leadership roles. She is the driver of key projects within the company and initiatives that relate to the company’s finances including capital investments, purchasing and taking advantage of market conditions.
BRIANNA PHARES, 36
Director of Marketing & Product,
Dorel
Involved in product development, marketing and sales, Brianna Phares has been with Dorel for over twelve years. She has strengthened many customer relationships and launched successful programs. She brings a refreshing enthusiasm to her work as she keeps the bar high for her team. As director of marketing & product Phares partners with the senior director of sales to lead the development of new collections and product line extensions from concept to execution while focused on targeting traditional furniture retailers. She also establishes long global product strategy for all phases of product development. In her role she works closely with the design, marketing and sales departments as well as overseas and domestic factory teams. Phares’ most recent accomplishments include the development of a B2B wholesale website strategy, leading the development of a new CRM system and marketing over 80 successful case goods product launches in the past two years alone.
JESS PRICE, 36
President, Owner/Operator,
Price Furniture
Jess Price is the owner/operator of Price Furniture, a family business that has been a fixture in Las Vegas, New Mexico for over 65 years. He successfully took the reins of this growing business and helped turn it into a multimillion-dollar retail furniture operation in a town of only 15,000. The success of Price Furniture has been built on decades of relationships and community involvement, and Price’s strength in these areas is evident in the positive feedback and loyalty he receives from customers, and from the team he built and maintains around him. Price is laser focused on customer service and involved in all aspects of the business, including handling deliveries, community outreach, and all the other tasks that a typical family-owned business owner/ operator has as part of their responsibilities. Even during challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the wildfires that ravaged the west last year, he and his team persevered and emerged even stronger than before.
LUKE QUINN, 30
Store Owner/Manager,
Posh Pelican Furniture
Owner and manager of a 30-yearold retail furniture store located in Englewood, Florida, Luke Quinn has a passion for business and his local community. The family run business reaches customers along Florida’s Southwest Coast as far north as Tampa and as far South as Naples. Quinn is a “roll-up your sleeves kind of guy” who gets involved in every aspect of the business including managing the employees, attending Markets as a buyer and making deliveries while remaining flexible to fill in wherever needed. During a career change and while in the Army Reserve as a company commander, he began working for his aunt and uncle, who were the owners of the Posh Pelican. He dedicated all his time to learning every aspect of the business and after approximately two years, he purchased the business from them. Since then, the Posh Pelican won Englewood’s “#1 Furniture and Home Décor Store” every year from 2018 to 2023. Quinn has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce since 2019, a Rotary Club member since 2020, and he continues to be involved in the community by sponsoring sports teams, and volunteering for a wide variety of events. Quinn is always eager to help others in need. Within hours after Hurricane Ian’s devastating landfall, Quinn helped community members with business and residential issues, tarping, cutting drywall, and providing mattresses to those who lost so much.
RICKY RILEY, 36
CEO,
Spring Air Florida
With CEO and bedding industry veteran Ricky Riley at the helm, Spring Air Florida/ Compass Sleep Products is fast becoming the premiere bedding solutions factory in one of the fasting growing regions of the country. Launched last summer, Riley not only played an integral role in securing the licensing agreement with Spring Air for Compass, but he also laid out and outfitted the brand new 53,000-square-foot manufacturing, warehousing and equipment repair complex. When he set out to staff the entire operation, located in rural Florida, the first job fair he hosted attracted 103 people in a town with a population of 240. As a result of being aligned with Spring Air, Riley was able to grow the company much faster than anticipated. He created a go-to-market strategy necessary to gain significant floor space for Spring Air in Florida following the brand’s hiatus in the state. He has created a winning combination for retailers and consumers throughout Florida, while focusing on producing quality, medium-range price points. Compass Bedding Products is an arm of a group of manufacturing businesses that provide training programs for youth in foster care designed to set them on a path for future success. Riley is actively involved in the program and the community, serving on the board of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and among other things, providing bedding.
BRIAN ROBINSON, 37
Sales Manager,
STORIS
Ten years ago, Brian Robinson joined the STORIS team and quickly made his mark as a client advocate. After a few years in this role, he moved into business development and saw tremendous success as a direct result of his solid work ethic, excellent follow-up skills and strong command of STORIS’ technology platform. While software is widely considered to be a complex sale, Robinson keeps things simple while uncovering problems to be solved and then leverages the company toolbox to help retailers flourish and make the most of their investment. He has added more than 20 Top 100 home furnishings retailers to the company’s roster and was the lead sales professional on the biggest deal in its history. Robinson was recently promoted to sales manager largely based on his performance and willingness to help others on the team be successful. Described as a very generous individual, Robinson often shares his time and expertise with those around him. He is an active participant in company fundraisers including STORIS’ Christmas in the City program.
IAN SCHWARTZ, 38
Vice President,
Kravet, Inc.
Having spent his entire 21-year career at Kravet, Ian Schwartz has held many positions within the company. He started as an intern, worked in the Kravet studio and export departments, and also worked as an outside sales rep for the residential division. He later worked as the national sales manager for the fabric company’s commercial division, Kravet Contract, where he lead the commercial sales team, oversaw key accounts and worked with Kravet’s executive team on sales strategy. He even managed Kravet’s government division. No matter the position he holds, Schwartz has what it takes to not only increase sales but to also increase efficiencies within the company. He was elevated to his most recent role as vice president during very challenging times surrounding the pandemic. Yet, through it all, Schwartz has proven to be an outstanding leader to his team and a valuable asset to the company. Schwartz won Kravet’s Creative Seller of the Year award winner in 2018. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and three children.
DARLENE SEXTON, 28
Director of Training,
Myriad Software
Darlene Sexton started her career with a strong retail background, so she embraced her role at Myriad Software immediately as she moved from training specialist to director of training. A results driven leader, Sexton is highly skilled in training technologies and virtual training content and manages the process to onboard Myriad’s web application, PointCentric, successfully, while going the extra mile to assist her clients as they embrace their new RMS system and make it live. Sexton’s outreach into the community extends to the homeless in downtown San Diego, as well as tending to the Ocean Beach Community Garden that provides organic produce for their community, and volunteering to lead walking tours in the historic Gaslamp area of downtown San Diego. Darlene has also been involved in the WithIt, a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional development of women in the home and furnishings industry and plans to volunteer more with them in the next year.
PREET SINGH, 35
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
imagine.io
Preet Singh built a 3D technology platform that helps furniture and home decor makers save time and money by creating dynamic 3D content that outperforms traditional studio photography. With an easy-touse web interface customers can create 3D images in minutes instead of days, giving consumers more confidence in purchasing after using their platform. Using digital prototyping that encourages collaboration, Singh is changing the way the home furnishings industry is doing business. He has made it his mission to educate people that they do not have to have a background in 3D engineering or design to turn out superior images. Singh is involved in emphasizing the importance of vocational training and education in underprivileged communities in India. He provides aid to these communities by donating supplies necessary for vocational training with a focus on STEM.
OLIVIA COX SMITH, 30
Chief Marketing, Human Resources & Administration Officer,
Custom Outdoor Furniture & Restrapping
Olivia Cox Smith is a third generation family member to own Custom Outdoor Furniture & Restrapping. She is the chief buyer and showroom merchandiser, overseeing the retailer’s sales and marketing initiatives, monitoring human resource protocols and directing the implementation of a new POS system that tracks inventory and production. Smith encourages her team to keep customer service at the heart of every interaction as she leads by example. By using clear communications and boosting employee success and morale, she is a respected leader and the people around her are proud to follow, giving rise to a loyal work team. Prior to joining the family business, she was an event manager, which laid a strong foundation for her to host instore promotions and communityrelated activities. Olivia is involved in Salkehatchie Summer Service, assisting with repairing homes in need in her community, supporting ICFA’s partnership with City of Hope, serving on the education committee at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church in Murrells Inlet, SC, as well as contributing to the Champion Autism Network.
STACY THOMAS, 38
Designer,
Bass’s Tradition House
Stacy Thomas has a talent for understanding what Bass’s Tradition House customers want and works with them to design their rooms in a manner that suits their style and needs. She has amassed considerable knowledge about furniture and design in the last 17 years, working diligently to expand her skills, and earning the respect of her customers. She spends time listening to what they are looking for and always goes an extra mile to help them achieve the desired outcome for their home. She works with each customer, paying close attention to details, to create a cohesive look while coordinating colors, patterns and fabrics that work best. In addition to her work at Bass’s Tradition House, Thomas spends time with her family and also supports the Masonic Lodge and its community efforts, including Veterans organizations and the American Legion. She also supports Motorcycle Associations that raise money for local charities.
CLEVELAND TUBBS, 34
Bedding Category Director,
Havertys Furniture
An experienced buyer with a demonstrated history of working in the furniture industry, Cleveland Tubbs is a man with high integrity and strong character. As the director of the bedding category, he manages all things bedding including partnerships with multiple vendors, merchandising, negotiations, training directives and delivering on sales and profitability metrics. Having been with Havertys for 14 years, he started as a sales consultant and worked his way up first as an assistant manager, then as a branch manager and general manager gaining valuable knowledge and experience. Tubbs transitioned into the bedding category leading Havertys to new levels of success in his first two years in the position. He is skilled in purchasing negotiation, pricing strategy, supply chain management and team leadership. Committed to being the most effective team member he can be, Tubbs leads from personal conviction. He is a strategic thinker who is honest and straightforward in his engagement with others and has the unique ability to accomplish goals in a creative way.
VICTORIA VALENTINAS, 33
President/Principal Designer,
VLV Designs
Victoria Valentinas is a rising entrepreneur who started her own interior design and custom art business in the middle of a global pandemic. Three years later, the company is thriving. As principal designer at VLV Designs, Valentinas masterfully runs every aspect of the firm, which specializes in bespoke room design packages, custom bedding and window treatments, faux finish paint treatments and custom art. She has demonstrated a remarkable ability to conceive innovative and visually stunning design concepts and consistently pushes the boundaries of creativity, delivering unique and captivating spaces that delight clients and industry professionals alike. An example of this includes the fact that she strategically developed a niche in the interior design market in her region becoming the go-to firm for bespoke hand painted wall and ceiling finishes as well as custom painted fine art. Despite her young age, Valentinas demonstrates an impressive track record of continuous professional and personal growth. Additionally, she always makes time to give back and has already made a significant and lasting impact on her local community.
LINDSEY WALDICK, 29
Visual Display Manager,
Turner Furniture
Lindsey Waldick is a visual display manager whose extraordinary talent and dedication have transformed showrooms into captivating spaces that leave an impression on all who enter. Her strong foundation in interior design has made her an invaluable asset to the Turner Furniture team. Waldick spatially plans and designs the showroom floor for three stores including Turner’s Fine Furniture and Turner’s Budget Furniture in Beachton, GA, as well as Turner’s Budget Furniture in Tallahassee, FL. She has the ability to curate a comfortable and inviting space that inspires their customers, reflects individual personalities, and sets her apart in an ever-changing world where a home serves as a personal sanctuary. Waldick has earned several awards for her outstanding talent and commitment to excellence in her craft, including the prestigious Turner’s Showroom of the Year Award for 2022 as well as numerous Showroom of the Month Awards throughout the year. Her talent and creativity helped set the stage for record-breaking sales performance in the showroom several times during the year. Waldick’s love for her work stems from her profound belief in the transformative power of well-designed spaces. Beyond the showroom, Waldick makes a positive impact in her community by supporting the Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue, Going Places Street Outreach, and the Red Cross. Additionally, she has donated her time and skills to Big Bend Habitat for Humanity.
DYLAN (DONG) WANG, 33
Chief Operating Officer,
KUKA Home
As the recently appointed COO at KUKA Home, Dylan Wang is tasked with operation management, human resources, cultural development and coordinating and overseeing various tasks between headquarters and its subsidiaries. He has been with KUKA Home for 11 years and his exceptional performance and work ethic have earned him a reputation as an excellent leader and as an expert in the industry. He has a deep understanding of both the United States and the Chinese markets, which has proved pivotal in driving the company’s success. Additionally, he welcomes all employees with open arms and takes the time to not only get to know them but to help them recognize their strengths and weaknesses to help them succeed. He knows that the success of the company is not just his but belongs to everyone around him. Through mentorships, Wang has taught over 100 lessons to help individuals improve their English language skills and understand the home furnishings industry in the United States. Additionally, his support of the LGBTQIA+ communities has helped support diversity and inclusion and he has been a voice for those who may not have a platform to speak for themselves. Supporting educational initiatives through donations is also very important to Wang as he recognizes that positively shaping young minds has the power to change the world.
ALEX WRIGHT, 33
General Manager,
Wrights Furniture and Flooring
Alex Wright is helping to drive growth for his 5th generation family-owned business, which is over 130 years old. He oversees all the advertising activities and helps implement campaigns utilizing television, radio, social media and digital channels as well as direct mail for major promotions. He is also involved with the store’s merchandising efforts. Like many business owners, he contributes to all facets of the operation. His frequent presence at furniture markets and trade events is one of the things that helps him grow and learn firsthand from other professionals. Wright has also helped drive recent growth through acquisitions as the company expanded from their Dieterich, Illinois store into the Springfield and Robinson area markets. His commitment to the company has helped fuel growth as he is part of the team that makes the decisions that will set the company up for success into the future. Wright believes in giving back to his community and volunteers his time to organizations such as the Dieterich Community Development Corporation, Dieterich Business Association, Wright Family Center, Dine in Dieterich Fundraiser, Small Town Christmas Fundraiser and more. He was the YBNext (Junior Chamber) President and the Effingham Chamber Community Leader Under 40 in 2018.
ROB DAVIS, 39
President,
Diakon
When we last featured Rob Davis, he had been named an honoree in the Class of 2017. At the time, he was VP of client solutions at Diakon and was described as “the type of young, innovative and ambitious talent the industry needs but has difficulty attracting.” Six years later, he is the president of the company and has helped Diakon become the largest privately held last-mile delivery company in the country. He is a servant leader with the ability to develop highly productive teams and relationships that are built on trust and integrity. He has consistently led the company through innovation and growth year-over-year despite economic downturns. Davis is 100% dedicated to helping the industry evolve and innovate to compete with the e-commerce giants. Davis helped form and has donated a considerable amount of money to the National. Home Delivery Association Foundation (NHDA), whose mission is to advance educational and other charitable activities in the delivery industry through a scholarship program set up for frontline delivery associates.
JAIME WASSER HACK, 38
Vice President ,
Wasser’s Exclusive Furniture & Interiors
Jaime Hack is a furniture maven who excels in building relationships and creating successful partnerships. She is responsible for developing strategies to grow Wasser’s Residential Design Division. With a talent for connecting with employees, clients, vendors, and business partners, she hosts events to foster learning and connections among designers and willingly shares knowledge and trade secrets to assure project and business success. Being deeply passionate about furniture and design, Hack prioritizes a stellar 5-star client experience. She listens attentively to clients’ needs, understands their space utilization goals, and expertly guides them through a seamless design process. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures nothing is overlooked. Jaime’s innovative thinking extends to launching new revenue streams, including the baby and juvenile specialty department called Little Wasser’s. A proponent of giving back, Hack has participated in Race for the Cure charity runs and has hosted fund raising events for the American Heart Association in the showroom. She has also donated to the Lotus House who’s mission is to improve the lives of homeless women by providing tools and resources to empower them to improve the quality of their lives.
KYLE JOHANSEN, 38
Executive Director,
HOM Furniture
Last featured as a member of the Class of 2013, Kyle Johansen was the merchandise manager at HOM Furniture. Today he is the executive director, merchandising and marketing. He joined HOM in 2003 as a showroom support person. The following year he was recognized as a top sales writer and his responsibilities have continued to increase ever since. His impact has been felt throughout the years as a key leader in developing new initiatives. Most recently he added two product categories — area rugs and outdoor furniture— and has nurtured them to become top performing categories for the retailer. As Johansen built his career, he has always remembered how important it is to give back. He is a mentor for business students at University of Minnesota and is a member of the board of directors at the Mercy and Unity Hospital Foundation. He also supports several fundraising initiatives in which the store is involved. Johansen continues to be a shining example of what a future leader should be.
IMAN SCHROCK, 38
President,
Gigacloud
Iman Schrock is part of a new and fastgrowing segment in the industry. As the president of Gigacloud, he exhibits strong leadership in an ever-increasing cloud-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) environment. He was actively engaged in the initial IPO of Gigacloud and continues to maintain meaningful relationships with investors and shareholders while assuring the organic, incremental growth of the company. Gigacloud’s mission is to help businesses transform operations and unlock new growth opportunities through intelligent automation and data-driven insights. Schrock is well-equipped to spearhead this mission and has a degree in leadership and organizational psychology. He has taken advanced courses in disruptive strategy and organizational leadership at Harvard Business School. As an educator and university professor he has taught courses in business and economics. As a young executive, Schrock exhibits the characteristics of a philanthropic leader and participates in various community outreach programs including corporate giving pledges. He also supports the City of Hope and its cancer research, treatment and prevention programs. He has been a past recipient of the Southern California Leadership Impact Award.
JOSH WASSER, 39
President,
Wassers Exclusive Furniture
As president of Wasser’s Exclusive Furniture, Josh Wasser has maintained continued success since he was last featured in these pages (Class of 2016) running Wasser’s 3rd generation family business. The company mantra he developed, “exceptional service before, during and after the sale,” has proven to be a winner for growth and profitability year-over-year. But perhaps one of the most significant of his achievements during his tenure, is the fact that he spearheaded a dialogue with the Mayer of the City of Hallandale Beach, FL., to execute plans with the city’s redevelopment board that would revitalize the stagnant Schmatta Row area into a vibrant new destination. As a result, the city block where Wasser’s store is located has now become the newly re-designated “District 8” with Wasser’s being the first property to take on the massive project of redesigning and uplifting the building with a new, elegant store front, stunning new signage and a classy 200’ hand painted ocean themed mural. Thanks to Wasser, this accomplishment has made Wasser’s a destination shopping experience, drawing a younger, more upscale clientele to the area.
MORRIS YEH, 34
Director of eCommerce,
Coaster Company of America
Morris Yeh is the director of eCommerce at the Coaster Company of America. He is responsible for managing the digital platform that integrates product content, imagery and optimization of product positioning. His continued energy and enthusiasm related to innovation in the field of product development and the growth of eCommerce retailing is contagious. He began his career at Coaster as a director of product development for all major categories. The knowledge he gained provided a foundation for creating a vibrant strategy for developing strong relationships with a large network of eCommerce retailers such as Wayfair, Amazon, Overstock and Walmart. Yeh has executed innovative product developments in several categories including motion, home office and home accents. He has also developed tools and resources to help ensure the success of consumer engagement through vibrant technological integration. Yeh is a supporter of the City of Hope Home Furnishings Industry Fundraiser, the Home Furnishings Hall of Fame and the Home Furnishings Association.