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AHFA Honors John Vaughan
November 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on November 18, 2010
John Vaughan, former chairman, CEO and president of Vaughan Furniture Co., has received the American Home Furnishings Alliance's Distinguished Service Award.
Vaughan was honored Friday at AHFA's 2010 Annual Meeting at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 12.
Vaughan, who also served as chairman and CEO of Webb Furniture Enterprises, was lauded as a "civic-minded industrialist." He is the son of Senator Taylor G. Vaughan Sr., who founded Vaughan Furniture Co.; and the grandson of J.D. Bassett Sr., founder of Bassett Furniture.
He is considered one of the industrys most esteemed advisors and is known for his exceptional leadership in running one of the most respected wood furniture operations, said Farooq Kathwari, chairman, CEO and president of Ethan Allen, in presenting the award.
Vaughan joined Vaughan Furniture in 1954. By 1964, the company's orders had doubled, and so had the manufacturing space. In the years that followed, he and his brother, George, guided the company through the construction of three factories and the acquisition of three additional facilities, making it one of the top 30 residential manufacturers in the United States at that time.
His motto, "If its not right, its wrong," still reigns at Vaughan Furniture.
"A man of honesty, strong compassion and incomparable values, he placed weighty importance on building strong partnerships with the company's dealers," Kathwari said.
Vaughan's furniture industry contributions include serving on the board of the former Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association and as president and chairman of the board of the American Furniture Manufacturers Association. He was a strong supporter of the International Home Furnishings Marketing Association and has served on the advisory board of the N.C. State School of Engineering, the American Furniture Hall of Fame and The Furniture Foundation. In 2000, he was inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.
In the community, Vaughan served one term as mayor of Galax and many years on the Galax City Council. He served on the boards of Twin City Memorial Hospital, United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Oak Hill Academy and Galax Horse Shows. He also chaired the Galax Foundation for Excellence in Education, which provided more than $1 million college scholarships for local high school graduates.