Agio Names Andy Sokol VP Sales

May 9, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Casual Furniture on May 10, 2011

Casual furniture supplier Agio International has named Andy Sokol vice president of sales.

Sokol will lead the outdoor manufacturer's newest initiative to make inroads and increase sales with traditional home furnishing retailers.

Sokol brings 27 years of retail merchandising experience in home furnishings with him to represent the Agio brand among furniture store retailers. Most recently an executive with Macy's, (NYSE: M) Sokol spent most of his career in outdoor furniture with the legendary New York and New Jersey retail chain Fortunoff.

Announcing the appointment, Agio President Bob Gaylord said Sokol's nearly three decades of experience on the retail side would immediately impact Agio's initiative to expand the casual outdoor furniture business into the traditional home furnishings retail segment.

"When Andy and I discussed the possibility of him joining Agio, we realized that we had exactly the same vision in regard to this game changing opportunity," Gaylord said.

"I'm excited to be joining the Agio team," Sokol said. "Agio leads the outdoor industry not only because it has its own design teams, produces a great product and provides value; Agio can execute the delivery of that product. It's the total package that's important to retailers."

"Andy was instrumental in making the outdoor category successful with two retailers when it was not their core competency," said Gaylord. "That's why Andy has joined the Agio team€”to help us explain and to help retailers understand how to get involved in this segment and succeed."

Sokol spent the majority of his career with the Fortunoff chain helping to build that store's casual outdoor furniture business in the New York Tri-State area. Sokol began his career with another Northeast retailer Filene's Basement in Boston, which at that time was part of the Federated Group.