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La-Z-Boy Recognizes Top-Performing Retail Partners
May 16,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on May 17, 2011
La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB) honored top-performing La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores and Design Studios at an awards ceremony during April High Point Furniture Market.
With 305 stores throughout the United States and Canada, the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores network is one of North Americas leading proprietary furniture retailers.
Retail Partner of the Year, which recognizes the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries retail system that continuously demonstrates commitment to the La-Z-Boy brands, retail network and customers, went to Paul and Heather Hogeboom, owners and operators of eight La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores in Ontario, for their more than 12 years of leadership, tireless dedication and ongoing support of the La-Z-Boy retail program.
The Customer Service Excellence award, which recognizes the store that demonstrates superior customer service and a commitment to the La-Z-Boy brands, retail network and customers at the store level, was given to Las Vegas store owner Steve Hueftle and his staff for achieving the highest level of customer satisfaction in the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries system across North America.
The award for Top New Dealer recognizes a dealer who has succeeded in his individual organization and is dedicated to the success of the entire Furniture Galleries system. This year's honor went to Michael De Nisco II of La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Latham, Clay and Auburn, N.Y., for his integrity, team-building spirit and ongoing support of the La-Z-Boy retail program. De Nisco grew up working in his familys La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries store and is an expert at bringing his customers quality and comfort.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities Partner of the Year award, which recognizes the partner in the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries retail system who has continuously demonstrated commitment to the RMHC partnership, went to R. Byron Brown, owner and operator of seven La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores located in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, for his efforts to support the local Ronald McDonald Houses. His stores not only donate furniture, but also provide each local Ronald McDonald House with complementary design consultation, free delivery and hundreds of household items collected by employees to assist with the everyday needs of those in need.
The Top 10 Performing La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries Stores in North America for 2010 were:
* La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores in Calgary, Alberta, both owned and operated by Cam Davidson.
* La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Glendale, Ariz.; Chandler, Ariz; Mesa, Ariz.; and Scottsdale, Ariz., owned and operated by Ed Breunig III.
* La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores in Edmonton, Alberta, both owned and operated by Mohammed Moussa.
* La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Fort Collins, Colo., owned and operated by Jason Johnston.
* La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Winnipeg, Manitoba, owned and operated by Dave and Gale Sykora and Cam Davidson.
The La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores recognized as the top sales growth accounts based
on percentage growth for 2010 were: La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Fort Wayne, Ind., owned and operated by the Klopfenstein family; and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Grapevine and Cedar Park, Texas, owned and operated by Lew Brown Jr.
La-Z-Boy also honored top-performing Comfort Studio retailers. Regional, single-store owners with top sales growth during calendar year 2010 were recognized, along with the top North American multi-store operation and the retail partner with the largest increase in unit sales.
The La-Z-Boy Comfort Studio network has a total of 536 locations located throughout North America. Honored for outstanding performance based on sales percent increase during 2010 were:
* Largest Increase in Unit Sales: Arthur F. Shultz Company in Erie, Pa., owned by Rob and Dan Schultz and John Blakeslee.
* Canadian Region: MacDonald Countrywide Furniture in Meaford, Ontario, owned by Jeff MacDonald.
* Central Region: Pierce Furniture in Muscatine, Iowa, owned by David and Curtis Pierce.
* Midwest Region: Smith's Furniture & Appliance in Mount Sterling, Ky., owned by Harold and Tim Smith.
* Northeast Region: Arthur F. Shultz Company in Erie, Pa., owned by Rob and Dan Schultz and John Blakeslee.
* West Region: Davis Furniture in Wanatchee, Wash., owned by Roger Bumps.
* Multi-Store: Homeworld Furniture and Furnitureland in Hawaii, owned by Mike, Bub Jr., Wendell, Ben and Scott Wo.
Also at the ceremony, La-Z-Boy announced the recipients of its Pinnacle Awards, which recognize the top-selling sales associates and highest-achieving In-Home Designers in the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network. The Pinnacle Award, part of the Peak Performance program, honors outstanding sales consultants in each of the companys five sales regions in North America.
The 2011 store sales associate recipients include: Alisha Vigil of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Reno, Nev.; Brandi Loring of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Davenport, Iowa; Nora Pearson of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Pineville, N.C.; Steve Williamson of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Calgary, Alberta; and Thomas Murray of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Latham, N.Y.
The 2011 In-Home Design consultant recipients include: Billie Wachman of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Evans, Ga.; Elisar "Elsi" El Sayed of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Alexandria, Va.; Iordanka "Danni" Paskova of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Langley, British Columbia; and Jill Morse of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Glendale, Ariz.