DWR Names Edelman President, CEO; McPhee COO

December 14, 2009  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on December 15, 2009 Contemporary specialist Design Within Reach (Pink Sheets: DWRI) has named John Edleman director, president and chief executive officer effective Jan. 3.

Edelman, 42, is the former president and chief executive officer of Edleman Leather, a division of Knoll (NYSE: KNL). He brings more than 20 years experience with lifestyle brands to the position.

During his 14-year tenure at Edelman Leather, six years as president and chief executive officer, Edelman is credited with increasing the company's brand awareness, sales and profits as the leading national provider of premium leather to the home furnishings industry. He was instrumental in leading the sale of his namesake company to Knoll in October 2007. Prior to joining Edelman in 1995,  Edelman spent seven years at Sam & Libby, Inc., where he was responsible for its U.S. business.

Edelman succeeds Ray Brunner in the position of president and chief executive officer. Brunner was ousted in October by  fund manager Glenn Krevlin's Glenhill Capital Management, the company that took a 92 percent ownership in the company in August for $15 million.

In addition to Edelman's appointment, Design Within Reach has named John McPhee, 46, chief operating officer.

McPhee was formerly the chief operating officer of Edelman Leather, which he joined in 2003. Previously, he held senior management positions with Candie's as president, and Sam & Libby as executive vice president. In addition to his consumer experience, McPhee has real estate development and management expertise.

"During the search process, the board met with many highly qualified candidates, but the search committee unanimously concluded that Edelman and McPhee were the perfect team to lead the future vision of DWR," said Krevlin, chairman of the multi-channel retailer. "John Edelman is a charismatic, creative and team-oriented executive with an approachable style. He has a strong knowledge of and affinity for the modern home furnishings aesthetic and is considered to be an industry expert in 'modern.'

"John McPhee is a seasoned operational executive who has a strong background in IT, logistics, real estate and finance," Krevlin said. "He will be an exceptional complement and partner to John Edelman. My vision was to find leaders for DWR that foster a culture that is maniacally focused on servicing our clients and customers. This team will help us achieve these goals."

Edelman said he is excited to join the retailer.

"I have always been impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication that the store associates have for the products and vendors they work with," he said. "John McPhee and I look forward to helping shape the new future of DWR."

Based in San Francisco, Design Within Reach was founded in 1998 and sells contemporary furnishings through its Web site, catalog and more than 65 retail stores in the U.S.