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Hooker Names Albanese VP of Marketing, Delgati EVP Corporate Sales
October 7,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on October 8, 2012
Hooker Furniture (NASDAQ-GS:HOFT) has created two new senior corporate marketing and sales positions as part of its long-term strategic growth strategic initiatives.
John Albanese has joined the company in the new position of vice president of corporate marketing; and Michael Delgatti has assumed the new role of executive vice president of corporate sales. Delgatti also will continue in his current role as President of Hooker Upholstery. Both report to Alan Cole, president of Hooker Furniture.
Most recently an executive with Micro D, Albanese combines a background of key management roles within the traditional furniture industry at companies such as Bassett, Natuzzi and American Drew/Lea Industries with extensive experience in home-related internet marketing and e-commerce firms.
Johns deep roots and understanding of the traditional furniture business, combined with his leading edge knowledge of internet and mobile marketing and sales will be invaluable as we seek to partner with our retailers to better engage consumers, especially the up-and-coming Millennials, said Cole.
In the new corporate marketing role, Albanese also will lead the integration of marketing efforts among Hookers three brands, Hooker, Bradington-Young and Sam Moore Furniture. Kim D. Shaver, Vice President of Marketing Communications, will report to Albanese. He will be based in Hookers Martinsville, Va., headquarters.
Delgattis new role is part of a realignment of Hookers corporate sales management reporting structure. Delgatti is responsible for sales management of Hooker Case Goods, Bradington-Young/Seven Seas and Sam Moore. Reporting to Delgatti are: Ray Harm, senior vice president of sales for Hooker Case Goods; Craig Young, senior vice president of dales for Bradington-Young/Seven Seas; and Frank Richardson, vice president of sales for Sam Moore.
Delgatti joined Hooker in 2009 as executive vice president of sales and marketing for Bradington-Young and was promoted to executive vice president and then president of Hooker Upholstery in July 2010.
Under Mikes leadership, both Sam Moore and Bradington-Young have grown in sales and become profitable, Cole said, adding that Delgatti has successfully expanded Sam Moores line to include sofas and sectionals and has helped to nearly double sales in the Seven Seas leather division.
Prior to joining Hooker, Delgatti held senior executive roles with Southern, Clayton-Marcus and Broyhill. Delgatti will continue to live in Hickory, N.C., and maintain an office at Bradington-Young and Sam Moore and Hooker corporate offices in Martinsville.