Hall of Fame Has Eight Nominees

August 30, 2006  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on August 2006 Eight individuals have been nominated for membership in the American Furniture Hall of Fame and will be honored at a dinner gala during High Point Market, Tuesday, Oct. 17, in the International Home Furnishings Center ballroom.

Alfred Audi purchased the storied but ailing manufacturer L.&J.G. Stickley in 1974 with his wife and business partner, Aminy Audi. Since then the business has grown from 22 employees to a thriving international enterprise with three factories, 14 showrooms, and 1,600 employees worldwide. In addition to a revival of Mission style in 1989 that has grown into a must-have look for companies at all price points, the Audis have acquired and maintained other American brands such as John Widdicomb, Cibola Leather and Madison Square.

Bob Bush Sr. is a member of the board of directors and retired vice president of sales of the Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co. During his 50 years of service, Bush built this family company into a business known for its quality, innovation and value. Before the term “partnering” became an industry buzzword, Bob teamed with fledgling customers in the then developing southern furniture industry offering assistance, advice, and marketing ideas. Recognizing the importance of production proximity and timely delivery. He positioned Hickory Springs facilities where they could be a strategic advantage to customers who were unable to maintain large raw material inventories, Bush established a “Just In Time” delivery program in the 1960s. He also worked closely with northern and southern manufacturers in terms of location, supply, design, credit and marketing to assure their on-going success.

Former LADD President Bill Fenn’s furniture industry experience spans the globe as well as decades. He was president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer of Stanley Furniture Co.; and also held senior management positions with Thomasville Furniture Inds. and Armstrong World Interiors prior to joining LADD as president and COO in 1982. He was named vice chairman of LADD Furniture in January 1990. His leadership skills have set him apart as a talented and accomplished manufacturer. His later contributions to the North Carolina Furniture Export Council have been extremely important to the growth of the industry overseas. His military experience, education, and years of service to the furniture industry prepared him to receive the honor to serve as Honorary Consul General representing North Carolina in Japan. Through this he has been able to promote trade to and from Japan. In 1995, he was appointed to the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the highest civilian award that can be presented within the state.

Fred Friedman, former CEO of Carls Furniture, led the retailer’s growth to over 500 employees working in 22 stores with annual revenues exceeding $130 million. Friedman passed away last year. The success enjoyed by the Carls group can be directly linked to the personal involvement exhibited by Friedman with his employees. He made it a practice to know each individual employee. Everyone at Carls is on a first-name basis, and most employees have 25-plus years with the company. Through his leadership at Carls, the company is recognized as an outstanding and civic-minded corporate citizen, working with and supporting many charities.

Charles Greene, founder, CEO and president of Classic Gallery, came in 1967 from Dun and Bradstreet to High Point to install a computer system at Kay Lyn Furniture Co. After a year at Kay Lyn, he was offered the position of general manager of Directional Furniture, a subsidiary of Kay Lyn, where he became aware of a niche in the industry that was not being met--designers’ need for custom-built furniture. He saw that while most furniture and department stores had their needs being met, the small, independent designers needed a quality upholstery manufacturer that would cater to their needs. In response to this void, Charlie founded Classic Gallery. Shortly after opening Classic Gallery, he became a member of the American Society for Interior Designers and was the first non-designer to serve on that national board of directors. He chaired the Industry Foundation Committee of ASID and was a frequent speaker at ASID chapters across American and Puerto Rico.

Sidney Gayle Jr. inherited his spirit for furniture photography from his grandfather, Sidney L. Alderman. After graduating from Georgia Tech he joined Alderman Studios in 1945 and served as president and CEO until 1985. He was owner of Omega Studios from 1986 to 1997. Gayle dedicated his career to helping furniture manufacturers market their goods in new and exciting ways. As an example, he pioneered the concept of photographing furniture in a home environment created in the studio.

The marketing needs changed many times during Sidney’s 55 years of service in the industry. He met these needs by reaching out across the country to bring in the best and brightest marketing minds to service the furniture industry. He provided his people with the latest technology of the day. This allowed his studio to provide innovative marketing solutions and strategies.

Charles Knabusch, the son of La-Z-Boy co-founder Edward Knabusch, became president of the company in 1972, succeeding his father. During his tenure, the company completed a series of acquisitions and mergers and consistently outperformed industry growth averages. After assuming the CEO post in 1985, Knabusch improved La-Z-Boy’s sales to more than $1 billion a year from $52.7 million when he began his tenure. Under his direction, La-Z-Boy became the largest upholstered furniture manufacturer in the U.S., and the world’s largest producer of reclining chairs.

Ronald Wanek founded Ashley Furniture Inds. in the early 1970s, taking the company from being a modest manufacturer of occasional tables to the largest furniture manufacturer in the world and the second largest retailer in the United States in 2005. Wanek made many landmark decisions to raise his business to the level it has today. In the 1970s he began using European flat line construction in wood furniture, which offered both high quality and labor efficiencies. In the 1980’s, he developed global sourcing, becoming one of the first manufacturers to both source and sell around the world. He also introduced the industry’s most successful polyester finishes bringing color to wood furniture. Through Ashley Furniture HomeStores, Wanek introduced the concept of selling in Ashley-branded stores while focusing on the needs of middle income consumers.