New York Association Is IHFRA's Chapter of the Year

April 5, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on April 6, 2010

The Greater New York Home Furnishings Association will be recognized as IHFRA's Chapter of the Year at the 76th annual Presidential Gala and Awards Banquet during the High Point Market.

The chapter is being honored for the bold initiatives it has taken to reorganize its operations and reframe its mission to align itself with the current economic situation and changing nature of the furniture industry. For more than 80 years the GNYHFA has served a membership composed of reps, retailers, manufacturer/importers and suppliers to the industry.

The organization's social and networking events include, supplier expo events, a black-tie dinner and dance, a golf outing, educational seminars and informal Texas Hold Em networking evenings. It also has been active as needed in local and state legislative issues affecting New York-area retailers and reps.

This past year, GNYHFA honored Neil Goldberg, Michael Goldberg and Steven Goldberg of Raymour & Flanigan at a highly successful dinner and dance gala. The Goldbergs received the Jerry Gans Memorial Award, its highest honor. The event, complete with a souvenir journal honoring them, drew roughly 450 industry members.

"Our Dinner Dance is a huge undertaking for the Association, spearheaded by our long-time member, supporter and past president Andy Gans of Gans Brothers," said said GNYHFA President Chris Delisa, Home Line's New York territory sales executuve. "Andy invests his own blood, sweat and tears to make sure this event is the highlight of the New York furniture industry's year."

In addition, GNYHFA recently redesigned its Web site, installing a Paypal feature to streamline dues and event payments, and instituted aggressive social networking with the creation of an active Linkedin site that now boasts around 250 members.

Despite of an aggressive event calendar and pro-active membership committee, the association is facing a long downward trend in membership, and a reduction in grass roots member participation.

"The NY home furnishings industry has changed in recent years," Delisa said. "Retail consolidations, and difficult business conditions have had a negative effect on our mid to large-sized, New York-based independent retail members. Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of furniture sold in (New York), but it is sold through different channels. We are a historical organization based on long standing family ties and strong relationships, but at the retail level, to some degree, those ties have weakened in recent years. This same trend has made it difficult for many reps, especially in the mid and upper end who have fewer good customers to sell."

In recognition of a need to change the way the organization does business in order to generate more direct member involvement and reduce costs for members and supporters, GNYHFA recently decided to eliminate its full-time executive director position, cut office expense and initiate a grass roots effort to generate membership. It also allocated resources to focus on its core mission to help members become more efficient and profitable; influence general business conditions experienced by New York-area members; and promote good business practices through the exchange of ideas at networking events seminars and functions.

Just two weeks after the change in direction, membership was up by 20 percent, and member stores of the Fashion Home Group have rejoined the association, and rep membership is on the increase.

"With lower overhead and a more active membership, we are confident we are on the right track," Delisa said. "Change is never easy, especially for an association like ours. The fact is that although GNYHFA is an affiliate member of IHFRA providing representatives and now also retailers and suppliers with valuable discounts and services, our major strength comes from the ties we've formed locally. Our members have relationships that support and inform their lives and their ability to make a living in the furniture industry. We are committed to developing them further in the coming years by making it easy for local business people to join GNYHFA and stay involved."