Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
July 11,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on July 2007
Audra Harrington has been named director of marketing services for the High Point Market Authority, a new position for the organization.
Prior to joining the authority, Harrington was operations manager for Showplace where she was involved in building operations, leasing and the development of marketing and advertising materials. She was also involved in the production of the High Point Market’s Stars Under the Stars concert series. Before joining Showplace, she was assistant showroom manager for Wildwood Lamps.
In her new position, Harrington will work as a bridge between marketing and operations. Her responsibilities range from public relations support and coordination of sponsorship programs and special events to Market Scouts training and database management.
“Audra brings us a wealth of knowledge about the inner-workings of the market, and her energy and experience will be a great asset to our team moving forward,” said Brian Casey, president of the authority. “This is just another means of adding the necessary services to support the needs of our customers. We are continually working to expand our programs and these added resources will help us to jump start many of the creative ideas we have to improve the market experience for all concerned.”
July 10,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on July 2007
Retail systems and automation vendor Escalate Retail, San Diego, announced Tuesday that Steve Pulver has been named vice president and general manager of the company’s Big Ticket solutions group; and Ron Seller as vice president of sales.
In his new role, Pulver will oversee the executive team responsible for all of Escalate’s 240 Big Ticket customers, which includes home furnishings, consumer electronics, and wireless retailers. Pulver has more than 27 years of industry experience, most recently with GERS Retail in a variety of roles including customer service, professional services, and sales management positions. Prior to GERS, Pulver served as vice president of sales and services for BayLogics, where he managed a team that serviced top-tier retail organizations. He also has a hands-on background in retail, operating his own home furnishings business for more than 10 years.
As vice president of sales for the Big Ticket group, Sellers nurture current customer relationships and cultivate new ones. Sellers brings more 18 years of experience to his new position, having held roles at GERS in several capacities including account executive, vice president of sales for SQL-Lite, and as one of the original executives of FurnishNet, now a division of Escalate Retail. He has been instrumental in the growth of FurnishNet, which now serves more than 1,000 manufacturers and retailers. Sellers previously served as vice president of sales at Amplitude Software, delivering Web-based enterprise applications to Fortune 100 companies.
“The Big Ticket solutions group will benefit tremendously from Ron and Steve’s extensive industry experience,” said Stew Bloom, chief executive officer of Escalate Retail. “They have each made strong contributions to our customers and to Escalate Retail as a whole, and I’m proud to announce their well-earned promotions. With their thorough understanding of the industry and our company, Steve and Ron are already adding new value to our products and services and delivering increased value to our customers. We’re expecting continued growth of the business as a result of their leadership.”
July 10,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on July 2007
Colonial Mills Inc., Pawtucket, R.I., a leading manufacturer of braided-texture area rugs and accessories, has appointed Meredith Thayer to the position of sales executive for business development.
Thayer’s responsibilities include managing existing accounts largely throughout New England and the South as well as cultivating new business. Specifically, she sells CMI’s private label, standard line, excess inventory, and new yarns and fabrics to customers and prospects, including Internet-based and catalog retailers, traditional retail stores and those that use their own fabrics, design the rugs themselves and sell direct to the consumer.
Prior to her current position, Thayer served as marketing coordinator for ARS Restoration Specialists, Newton, Mass.; and sales support manager at CMI.
Thayer earned her bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and she resides in Quincy, Mass.
July 10,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Mattresses on July 2007
Despite a hotly competitive environment, Trinity, N.C.-based Sealy, the world’s largest bedding manufacturer, saw net sales increase 6.7 percent to $401.8 million during its second quarter. Gross profit rose 2.3 percent to $172.5 million during the quarter.
International sales increased by 15.8 percent, which was the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit increases in markets outside the United States.
Chairman and CEO David McIlquham said the company faced a number of challenges during the quarter.
“We remain focused on driving unit growth and protecting our position with retailers as we navigate through the flame retardancy (FR) conversion with our customers, soft industry unit trends, growing demand for specialty products and a challenging competitive environment. As expected, this strategy has resulted in near-term pressure on margins and costs, but we are operating Sealy for long-term growth and are positioning ourselves to optimize the opportunity as the industry turns,” he said.
McIlquham said the company is pleased with early sales results of its new Stearns & Foster and Posturepedic Reserve lines and its growth in the specialty and promotional mattress segments.
July 10,
2007 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on July 2007
Donald Trump unveiled a new line of office chairs at a Manhattan Staples Tuesday, and during a press conference, the billionaire couldn’t resist an urge to add another chapter to his long-running feud with Rosie O’Donnell.
Trump Office for Staples is a collection of five executive chairs said to be “inspired by the lifestyle of Donald Trump” at prices ranging from $350 to $550.
At the press event hosted by Framingham, Mass.-based Staples, Trump reportedly said, “Someone asked me how Rosie O’Donnell would like these chairs. They’re not strong enough (for her). We’d have to make them stronger.”
Trump made a similar crack about the former talk show host in April at the unveiling of the Trump Home Collection at Lexington Home Brands during the High Point Market.
At Tuesday’s event, Ron Sargent, chairman and CEO of the 1,900-store Staples chain said the company elected to team up with Trump because his name “personifies quality and success.”