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N.J. Honors Ethan Allen for Environmental Stewardship

June 7, 2012 by in UnCategorized

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on June 8, 2012

Vertically integrated furniture company Ethan Allen has received the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Certificate of Environmental Stewardship.

NJDEP's Environmental Stewardship Initiative recognized Ethan Allen, Danbury, Conn., "for its voluntary and proactive measures taken to go beyond compliance in an effort to improve the environment and ensure a sustainable future" in its Passaic manufacturing facility.

We are very aware as a company that everything we do impacts our local environments," said Ethan Allen Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari. We are pleased to have the state of New Jersey recognize the efforts we are making to ensure the safety and health of our employees and their communities.

The NJDEP acknowledgment is based on Ethan Allens engagement in eight individual stewardship activities that include the development of an environmental policy, analysis of the facility's carbon footprint, implementation of green building materials and techniques, and reduction of material waste.

Stewardship reports for all participating sites in New Jersey are available on the NJDEP website. The NJDEP continuously updates reports on participant progress in ongoing stewardship initiatives.

Ethan Allen has begun to implement the Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture program in all of its manufacturing facilities including its Passaic facility. Launched by the American Home Furnishings Alliance in 1999, EFEC is an environmental management system that requires companieson a facility-by-facility basisto analyze and better understand the environmental impact of their processes, raw materials, and finished products.

Select Comfort Realigns Management Team

June 6, 2012 by in UnCategorized

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on June 7, 2012

Bedding retailer Select Comfort Corp. (NASDAQ: SCSS) has made several changes to its senior leadership team to support of the company's growth and long-term, customer-focused strategies.

"This is an exciting time for Sleep Number as we continue to focus on delivering an unparalleled sleep experience for our customers," said Shelly Ibach, president and CEO. "To that end, we've built an experienced, consumer-centric senior leadership team dedicated to realizing our potential as both a brand and company for the benefit of customers, employees and shareholders."

Michael Bills has been named senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Bills has more than 20 years of experience developing integrated marketing strategies for global brands.

Currently, he is the executive director of the Innovation Initiative at the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where he created and managed the college's Center of Excellence focused on corporate innovation. Prior to joining Ohio State University, Bills was president of Retail Planning Associates and managing partner, the Americas, for Fitch.

New members of the company's senior leadership team also include Andy Carlin, who has been promoted from vice president to senior vice president and chief sales officer, continuing to oversee all sales channels and real estate. Carlin joined the company in 2008 after spending more than 20 years in sales leadership roles for companies such as Gander Mountain and Kohl's Department Stores.

Annie Bloomquist has been named senior vice president and chief product officer. She had been vice president.

In her expanded role, she will lead product innovation including product management, development and R&D for Sleep Number products. Prior to joining the company four years ago, Bloomquist held leadership positions in product and merchandising at Macy's and Marshall Field's Department Stores for Target Corp.

Hunter Saklad, vice president of consumer insights and strategy, also joins the senior leadership team and now reports to Ibach.

All services and post-purchase fulfillment - customer experience and six sigma; home delivery and logistics; sourcing and materials; manufacturing and quality-are consolidated under one senior leader and function. As such, Kathy Roedel, executive vice president and chief technology and services officer, becomes executive vice president and chief services and fulfillment officer. She remains a member of the senior leadership team and reports to Ibach.

Remaining in their senior leadership positions are Wendy Schoppert, executive vice president and chief financial officer; Mark Kimball, senior vice president and general counsel; and Karen Richard, senior vice president and chief human capital officer. All will continue to report to Ibach.

The new senior leadership team eliminates the chief operating officer role and represents a broadened direct-report structure that more tightly aligns with the company's key strategic goals.

EPA Honors Ethan Allen

June 6, 2012 by in UnCategorized

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on June 7, 2012

Vertically integrated furniture company Ethan Allen has received an Environmental Merit Award from the New England Office of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ethan Allen, Danbury, Conn., was honored for outstanding efforts in preserving New Englands environment along with more than 30 individuals and organizations at a special ceremony held earlier this year at Faneuil Hall in Boston.

As a company, we are proud of our commitment to the environment and we take this very seriously both locally and globally, said Ethan Allen Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari. All of our facilities, including those in northeastern Vermont, work hard every day to make the best use of our resources and ensure the safety and health of our employees and their communities. To have our efforts recognized by the EPA is a great achievement.

At the local level, Ethan Allen reduced air pollutant emissions over the last 10 years by 95 percent, or by 234,800 pounds. The companys commitment to using more eco-friendly chemicals in its finishes has reduced air pollution and hazardous waste generation. In the companys Vermont facilities, wood chips and sawdust, byproducts of its manufacturing operations, are burned to provide steam energy for heat and reused for electric co-generation. This has allowed a drastic reduction in heating oil use at these plants, which hope to be oil-free operations by 2013.

For more than three decades, the merit awards have recognized valuable contributions to environmental awareness and problem solving and are a unique way that the EPA can recognize individuals and groups that are making significant impacts on environmental quality in distinct ways. This year, close to 100 nominations were received from across New England.

"As stewards, all of the recipients are making real and lasting differences in communities across our beautiful region. Whether it's finding innovative ways to safeguard our water resources or conserving the energy our communities use each day, each individual has advanced our mission to protect human health and the environment, said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of the EPAs New England office.

Ethan Allen has also begun to implement the Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture program in all of its manufacturing facilities. Launched by the American Home Furnishings Alliance in 1999, EFEC is an environmental management system that requires companieson a facility-by-facility basisto analyze and better understand the environmental impact of their processes, raw materials, and finished products.

ICFA Picks Apollo Finalists

June 6, 2012 by in UnCategorized

By Home Furnishings Business in Casual Furniture on June 7, 2012

The International Casual Furnishings Association has announced finalists for the 2012 Apollo Awards.

The program recognizes retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings.

Finalists must demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and commitment to customer service. The ICFA membership will vote via an online ballot for a winner in each category later this summer. Finalists will be honored and the winners announced at a gala awards banquet Sept. 22, during the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market in Chicago.

Finalists in the 2012 competition include:

Single Store Category