Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
October 18,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on October 19, 2011
David Colburn has been named president and CEO of furniture components vendor Hickory Springs Mfg., effective Jan. 1.
He succeeds outgoing President/CEO Don Coleman, who is retiring at the end of this year after 39 years with the company.
Colburn currently sits on Hickory Springs' Board of Directors and was one of two new members with experience outside the furniture industry appointed to the board in 2009. He comes from an extensive automotive, industrial, technology, operations and manufacturing background and has been president of six different companies, including Electronic Data Systems of Plano, Texas (Global Manufacturing Industry Group); Del-Met Corporation of Nashville, Tenn.; MTD Automotive of Cleveland, Ohio; AP Parts International Inc.'s North American Aftermarket Division of Goldsboro, N.C.; and Repcoparts Corporation of Cerritos, Calif.
He has also presided on a number of company boards including MTD Corp, Bob Barker, Inc., and Evatran LLC, as well as the Board of Hickory Springs Manufacturing, Hickory, N.C. He has served as chairman of the Automotive Service Industry Association as well as the Automotive Sales Council in addition to serving on the Board of Roberts Wesleyan College. He also serves on the Board of ACG Raleigh (Association for Corporate Growth). Colburn is a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College and has also earned continuing education credentials from the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Illinois, and Bowling Green University.
"David's proven ability to lead will be a huge advantage in the day-to-day operation and long-term success of Hickory Springs," said Tom Pierce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hickory Springs. "His business record in growth areas such as management, strategic planning and global manufacturing is outstanding and we look forward to seeing how the company will continue to grow and diversify under his direction."
Colburn was elected president and CEO after the board formed a new search committee and investigated a number of candidates.
"Over his past two years on the board, David's contributions to Hickory Springs have exceeded our expectations," said outgoing President and CEO Coleman. "He brings outstanding traits and experiences to the office of president/CEO, including a great passion for the long-term success of Hickory Springs, a clear vision for how the company can grow in the future, strong organizational abilities, and exceptional communication skills. I feel confident that upon my retirement that I am leaving Hickory Springs and its employees in very capable hands."
"It is an honor and a pleasure to accept the office of president/CEO of Hickory Springs," Colburn said. "Hickory Springs has a long tradition of innovation and diversification, especially under Don Colemans guidance and leadership. I look forward to building on the outstanding legacy of excellence that Hickory Springs, its employees and Don Coleman have forged together over the decades."
October 18,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on October 19, 2011
Texas' oldest family-owned furniture store, Hermann Furniture, will celebrate its 135th anniversary Nov. 15-19.
Festivities will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by State Representative Lois W. Kolkhorst, Brenham city officials and representatives from the Hermann Furniture Co. at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15 outside the Hermann Furniture building in historic downtown Brenham, Texas.
Throughout the anniversary week, Hermann Furniture invites customers to stop by, enjoy wine and cheese, and take advantage of special promotions and daily giveaways.
"It's a great honor to be recognized as the oldest family-owned and operated furniture store in Texas," Hermann Furniture Owner Jennifer Hermann. "For 135 years, we've been helping our customers find the inspiration to turn their homes into truly special places. A lot has changed over the years, but the extraordinary shopping experience we provide our customers hasn't."
Hermann Furniture Co. consists of five shops carrying a variety of high-quality, traditional home furnishings, accessories and gifts. Visitors can still see traces of the past tenants of the building--including an old butcher shop, funeral parlor and a vintage Ford automobile dealership. Known for its old-fashioned shopping experience, Hermann Furniture always offers customers complimentary refreshments to make them feel at home while they shop. With design consultants on hand to provide personal assistance, customers often spend whole afternoons browsing the store and enjoying all that it has to offer.
"When I was a little girl, I remember peeking into the row of glass windows in the front of Hermann Furniture when shopping downtown with my mom," said Hermann Furniture customer Caroline Appel Long. "Hermann Furniture holds a very special place in my heart. Twenty years later, the childhood excitement of looking through those big windows still surfaces each time I visit the store."
October 18,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on October 19, 2011
The furniture networking group Next Generation-Now will host a cocktail party at High Point Furniture Market on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
Launching in 2010, Next Generation-NOW has hosted numerous cocktail parties and is creating a fun and educational Web site. The group has given an outlet to the next generation of retailers, vendors and manufacturers to network and share ideas on building a stronger industry.
The High Point Market Cocktail Party will run 5:306:30 p.m. in the Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites. The event will offer attendees networking, complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
The goal of the Next Generation-Now is to provide professional development, networking and hosted forums and give voice to the unique needs of young furniture professionals.
"We have had a lot of success getting the word out about this group and have created a great buzz," said Andy Bernstein, owner of FurnitureDealer.net, which is the major sponsor of Next Generation-Now. "The Market cocktail parties are a great time for the next generation of retailers, vendors and manufacturers to get together and chat.
RSVP for the Next Generation-Now event by calling Cindi Williams at 916.748-7677 or visiting the group's Facebook Page.
In addition to FurnitureDealer.net, contributing sponsors to Next Generation-Now include the Western Home Furnishings Association and the National Home Furnishings Association.
October 18,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on October 19, 2011
The Sustainable Furnishings Council will celebrate its 5th anniversary right where it was created, at High Point Furniture Market.
What started as a series of informal meetings among eco-friends in the furniture business at the South Cone showroom of Gerry Cooklin was formalized in a decision to become a non-profit organization supporting sustainability initiatives throughout the industry at High Point in October 2006. Notable founding members included manufacturers Harden Furniture and Gat Creek, retailers Room & Board and ABC Carpet & Home, and media companies Home Furnishings Business and Furniture Today.
The group's inclusion of ranking staff from the World Wildlife Fund, Rainforest Alliance and one of the two co-founders of the U.S. Green Building Council helped give SFC instant credibility. The first order of business was drafting standards for approval by public consensus to define what it meant to be green in home furnishings. Once in place, the SFC turned its attention to raising awareness, sharing best practices and delivering education which continue as the main priorities today.
The SFC is particularly proud that throughout a very challenging period for the industry over the past several years, the organization has continued to thrive. Membership currently approaches 400, an all-time high, and more than 600 participants have graduated from the SFC-sponsored GREENleaders Certified Sustainability Training program, the only significant certified education focused on green home furnishings. They have engaged celebrity designers including Thom Filicia, Alexander Julian, Kathy Ireland and Angelo Surmelis in a consumer print campaign that appears monthly in a variety publications such as Dwell and Luxe. They continue to attract high profile new members such as Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams, with Mitchell Gold joining the Board of Directors.
The SFC recently issued new Exemplary Standards for Retailers, bringing worthy recognition to numerous companies doing truly exceptional things in the area of sustainability. And they help connect buyers and sellers of sustainable goods at markets by distributing thousands of maps of SFC members showing at High Point and periodically staging attention-grabbing events.
SFC will celebrate its fifth anniversary with a party at The Phillips Collection showroom this Saturday, 4-7 p.m., IHFC-C202. The SFC has information points at High Point Market in Showplace (1315), the C&D Building (5th Floor), Suites at Market Square (M-8049), and IHFC (M-313.)
For those interested in GREENleaders certified training, the course will be offered 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26. To register, contact by e-mail or at 919.967.1137.
October 18,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on October 19, 2011
The 12 students selected as the 2011-2012 Celia Moh Scholars will attend High Point Furniture Market as part of their scholarship award, Oct. 23-25.
This is the 10th year the scholarship has brought its recipients to the Market for networking, to learn about the scope of careers in the home furnishings industry, to visit showrooms and attend educational seminars and other functions. The trip is provided in full by the scholarship fund, illustrating the commitment the scholarship's founders have in guiding the top college talent towards careers in home furnishings.
This Market's schedule includes presentations on sustainability and environmental improvements, product development, marketing, licensing and the role of bloggers in promoting home furnishings. Showroom visits range from rug manufacturers to outdoor furnishings, luxury casegoods and upholstery. A roundtable dinner with top industry executives, designers, editors, and manufacturers on Monday evening gives the students a chance to learn more about the vast array of careers available in the home furnishings arena and to discuss their ideas and goals with a host of professionals.
Since its inception in 2001, Celia Moh scholars have gone on to careers in product design and development, merchandising, retail management, consumer research, interior design, production engineering, retail store design, sales and marketing.
This year's class of scholars hails from Appalachian State University, High Point University, Kendall College of Art and Design, Mississippi State University and North Carolina State University.
The Celia Moh Scholarship is considered one of the preeminent academic scholarship programs for students bound for careers in the home furnishings industry, paying full-time tuition and fees, room, board and books for its recipients.
Established in 2001 by furniture industry entrepreneur Laurence Moh, best known as the founder of Universal Furniture and later, Fine Furniture Design, to honor his wife, Celia, the program's strategically managed $3 million endowment investment has provided 65 full scholarships in ten years.
Scholarship candidates are hand selected by their respective universities and then must complete an extensive application questionnaire, write a personal essay, obtain instructors recommendations, and provide a college transcript illustrating exceptional academic achievement. A scholarship committee comprised of notable home furnishings industry executives selected the students from a pool of premier candidates from eight universities across the country.