Daily News Archive
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April 2,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on April 3, 2011
The American Home Furnishings Alliance presented its annual HOME Awards Saturday for journalists covering the residential furniture industry.
The awards were created to "Honor Outstanding Media Efforts" in reporting on new home furnishings products and trends.
Winner in the trade publication category was Home Furnishings Business, a second win for the monthly magazine targeting retail and manufacturing executives. Unlike the consumer categories, trade entries are judged on the degree to which the writer helps the industry understand product trends or consumer marketing issues. Judges commended Home Furnishings Business for its efforts to keep industry executives abreast of consumer attitudes about the furniture shopping experience, as well as consumer sentiment about the economy and its impact on shopping behavior.
"Home Furnishings Business continues to bring needed information in an engaging and educational way. Very helpful. A real resource," said one judge. Another described the entry as "consistent, brilliant reporting. This publication has content and soul."
Winner in the regional consumer magazine category was Design NJ Magazine, a regional home and design magazine with more than 100,000 readers throughout New Jersey. In addition to homeowners, it is read by interior designers, architects and other design professionals. It is the second win for Design NJ, which also took home first place honors in the magazine category in 2009.
The HOME Award judges commended Design NJ for the breadth of products included in its monthly trend reports, but also noted that it remains "very readable." One judge said the publication received the top vote for offering readers unique product selection and great images with easy-to-find information and tips on how to incorporate it."
Winner in the newspaper category was Tracy Lehmann, home and garden editor for the San Antonio Express-News. Lehmann's entries included both regular newspaper features as well as articles from a glossy, magazine-format monthly supplement called "Trends."
"Tracy's talent for the memorable turn of phrase and her insight into emerging trends is a delight to the reader and a service to the industry," one reported. Another judge commended Lehmann for digging deep to find interesting product themes "to explore and illuminate."
Winner in the broadcast category was "For Your Home", a lively and informative home and garden show on public television since 1996. It was the second win for the Charlotte-based show hosted by Vicki Payne.
"(Vicki offers) terrific tips and 'rules' to do it right! (She) made redecorating seem fun and possible, not daunting. Actually inspired ME to change some things in my living room," wrote one judge. Another noted, "With a profusion of (shows) about the home, Vicki Payne and For Your Home stand apart in increasing awareness of what is possible."
All five 2011 first-place winners received a Chinese red "Dogwood" vase created by master potter Ben Owen III of Seagrove, N.C.
The growing competition received more than a dozen entries in the consumer magazine category this year, prompting judges to honor both a national and a regional publication. Winner in the national magazine group was Better Homes & Gardens, which was recognized for its "Style Made Simple" series and room makeover features that help consumers "decode" the key ingredients to making a room warm and functional.
Each year the judges also have the option of awarding honorable mentions. This year five honorable mentions were awarded, including a first-time award in the social media category. Recognized with honorable mentions were:
Social Media: Lesley Weidenbener for The Design File blog.
Trade: Wallace W. (Jerry) Epperson for Home Furnishings Digest.
Newspaper: Stacy Downs, Kansas City Star.
Regional Magazine: Merri Grace McLeroy, Gulfstream Media Group.
National Magazine: House Beautiful.
"This years entries included some of the most visually beautiful magazine pieces we have ever received," said Jackie Hirschhaut, AHFA vice president. "But, as inspiring as stunning photography can be, this competition is truly about the complete editorial package. Our judges are looking for inspiring copy that moves consumers into action, fully equipping them to find the products or recreate the rooms they find on those glossy four-color pages."
Judges for the HOME awards are members of AHFA's Public Relations Council. Last year's HOME Award winners also helped judge the 2009 entries. They included Elaine Markoutsas, home writer for Universal Press Syndicate; Lacey Howard, editor of Decorating Magazine; and David Perry of Furniture/Today.
Members of AHFAs Public Relations Council include Doug Bassett, Vaughan-Bassett; Holly Blalock, C.R. Laine; Teresa Buelin, Laneventure; Ben Copeland, Copeland Furniture; Lisa Hanly, Furniture Brands International; Laura Holland, Hickory Chair; Kate Holcomb, Rowe Furniture; Justin Mills, Flexsteel Industries; Jay Moore, Bassett Furniture; Kim Shaver, Hooker Furniture; and Ed Tashjian, Home Meridian International.
April 2,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on April 3, 2011
Case goods furniture vendor Magnussen Home Furnishings has honored sales sales associates with sales awards for peak performance in 2010.
Sales awards were presented at Magnussen's sales meeting at High Point Furniture Market(http://www.highpointmarket.org).
Sean Pauley received two awards, the Ingwer Magnussen Sales Person of the Year; and Greatest Percentage Increase in 2010.
David Wildenberg won the Greatest Dollar Volume Increase in 2010 Award.
Bob Irish was recipient of the Customer Service award.
Robby Wright received the Sales Demand Planner of the Year award.
Gans Brothers Inc. won the Highest Market Share award.
Furniture Sales Agents Inc. was recipient of the Highest Market Share Increase award for 2009-2010.
Tracey Johnsen received the Rookie of the Year award.
April 2,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on April 3, 2011
The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation has elected new officers and board members, and appointed new members to the Hall of Fame Legacy Board.
Kurt L. Darrow of La-Z-Boy Inc. has been elected Board president; Randy Ford, Leggett & Platt, first vice president; George Cartledge, III, Grand Home Furnishings, second vice president; and William D. Kimbrell, Star Furniture, secretary-treasurer. Jeff Cook will continue to serve on the executive committee as Board chairman.
New directors serving a three-year term are Pedro Capo, El Dorado Furniture; Eric Easter, Kittle's Furniture; Larry Rogers, Sealy; and Paul Toms, Chairman, Hooker Furniture.
"In the past year, we have taken great strides in moving forward with several initiatives to preserve our industry's history and honor our leaders," Cook said. "We have now published 12 of 40 oral histories, are in the process of developing the first comprehensive history of the industry and we have adopted a new nominations and elections process to expand the search for leaders worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame.
"We are just starting Phase 2 of the website which now includes a search engine that will make it possible to use the site as a research tool as we start adding original information and materials. Perhaps what is most special is that we are embracing the entire industry--retail, manufacturing and supply chain, merchandising, marketing and more--and we are getting ready to start collecting the stories that everyone loves to tell about our industry family."
Board members serving an additional three-year term are Gerry Borreggine, Therapedic; Jeff Cook, A.R.T. Furniture; Darrow; and Caroline Hipple, HB2 Resources.
Eric Hinshaw of Kingsdown Inc. has joined the Legacy Board.
March 31,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on April 1, 2011
Flexsteel Inds. (NASDAQ: FLXS) plans to build a new corporate office building in the Port of Dubuque in Iowa.
The planned four-story, 40,000-square-foot building is estimated to cost $12 million. Construction of the building is contingent upon approval and financial assistance from state and local government. Construction could begin as soon as July 2011 if the financial assistance is approved, and completion is scheduled for early summer 2012.
"Our corporate offices have been at the north Jackson Street location since 1936," said Ron Klosterman, president and CEO. "After 75 years, the office facility is out-of-date both structurally and technologically. Our business has changed over the past 118 years and continues to evolve. We appreciate the dedication shown by our associates, and we are excited about the opportunity to provide them with a greatly-improved working environment, both aesthetically and functionally."
The building will be designed to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly and will feature large windows to make use of natural light. Flexsteel plans to use its products throughout the office, including its DMI commercial office, Flexsteel hospitality and home furnishings lines.
Plans for the building allow for expansion to take advantage of future growth opportunities.
"We see the new headquarters as an ideal place to conduct business and show our visitors the natural beauty of the expanding Port of Dubuque," said Justin Mills, director of advertising and public relations. "As we expand on the success of the area and continue our investment in our vital and growing community, we are confident that this is a great location for our corporate offices. The new global headquarters building will be adjacent to the City's Port of Dubuque parking ramp."
March 31,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on April 1, 2011
Flexsteel Inds. has achieved Sustainable by Design registration, awarded by the
American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) for the companys continued environmental achievements.
To enter AHFAs Sustainable by Design program, Flexsteel first had to implement an environmental management program known as EFEC in all of its domestic facilities, which include a plant and corporate office in Dubuque, Iowa, as well as plants in Riverside, Calif., Dublin, Ga., and Harrison, Ark.
In addition, Flexsteel implemented EFEC within its contract division, which has a commercial seating factory in Starkville, Miss., and within its
DMI subsidiary, which includes a corporate office in Louisville, Ky., and a warehouse in Huntingburg, Ind. It was the largest number of separate facilities to complete the EFEC program simultaneously.
Implementing EFEC satisfies the first requirement of Sustainable by Design: reducing the companys domestic environmental footprint and establishing systems for continual improvement.
EFEC sets the course for a companys environmental journey, because it works to change the culture within a company, from the factory floor to the executive suite, said Bill Perdue, AHFAs vice president of regulatory affairs. Sustainable by Design takes EFECs culture of environmental stewardship and extends it throughout a companys global supply chain.
For each key area on a checklist, Flexsteel established goals and a system for evaluating annual achievement. These key areas included:
- Supply chain management, including assisting suppliers worldwide in the development and implementation of sustainability programs;
- Using eco-friendly materials, including low VOC/low HAP coatings, certified lumber and low-emitting UF resins;
- Global climate impact, including calculating a baseline carbon footprint;
- Social responsibility, including establishing policies that define the companys commitment to workers rights and community relations in all areas of the world where Flexsteel does business.
Flexsteels greatest improvement as a result of implementing EFEC was developing the structure to document waste streams, to educate our associates and to plant the seeds of cultural change, says Pat Crahan, senior vice president of Flexsteels commercial seating division and director of corporate environmental initiatives. Now, through the Sustainable by Design program, sustainable business practices are being extended to several different disciplines, including fleet operations, fabric engineering, administrative services and supply chain management.
Crahan said Flexsteel now has the tools necessary to reduce its carbon footprint as it continues to improve recycling and further reduce its waste production.
Each division has an active and effective EFEC team for local follow up of our environmental management system, he said Its all about the people ¦ and the earth.
Flexsteel and DMI join a growing list of furniture manufacturers that have achieved the Sustainable by Design designation, including
C.R. Laine,
Kincaid Furniture,
American Drew,
Lea Industries,
Hickory Chair and
Century Furniture. In addition, Flexsteel was one of three finalists in last years Sage Award competition, an awards program co-sponsored by AHFA and
Cargills BiOH polyols business unit to recognize environmental leaders in the residential furniture industry. The Sage judges, which include sustainability experts both inside and outside the furniture industry, gave Flexsteel high marks for the detail with which it is tracking its environmental improvements.
Flexsteels Starkville, Miss., plant has the further distinction of achieving membership in
Mississippis enHance Stewardship program developed by the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The enHance program recognizes companies within the state that have made a commitment to addressing and achieving ongoing environmental improvements.