Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
March 26,
2013 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on March 27, 2013
The International Home Furnishings Representatives Association's Past Presidents Club will present a Special Leadership Award to David Palmer.
Palmer is the former general manager of World Market Center Las Vegas. The Leadership Award recognizes his promotion and elevation of sales representatives throughout his career.
The recognition will take place at the 19th annual Furniture industry Awards Gala, Monday, April 22, in the International Home Furnishings Center Ballroom on the 11th Floor of Green Wing.
Palmer's career in the home furnishings industry began back in the late 1960s with Brueners in Sacramento, Calif., eventually leading to a management position with Brueners downtown Oakland store. He went on to hold management positions with J. Homestock in Massachusetts, Homemakers/John M. Smyth, and the Chicago Merchandise Mart.
Palmer later became president of the San Francisco Mart, executive vice president of the Pacific Design Center, vice president of home furnishings with the Dallas Market Center, and president of R.C. Willey Home Furnishings. His most recent position was general manager of the World Market Center until 2008.
Dave has been married to his wife, Karel, for 44 years. They now reside in Stockton, Calif.; and have a son, Ryan, in Chicago; and a daughter, Anne, in San Francisco.
For more information on the IHFRA Presidential Gala, contact the IHFR Office at 336.889.3920 or e-mail. Reservations can also be made online.
March 25,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on March 26, 2013
Online home furnishings retailer Wayfair.com has announced five executive leadership promotions.
Ed Macri was named senior vice president of business intelligence and marketing; and John Mulliken was named senior vice president of strategic initiatives. Additional executive promotions include Dave Raymond to vice president of operations process improvement; Laura Scott to vice president of supplier operations; and Jeff Steeves to vice president of marketing.
"All five of these talented leaders have been instrumental in driving Wayfair.com's rapid growth trajectory to become the number one retailer in home goods," said Niraj Shah, CEO and co-founder of Wayfair.com, Boston, Mass. "We are excited to build upon their continued success and expertise as we expand our leadership position in the home space and deliver an unparalleled shopping experience to our customers."
Macri launched the business intelligence group at Wayfair.com six years ago and now drives business intelligence and direct marketing for all three Wayfair.com brands globally. Prior to joining Wayfair.com in 2007, Macri held management roles at IBM, Digitas and Bain & Company.
Mulliken, who oversees strategic initiatives at Wayfair.com, also is the co-founder and general manager of Joss & Main, Wayfair.com's private-sale site for the home. Since the launch of Joss & Main, just over two years ago, Mulliken has grown the flash-sale business to more than 3 million members. Before joining Wayfair.com in 2010, Mulliken was a principal and executive leader with The Boston Consulting Group.
Raymond, Scott, and Steeves all joined Wayfair.com in the fall of 2009. Over the past four years, Raymond has played a pivotal role in improving company-wide processes and site merchandising. Scott joined the company to head up the newly formed Supplier Operations function and has spearheaded all fulfillment initiatives for the company. Steeves has played a key role in driving customer acquisition and retention.
Wayfair.com employs more than 1200 people and operates distribution and operations centers in Ogden, Utah; and Hebron, Ky.; and international offices in Galway, London, Berlin and Sydney. The company was recently named one of America's Most Promising Companies by Forbes Magazine.
March 25,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on March 26, 2013
The Southern Home Furnishings Association will meet May 19-21, 2013 at the Hilton Myrtle Beach in Myrtle Beach, S.C., for its 2013 Annual Conference.
Member retailers will share best ideas and strategies for the future, starting with an opening workshop on Monday, May 19, The Mystery of the Budgeting Process.
David Fass will lead the Tuesday workshop, Anatomy of a Salesperson." Fass, who joined JRM Sales & Management in 2002, has a broad-based, 36-year background in the home furnishings, appliance, electronics, and fire, patio and barbecue industries, from ownership of a leading chain of stores, to sales, management, operations and training positions. This vast experience has enabled him to become one of our industrys most respected business analyst, consultant and roundtable group facilitator. This focused workshop will help retailers plan a strategy to better help meet their consumers' needs and improve profitability.
The conference registration fee is $79 for each SHFA member and guest. If your company has never attended a SHFA Conference before, SHFA will waive the registration fee for one attendee from your company.
For more information about the conference, contact Odetta Wash at 336.801.6116, or by e-mail.
Southern Home Furnishings Association, a regional affiliate of the National Home Furnishings Association, serves furniture retailers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
March 25,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on March 26, 2013
Bedding vendor Therapedic will enter the bath products market through a licensing deal with Ginsey Home Solutions to create the Therapedic Gel Crystal Bath Pillow.
Launching exclusively in select Bed Bath & Beyond stores this April, the Therapedic Gel Crystal Bath Pillow ($19.99) features cooling gel beads that contour to the head and neck to soothe, comfort and help alleviate aches and pains. The pillow attaches to the back of the tub and includes extra cushioning to offer a luxurious and comfortable bathing experience.
The Therapedic International brand is growing briskly at Bed Bath & Beyond. This is a great opportunity for us to leverage our knowledge in the sleep products space to expand into in a new market. Our goal is to develop items that will make the bathing experience more relaxing and enjoyable, said Gerry Borreggine, Therapedic president and CEO of Therapedic, Princeton, N.J. We looked for a partner that understood our vision and whos vision could help us grow in a new category. Ginsey Home Solutions is an ideal partner as they are already an established leader in the bath products arena.
We are thrilled about our new partnership with Therapedic, said Ginsey Home Solutions Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management Mary Fullam. "The companys brand recognition in the marketplace and strong presence in Bed Bath & Beyond stores will help us target a new group of consumers."
Founded in 1952 by a group of innovative executives focused on the stylish interpretation of everyday home products, Ginsey Home Solutions is credited with introducing the worlds first padded toilet seat. Today the company is regarded as a progressive leader and worldwide multi-channel supplier of bathroom and home products for the entire family, representing licenses such as the Disney, Procter & Gamble, Rubbermaid and Warner Brothers.
March 25,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on March 26, 2013
Furniture retailer Rooms To Go has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with "Modern Family" actress Sofa Vergara.
The Sofia Vergara collection will be available in the retailer's showrooms in the fall, and will be merchandised and displayed in complete room groupings.
Named as one of the world's most powerful Latinas by Forbes Magazine, Vergara is a successful businesswoman and the only Hispanic actress to begin her career on a U.S. Hispanic network and successfully cross over to the general market. The 12-time Emmy award-winning series "Modern Family" airs on Wednesday nights on ABC. She has also stared in a number of films, including Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail", "Smurfs", and "Happy Feet".
Vergara has been nominated three times each for the Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild awards for her role in "Modern Family".
"I love beautiful furniture and am so excited to be working with Rooms To Go to create my own furniture collection!" Vergara said. "My relationship with Rooms To Go began over 15 years ago when I moved to the United States as a single mother, and furnished my first apartment entirely from their store. I knew I could get high quality furniture that was both fashionable and affordable. I've purchased new room settings from Rooms To Go since then; however, some of the original pieces are still in my family! My collection will offer gorgeous contemporary designs with the same amazing quality and affordability I've always known from Rooms To Go."
Rooms To Go has a similar partnership with Cindy Crawford.
"We are thrilled to have Sofia Vergara join the Rooms To Go family," said Jeffrey Seaman, CEO of Rooms To Go. "She is a major star who truly strives to make a difference in the lives of many people. She's very interested in design and committed to working with us to market great products at extraordinary values. The combination of Sofia's style and our sourcing capabilities will result in a great collection. Her sense of helping people find beautiful things that are also affordable is a perfect fit for us. The fact that Sofia's been a Rooms To Go customer for over 15 years makes our partnership even more perfect."
In addition to her acting career, Vergara is a founding partner with Luis Balaguer of Latin World Entertainment, an Hispanic-owned entertainment company serving the U.S. Hispanic market.
"Rooms To Go is the perfect partner to extend the Sofia Vergara lifestyle brand into furniture," said Luis Balaguer, president and CEO of Latin World Entertainment. "Sofia wants women to feel good about the way they look and live. Together with Rooms To Go, Sofia will provide beautiful and affordable furniture and accessories which will help women create an inviting home environment for family and friends."