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From Home Furnishing Business
Hugh Talley Named to Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame
June 9,
2017 by Larry Thomas in Industry, Special Events 
The late Hugh Talley, a longtime executive in the polyurethane foam industry executive and a key contributor to the voluntary flammability standards for upholstered furniture, has been inducted into the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame.
Talley, who died last year, was inducted posthumously at the Polyurethane Foam Assn.’s recent spring meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Accepting the award on Talley’s behalf was his wife, Tommye, his daughter Tanya Talley Schmidt, her husband, Carl, and Talley’s son-in-law, Tim Clevenger.
“It is somewhat sobering to think of where the upholstery and flexible polyurethane foam industries might be, in regard to regulation, had it not been for the passion, intelligence, and perseverance of Hugh Talley,” said Robert Luedeka, PFA executive director. “Everyone in this industry will be forever grateful to him for this.”
The organization said Talley was a key contributor to the Upholstered Furniture Action Council (UFAC) voluntary standard for furniture flammability resistance, which has been instrumental in reducing fires involving upholstered furniture and in saving thousands of lives.
Talley was also largely responsible for the flexible foam and furniture industry’s Joint Industry Foam Standards and Guidelines, first published in 1994 and still in use today. Talley also served as an expert witness on behalf of the foam and furniture industries, providing clear, persuasive technical information that benefitted both industries on many occasions.
The meeting’s keynote speaker was Sam Allman, chairman of Allman Consulting, an education and training organization that has worked with Mohawk Industries, Home Depot, Sherwin-Williams, and numerous other companies in the home furnishings industry.
Allman, an expert in branding, addressed the industry’s challenge of branding and enhancing value in what is often perceived to be a commodity product.
“Research shows that satisfied customers will leave you,” he explained. “But loyal customers will stay. What can you do to make your customers loyal?”
Allman then outlined a variety of techniques for enhancing customer loyalty and communicating value at the product and corporate levels.