Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Jeff Child Elected 2018 Hall of Fame President
January 18,
2018 by Larry Thomas in Business Strategy, Executive Changes, Industry 
Serving with Child on the Foundation’s executive committee are David Gebhart, CEO of Global Views, first vice president; Martin Ploy, president of Aico/Amini Innovation Corp., second vice president; and Lorri Kelley, president of BDI Furniture, secretary-treasurer. Bob Maricich, the CEO of International Market Centers who was Foundation president in 2017, will continue to serve on the executive committee as board chairman.
New directors are Randy Coconis, president of retailer Coconis Furniture; Jerry Epperson, Managing Partner of Mann, Armistead & Epperson; Mike Herschel, executive director of Furniture Marketing Group, Inc.; Caroline Hipple, president of Norwalk Furniture; Ploy; and Mike Shelton, president and CEO of Valdese Weavers.
Re-elected members serving an additional three-year term are Andy Bernstein, founder & CEO of FurnitureDealer.net; Irv Blumkin, CEO of retailer Nebraska Furniture Mart; and Alexander Peykar, president of Nourison Industries.
“Due to the strong leadership of Bob Maricich and Michael Amini, 2017 saw increased attendance at our annual Induction Celebration, greater support for our programs, and interest in our new leadership initiative,” Child said. “We have a fully engaged Board that is committed to taking the Hall of Fame to new levels. With new Board members joining us for 2018, we are poised to take the Hall of Fame even further in its mission to tell our story, honor our industry’s great leaders and to roll out a new leadership initiative that will create a new generation of leaders.”
The 2018 inductees – individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the U.S. furniture industry – will be honored with the American home furnishings industry’s highest honor at Induction Celebration on Sunday, Oct. 14 during the High Point Market.
Nominations for the 2018 induction class close Feb. 1.
For more information, call (336) 882-5900.