Furniture First Names Three New Board Members

April 17, 2018  by Jason Schneider in Business Strategy, Executive Changes, High Point, Industry, Market   

The members were approved to join the board. Mike Albert, Pilgrim Furniture City, Southington, Conn., has been a member of the cooperative buying group since 1994; Lisa Hawkins, Room to Room, Tupelo, Miss., has been a member since 2009; and Matt Meusey, Wagner’s Home Furnishings, Missoula, Mont., has been a member since 2013.

Albert, Hawkins, and Meusey replace three members retiring from the board, who were recognized for their contributions to the buying group.

Ron Deets, Deets Homestore, Norfolk, Neb., served on the board since 2014. He joined Furniture First in 2001.

Mike Kordik, Mike’s Furniture, Joliet, Ill., served on the board since 2006. Kordik served as chairman during his 12-year term. Kordik joined Furniture First in 2001.

Steve Kloss, Kloss Furniture, Highland, Ill., served his second term on the board of directors since 2012, in which he also served as chairman of the board. Kloss is a founding member of Furniture First who began his first term on the board with the group’s establishment in 1994 and served through 2003. 

Andrew Kauffman, CEO of Furniture First, thanked the retiring board members, honoring each with a plaque presented at the meeting Monday.

The leadership of the board will continue under Tom Schwaab of Howell Furniture, Beaumont, Texas, in the second year of his term as chairman. Schwaab joined the board of directors three years ago. Howell’s Furniture has been a member of Furniture First since 2009.

The executive committee of the board of directors includes Chris Cooley of Michael Alan Furnishings, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., who serves as vice chairman. Michael Alan Furnishings has been a member since 2009.

Eric Sinclair of Montgomery’s Furniture, Madison, S.D., continues as secretary of the executive committee. Montgomery’s has been a member of Furniture First since 2001.

Pat Callan of Callan Furniture, Waite Park, Minn., takes on the role of treasurer on the executive committee. Callan joined the board in 2017 and has been a member since 2002.