Badcock Appoints Bill Pou as New Board Chairman

October 7, 2019  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

Pou, the great-grandson of the company’s founder Henry Stanhope Badcock, has served as EVP of retail operations since 1997 and has played an active role in helping to accelerate the growth of the company in recent years. While taking on the additional responsibility as the board’s chairman, he will continue to serve in his role; which is responsible for 368 corporate and dealer stores in eight southeastern states.

“Bill has been such an integral part of the company’s history and success, it is exciting to see him have an additional opportunity to continue to transform the company through his extensive knowledge and guidance,” said Rob Burnette, CEO and president.

Before graduating from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, Pou began his career with Badcock in 1973, where he spent his summers working various jobs within the company before becoming a dealer owner with the purchase of the Haines City, Florida store in 1979. Following his first store, Pou went on to own the Sebring store from 1989 until 1992 and the Winter Haven North location from 1994 until 1998, before fully returning to the corporation’s headquarters in 1997.

In addition to his extensive experience within Badcock, Pou was a founding director of the First National Bank of Polk County, which is now branded as CenterState Bank, where he continues to serve on the board and also serves on the Board of Trustees of Florida Southern College and Lakeland Regional Health.