Former United Furniture Executive Named to New Operations Post at Kingsdown

August 22, 2022  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

Pierce, who most recently was an executive at Lane Home Furnishings parent United Furniture Inds., will oversee daily administrative and operational functions and provide strategic guidance in his new post. He reports to Kingsdown CEO Frank Hood.

“Everyone in our industry can appreciate the value a seasoned operations leader brings to an organization. The challenges from supply chain to labor have never been greater, yet we are fortunate to have someone like Gene on our team to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our organization,” said Hood.

Pierce held various senior management positions at United Furniture for seven years, including vice president of operations and vice president of manufacturing. He managed a network of 15 facilities that spanned more than nine million square feet of production and distribution space.

He started his professional career working in the automotive industry, moving into sporting goods, industrial lighting and ultimately furniture manufacturing in 2009. Pierce spent six years at well-known high-end manufacturing companies Philips Lighting and Furniture Brands International.

Pierce said the fact that Kingsdown is one of home furnishings industry’s most iconic and well-established brands, with a growing global reach, made the position very compelling for him.

“I have had the privilege to work for some of the leading brands in the home furnishings space over the course of my career and am honored to join Kingsdown with its rich heritage for producing high-quality products,” he said. “The Kingsdown team has so much talent and energy, which translates into great results for our customers. It is an exciting time for our industry and The Kingsdown Group.”

Pierce received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management, and master’s in business administration from Mississippi State University. He recently relocated from Mississippi to Mebane, N.C., where he resides with his wife, Susan.

Founded in 1904, Kingsdown Inc. is headquartered in Mebane, serving leading retailers across the United States, Canada, and in more than 20 countries. Canadian manufacturing and distribution are based in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. Additional manufacturing facilities are located in California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Australia, Brazil, China, England, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan and Vietnam.

In 2018, The Kingsdown Group was formed through the acquisition of Zedbed International, a leading foam mattress manufacturer, and the merger of Owen & Company with Kingsdown, Inc. to form one of the fastest-growing sleep technology groups in North America.