Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Gardner-White Taps 3 for New Senior Management Posts
September 11,
2022 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Michigan retailer Gardner-White has announced three new senior management appointments for the 108-year-old family-owned and operated company.
The Auburn Hills, Mich.-based retailer said Will Daughtrey has been named vice president of merchandising; Aime Fitzhugh has been promoted to president of bedding; and Matt Kibler has become named its first-ever chief information officer.
“As Gardner-White evolves and cements our position as an influential leader with the best team in the home furnishings industry locally and nationally, we are committed to hiring and promoting the best of the best,” said Rachel Stewart, Gardner-White president. “Will Daughtrey, Aime Fitzhugh and Matt Kibler possess proven expertise as well as exceptional talent, strength, and vision. We are proud to welcome Will to the Gardner-White family as we also celebrate the achievements of Aime and Matt.”
Daughtrey joins Gardner-White after serving as vice president of merchandising for Kane’s Furniture in central Florida. Prior to that, Daughtrey was chief merchandising officer for upholstery and case goods producer Standard Furniture. He also spent 14 years at Badcock Home Furniture & More in management training and as supply chain analyst and category manager.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in design from Clemson University and an MBA from the University of South Florida.
Fitzhugh has more than 40 years of experience in the retail furniture industry -- 24 of those years at Gardner-White. Stewart said his promotion to president of bedding comes after playing an integral role in establishing Gardner-White as a bedding giant in Michigan.
Kibler joined the retailer in 2016 as e-commerce and web development coordinator. He was promoted to director of digital strategy in November 2021, with responsibilities including digital marketing strategy, enterprise integration, process automation, and business intelligence. In his new role, Kibler will lead all future digital transformation initiatives.
Prior to joining Gardner-White, he was a web developer at Igadea, LLC.
The retailer currently has 12 stores in metro Detroit, Ann Arbor and Saginaw, Mich.