City of Hope Kicks Off Fundraising Season Honoring Industry Veterans

December 3, 2023  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy.

City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols have advanced care for people throughout the world with cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

The West Coast Golf & Tennis Tournament to be held June 10, 2024, in Coto de Caza, California, will honor:

David Binke, chief executive officer of mattress manufacturer King Koil and 42-year industry veteran, has a reputation as one of the best sales leaders and executives in the business. Under his leadership over the past five years, Binke has changed the company’s domestic business structure from a licensing structure to a direct-to-retail manufacturing platform that supports leading retailers across the country.

He has built a first-class management team that’s supported him in greatly expanding King Koil’s manufacturing platform and capacity. The company also maintains an active licensing network internationally. 

Binke’s career includes serving as chief executive officer at iconic bedding brand E.S. Kluft & Co. and a previous King Koil stint as executive vice president of sales, as well as executive vice president of Spring Air Los Angeles, where he held an ownership position.

Prior to his move into the manufacturing side of the business, Binke held several buying and merchandise management positions with major department stores Robinsons-May, Macy’s and Montgomery-Ward. Binke is a trustee of the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA).

Catherine and Richard Frinier are the co-founders and principals of the Richard Frinier Design Studio collaborating with highly respected brands in the home furnishings industry such as Brown Jordan, Century Furniture, Dedon and Sunbrella® licensing Richard’s award-winning indoor/outdoor furniture and textile designs for worldwide distribution.

As creators and supporters of many trade organization scholarship programs for college-level design students to promote the home furnishings industry as a viable, relevant and rewarding career choice for young designers, the Friniers have long identified and supported the City of Hope as a world-class health care and research center based on their first-hand knowledge.

Over the past 40 years, Richard has prolifically created thousands of designs across hundreds of collections garnering over 100 design excellence awards with his most iconic designs in continuous production for 10, 20 and 30 years.

Richard is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement and Industry Partner awards from the International Casual Furnishings Association, an inductee into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame and named a Star of Design from A+D community peers and press at the Pacific Design Center Los Angeles.

He’s listed among the Top 40 Most Influential individuals in the home furnishings industry by a leading trade journal. Catherine brings over 30 years experience working on dynamic high-level creative teams amidst complex business environments across the industries of fundraising, luxury retail and residential real estate, and the home industries.

“We are incredibly fortunate this year to have giants in their respective fields such as David Binke and Catherine and Richard Frinier generously give their time, influence and passion to support City of Hope and add to the more than $21 million raised by this event alone over its 32 years,” said West Coast event committee co-chair Rick Powell.