Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Synergy Home Furnishings Begins Transition to NextGen Leaders
January 22,
2024 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Synergy Home Furnishings is beginning its transition to the next generation of leaders. The company has named Joshua Kauffman, a 14-year veteran of Synergy, as its president. Kauffman succeeds Bill Harding, who founded the company alongside Herb Hellums, Mike Wilhite and David Li in 2006.
Harding, Hellums, Wilhite and Li will continue to work full-time as the Board of Directors and will be actively involved in managing the company for the foreseeable future.
“I am proud to appoint Josh as the next President of Synergy Home Furnishings. Josh has consistently demonstrated integrity, product expertise, and an unmatched work ethic in the many years that I have known him,” said Bill Harding.
“Josh’s passion for furniture is evident, and he has forged strong relationships within the industry. The founders of Synergy have full confidence that Josh will successfully lead Synergy into the future and maintain the company’s crucial role as a supplier to our retail partners.”
Kauffman started his home furnishings career as a sales representative in 1999 with BenchCraft Furniture after graduating from West Virginia University and serving in the United States Marine Corps. After a corporate merger in 2003, he left the company and began selling upholstery and case goods for multiple companies, including AICO, Bauhaus and Soft Line.
In 2010, Kauffman joined Synergy Home Furnishings as a key account independent sales representative. In 2014, Synergy appointed him as Vice President of Sales and made him a partner in the company. In 2020, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales.
“It is quite an honor bestowed upon me by the founders of our great company,” said Kauffman. “I am forever grateful and realize to whom much is given, much is expected. I very much look forward to the challenge of growing our business as the second generation.”
Additionally, key members of the Synergy leadership team have been appointed as partners in the business. Jay Cochran has advanced to the position of Senior Vice President of Sales, Alan Li has been elevated to Vice President of Asia Operations and Heath Corso is the new Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Hellums. Tara Davis East serves as the Senior Vice President of Merchandising, and Caroline (Harding) McCroskey continues her role as the Director of Marketing. Li and McCroskey represent the second generation of the company.
In addition, Synergy is making key members of the team at its headquarters in Mississippi partners in the business. Beverly Ligon (Director of Accounting), Sue Fitzgerald (Office Manager), Christie Smith (Controller), Gary Ray (Director of IT), and Al Stroupe (Director of Logistics), with a combined 52 years of service at Synergy, will continue to play critical roles in the future of the company. This ownership structure ensures that management will be actively involved in running the business.
“The founders of Synergy Home Furnishings are proud to transition the company to the next generation of leaders, all of whom have helped grow Synergy into what it is today,” said Harding. Synergy Home Furnishings provides motion and stationary upholstery to many of the top 100 furniture stores in the U.S. and partners in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.