11 nominees on Hall of Fame ballot
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, September 3, 2001
HIGH POINT — Eleven industry leaders have been nominated for the American Furniture Hall of Fame for 2001.
Hall of Fame sponsors will vote on the nominees, and those selected for induction will be announced at a banquet on the opening day of the High Point market, Oct. 18.
Nominees include:
Joe Benaron (1915-1991), an industrialist who began his career in furniture by founding Belevedere Mfg. in 1940. When he couldn't find materials he needed, Benaron started his own supply companies, founding Thomas Organ Co., LectraBed and J.B. Research. His last invention, the Relaxor Massage System, is still used by La-Z-Boy and other manufacturers.
Alvin E. "Bo" Bland (1924- ) began his career working with furniture pioneer Morris Futorian in Mississippi. In 1970, he co-founded Action Inds., which was merged in The Lane Co. in 1972. He helped develop the mechanisms that spurred the growth of the recliner category.
Arnold Dwight England (1929-1994) started England Upholstery in 1964. The manufacturer's annual sales grew to $200 million, and the company now is part of La-Z-Boy. England pioneered solutions to slow furniture delivery, and the company's award-winning quadrant delivery system delivers to 80% of England's customers every week.
Anton "Tony" Gfesser (1930- ), an inventor, purchased Trendler Metal Products in 1962 to make and supply products of metal, tubular or composites to customers to keep their product lines unique. Trendler is one of the largest family-owned component manufacturers in North America.
Charles E. Hayworth, Jr. (1913-1994) was CEO of Hayworth Inds., Alma Desk, Clarendon Inds., Hayworth Roll and Panel, Liberty Veneer and Myrtle Desk. He was chairman of the Southern Furniture Exposition Building (now the International Home Furnishings Center) from 1986-1993 and was on its board for some 40 years.
Charles Simon Heyman (1900-1983) joined Fox Mfg. Co. after serving in the Army in World War I. He became president, then chairman. He was instrumental in creating the Furniture Manufacturing and Management curriculum at North Carolina State University. He was director and president of the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Assn. (now the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn.) as a director and president and was involved in organizing its sales and marketing division.
David Wolcott Kendall (1851-1910) was the dean of American furniture designers. The most widely copied designer, he is credited with the McKinley chair, Morris chair and the first revolving, reclining office chair and established the Kendall College of Arts and Design. His finishes and stains became industry standards.
Katherine Covington Lambeth (1917-1998) founded Erwin-Lambeth in 1946 with husband, Jim. As the first female president and CEO of a furniture manufacturing firm, she pioneered concepts of design, the lifestyle concept for merchandising and the need for independent factory representatives.
Leon Jerome Levitz (1915- ) established the Levitz furniture showroom concept during the Depression. His family revolutionized furniture retailing by providing easy freeway accessibility and highly decorated showrooms with immediate availability for pick-up and delivery.
Irwin Lowenstein (1935- ) is chairman of The Powell Co. and former chairman and CEO of Rhodes Furniture. He began his career in his father's furniture store, then joined Rhodes as president in 1986, bringing the company through a leveraged buyout and building it into the fifth largest U.S. furniture store chain.
Art Van Elslander (1930- ), chairman and owner of Art Van Furniture, opened his first store in 1959 in Michigan. Today, Art Van operates 28 stores in Michigan with a 40% share of the market. He is known for his confidence, strong merchandising and marketing skills, the respect and loyalty of his employees, customers and suppliers, and good will in the communities where he does business.
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