Tilley joins Thomasville
Leaves Pennsylvania House to succeed Chris Pfaff
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, April 20, 2003
Thomasville, N.C. — Tom Tilley was named president and chief executive officer of Thomasville Furniture Inds. last week, days after resigning as president of case goods maker and importer Pennsylvania House, a La-Z-Boy division.
At Thomasville, a subsidiary of Furniture Brands International, he replaces Chris Pfaff, who resigned earlier in the week from the full-line manufacturer, importer and retail franchiser.
"I feel like I'm going back home," said Tilley, who spent 21 years with former Thomasville parent Armstrong World Inds., including 15 years in sales and marketing positions at Thomas-ville.
"Tom Tilley is an outstanding manager with a breadth of experience in the furniture industry, and we are pleased he has agreed to undertake this new role," said Mickey Holliman, Furniture Brands' chairman, president and chief executive officer. "He has a strong background in product development and great respect among the leaders of the industry. He will bring a wealth of new ideas to Thomasville."
Tilley said he appreciated the new challenge and identified four areas of focus — mixing domestic manufacturing talents with the style and value of imports, freshening the company's product lineup, supporting and building Thomasville's dedicated store program and relationships with its dealers, and strengthening the Thomasville brand.
While he declined to be specific, Tilley said he has some ideas on product direction.
"Thomasville already has a strong assortment, but it can be improved in styling and design, with fresh new looks that can be a lot of fun for our retailers to introduce in their local markets," he said. "We need to support the store network and our partnerships with retailers around the country. Our goal is to be retailer-driven in product and marketing support."
An established brand and high-profile licensing programs such as Ernest Hemingway and Humph-rey Bogart haven't insulated Thomasville's store and gallery dealers from the tough business climate.
Thomasville had 162 dedicated stores at the end of 2002, and more than 20 units are on tap this year.
The company's move toward dedicated distribution makes getting more out of its stores a priority, said Jerry Epperson, industry analyst and managing partner of Mann, Armistead & Epperson in Richmond, Va.
"Any time you're transitioning from independent to captive distribution you're going to make certain people angry," he said. That's led to one or two retailers displaying Thomasville product in markets that might once have had five or six stores carrying the line.
"If your stores don't perform, you net less than you were making before," Epperson said. "The question is how you leverage that brand."
Tilley's broad experience and knowledge of the strategies taken by a variety of companies should be to Thomasville's advantage, Epperson said, adding, "Sometimes knowing what doesn't work is as important as knowing what does."
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