Dash to run WMC's international operations
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 24, 2003
Las Vegas — The World Market Center has hired globally oriented industry veteran Jay Dash as a project advisor and director of international operations
Dash, of Jay Dash International, will manage business development opportunities globally for the planned showroom complex. The WMC broke ground last week on its 1.3 million-square-foot first phase, and is expected to have its first market in 2004 or 2005.
"This is the most exciting project of its kind in the United States and perhaps the world for the home and contract furnishings industry," Dash said.
He has been in the industry for more than 35 years and most recently organized the furniture seminars and recruited exhibitors at Germany's Heimtextil fabric fair for the U.S. Department of Commerce. His network of global agents distributes contract products to the hospitality and cruise industries, and he represents manufacturers with over $3 billion in annual sales.
"Jay adds another dimension to our project," said Shawn Samson, co-managing partner of the WMC. "We have said from the beginning that we view World Market Center as an international market. Now that we have successfully attracted some of the leading domestic furniture manufacturers to phase one, it's the perfect opportunity to undertake a strategic international initiative, which we believe will set the Las Vegas market apart from any other market in the United States."
Samson said that a Dash specialty, the global textile market, is a natural fit for the WMC, considering that Las Vegas is home to some of the world's largest hotels and contract business buyers.
