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People on the Move

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 15, 2004

Honors

CFRA/SCFMA

High Point — The Casual Furniture Retailers Assn. and the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Assn. will honor Marie Schirmer and the late James F. Baker with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The awards will be presented at the Apollo Awards Banquet on Sept, 20 during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago.

Schirmer and her husband, Ed, founded Schirmer's Patio, Pool & Spa in Falls Church, Va., in 1971. The retailer has expanded to three stores, a warehouse and a clearance center. She served on the CFRA board from 1994 to 2000 and was president in 1996. The Schirmers sold the business in 1997 but remain in the industry as consultants.

Baker was a third-generation furniture maker. His grandfather was a Norwegian cabinetmaker who immigrated to America. His father, Bert M. Baker Sr., founded Tropitone Furniture in 1954 after retiring from the Grand Rapids Chair Co. Baker joined his father's company in 1964 as vice president of sales and marketing, and became CEO in 1977. In the early 1990s, Baker's son, Doug, became president of the company. Baker died in 2003.

Managers

Ikea

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. — Allesandra Taffe has been named manager of the new Ikea store in Philadelphia, and Lars Meyer appointed manager of the major home furnishings retailer's upcoming unit in Tempe, Ariz.

The Philadelphia store is set to open Aug. 25, and the Tempe store this fall.

Taffe has worked at Ikea for 10 years, first with Ikea Baltimore as manager of the office furniture department, and most recently as assistant store manager for sales at the chain's Elizabeth, N.J., store.

Meyer joined Ikea over 20 years ago in Tastrup, Denmark. After 11 years, he came to the United States as a sales manager at Ikea Elizabeth. In 1997, he became furniture manager, then assistant store manager of sales at the store in City of Industry, Calif. Most recently, he worked for over two years as store manager of Ikea Tustin in Orange County, Calif., before heading the pre-opening outfitting of the store in Covina, Calif., which opened in May 2003.

Pernille Spiers-Lopez, Ikea North America president, said both Taffe and Meyer were eminently qualified to manage the new stores.

Colonial Mills Inc.

Pawtucket, R.I. — Colonial Mills Inc., a manufacturer of braided-texture rugs and accessories, has appointed four managers.

William R. Turgeon has been named chief information officer, and Jonathan H. Garniss appointed electronic data interchange specialist/technical support.

In addition, Donald R. Minchello Jr. has been named materials manager, and Federico E. Read appointed production manager.

Turgeon will be responsible for CMI's information and technology systems. Garniss will manage EDI transactions with customers and provide technical support for ERB software and network servers.

Minchello will be responsible for managing inventory, purchasing and negotiating of yearly contracts, and forecasting materials need. Read will supervise CMI's second-shift production.

Lane Home Furnishings

Tupelo, Miss. — Hillary Phillips has been named associate merchandise manager of upholstery at Lane Home Furnishings.

She will assist in product development, including conception, design, pricing and marketing.

Phillips previously was a collegiate development consultant for Delta Gamma Sorority in Columbus, Ohio.

Serta Inc.

Itasca, Ill. — Mike Steinhubel has been promoted to quality assurance project manager at bedding producer Serta Inc. He previously was supervisor of Serta's research and development center.

Deborah Smith will take on his old responsibilities, in a promotion from technical assistant to senior research center technician.

Steinhubel reports to Tim Smith, vice president of quality control, and Smith reports to Leo Echeverria, vice president of manufacturing services.

Marketing

Baker Knapp & Tubbs

Grand Rapids, Mich. — James Nauyok has been named to the newly created position of director of marketing and visual display for furniture manufacturer and designer showroom operator Baker Knapp & Tubbs.

He assumes all marketing, advertising, strategic planning and visual display responsibilities for the company.

Before joining Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Nauyok was president of Nauyok & Associates in New York, and has held positions as corporate brand manager for The Limited and national merchandise manager for Armani.

IWF

Atlanta — The International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair-USA has hired Jim Wulfekuhle as director of marketing and communications.

He most recently was senior group sales manager with the Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau in Hampton, Va., and has over 12 years of trade show and marketing experience.

IWF, slated for Aug. 26–29 in Atlanta, is owned and operated in part by the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn.

Washington Design Center

Washington — Bethany L. Carter has been promoted to director of marketing at The Washington Design Center here. She previously was the showroom building's marketing manager, and reports to Jim Caughman, WDC vice president and general manager.

Carter's new responsibilities include the planning, budgeting and execution of all marketing endeavors at WDC, which is owned by Chicago-based Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.

Sales

Daniel Lynch Sales Co.

Miami — Christopher D. Dickason has been named to the newly created post of marketing director at Daniel Lynch Sales Co.

He will develop marketing strategies for larger, upper-market furniture stores in the United States and Canada for the sales promotion and going-out-of-business company.

Dickason previously was a commercial lending specialist for Merrill Lynch and worked for the Stillwater National Bank, both in Oklahoma.

Contact us

Retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and trade associations are invited to send releases and photographs for appointments, promotions and awards to: People/Today, P.O. Box 2754, High Point, N.C. 27261. Releases also can be faxed to (336) 605-1143. Please include a contact phone number. If you have questions about People/Today, call Fran Marshall at (336) 605-1044 or e-mail her at fmarshall@reedbusiness.com.

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