Grow leaves Ladlow's to return to manufacturing
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 27, 2005
High Point — After nearly 11 months in Arizona retailing, industry veteran Dan Grow is back in North Carolina and plans to return to the manufacturing side of the business.
Grow, who joined Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Ladlow's Fine Furniture as president early last year, said it was "an absolute great experience immersing myself in the retail business," but his heart is in manufacturing.
"My focus is to go with my strength," he said. "That is, to work with companies looking to strengthen the sales and marketing side of their business, or (find) an opportunity to run another company, where I can bring my strength of understanding of the Asian market, combined with a much better understanding of retail than I had before."
He said he moved back to Winston-Salem in February and is pursuing opportunities in manufacturing.
Grow was CEO of importer Fine Furniture Design & Marketing before he left the company in late 2003. Earlier, he was president and CEO of manufacturer Drexel Heritage for 10 years, and also spent 10 years in management at Thomasville Furniture Inds.
When Grow joined Ladlow's, it was essentially to research the high-end retailer with the intent of buying the company from chairman and principal owner Dan Roark.
"I learned a lot about how good the retail business can be and also how tough it can be," Grow said. "I gained a real appreciation for how hard retailers work, and how difficult it is to work day-in and day-out with the consumer."
He added that, despite his change in plans, he wouldn't trade the experience and would recommend that other manufacturing executives "go live retail for at least six months" if they can find the time.
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Grow looks to return to manufacturing
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