Bush names outsider CEO
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, September 5, 2005
Jamestown, N.Y. — Ready-to-assemble furniture and case goods manufacturer Bush Inds. has named industry outsider James L. Sherbert as CEO.
From 1999 to 2004, he was CEO of Castle Rock Inds., a floor care equipment company. He resigned in August 2004 to work more closely with the board of Castle Rock parent and lead investor Heritage Partners.
Sherbert was president and CEO of Southcorp Packaging USA from 1994 to 1999, and was president and chief operating officer of Advance Packaging from 1988 to 1993.
Michael Buenzow of FTI Consulting has served as Bush's interim CEO for the past 18 months, leading the RTA major as it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2004.
Buenzow said he believes Bush has a bright future with Sherbert at the helm. In a statement, he said the new CEO has "strong leadership skills, excellent operations experience and a strong work ethic."
In his own statement, Sherbert said Bush "has a very strong management team, solid capital assets and an excellent product line. We are a leader in innovation and quality.... I am very excited to be able to join the management team in building Bush to become the industry leader."
He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Oregon State University and was an assistant professor there from 1974 to 1976.
He worked in sales and marketing at Container Corp. of America from 1976 to 1988.
