Art Van restructures team
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 20, 2006
Warren, Mich. — Southern Michigan Top 100 chain Art Van Furniture has made several changes in its management.
Laura Thompson has been promoted to operations manager for Bay City and Saginaw, Mich. She has been with Art Van since 1993, starting as a sales associate, and has held management posts in several stores. In her new role, Thompson is responsible for supporting the company's strategic direction, focusing on guest services, merchandising, company-wide communication and internal management development for her two locations.
Nancy Christiansen has been hired as buyer for motion upholstery. For the past 11 years, she was merchandise and marketing manager for La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries in Canton, Mich., where she also handled advertising.
David Van Elslander has joined the company as clearance center buyer. Previously, he was business development manager with manufacturer Rowe Furniture, and before that was vice president of merchandise for retailer Scott Shuptrine Furniture in Troy, Mich.
Michael McDonald has been promoted to director of information services. He started with Art Van in 2000 and has over 20 years of information services experience, including 14 years with Erb Lumber in Birmingham, Mich.
Dave Michie has been promoted to the newly created position of merchandise manager, where he will oversee all direct importing and help with company-wide merchandising plans. He has been with Art Van for nearly 30 years, the past 12 as case goods buyer.
Mike Wiseman has been promoted to store manager in Southfield, Mich. His Art Van career began in 1991 as a sales associate, and he subsequently helped open another store and was named clearance center manager in 1994. Most recently, he was sales manager in Westland, Mich.
