Birnbach joins American Leather
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, May 22, 2006
Dallas — Former Rowe Furniture President Bruce Birnbach has joined custom upholstery specialist American Leather as president.
Co-founder Bob Duncan remains CEO, while co-founder Sanjay Chandra and equity partner Cary Benson will remain until July 1, when they will leave management to join a new board of directors.
Duncan will purchase a controlling interest in the company. Chandra, president and chief financial officer, and Benson, president and chief marketing officer, will keep minority stakes.
Birnbach spent over 20 years at Rowe, six as president. He was president of the sourcing division when he resigned in early March.
At American Leather, he reports to Duncan.
"Our unique partnership structure has served American Leather well, since each of the three partners brought distinctive skills and expertise to the team," Duncan said. "By putting a more traditional management structure in place, we believe it will give the company more flexibility to move forward."
Chandra will continue as CFO in a limited capacity through 2007 and beyond if needed.
The company, launched in 1990 as LeatherTech, makes custom leather and fabric upholstery delivered in four weeks or less. It has a new 250,000-square-foot factory in Dallas. Duncan projects the fast-growing company will do about $72 million this year.
Benson joined American as an equity partner in 1997.
Birnbach will ease into his role as president over the next two months, working with three recently named vice presidents, Matthew Hayward in marketing, Martin Gibson in operations and Kelly Montgomery in finance and administration. Birnbach was at the April market to meet dealers and familiarize himself with American's line.
