Obituaries
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, December 9, 2007
Roy Gentry, Hickory Springs sales rep
Chattanooga, Tenn. — Roy Gentry, a sales representative for Hickory Springs, has died. He was 63.
Gentry had been working with suppliers to the bedding and furniture industries since 1970. His career started as a sales rep for tool manufacturer Paslode.
Bob McMorran, former marketing director of upholstery parts producer Flex-O-Lators, hired Gentry as a sales representative in 1973. He remained in the job through the mid-1980s, winning many company awards selling Flex-O-Lators' flagship product, Perma-Eze, also affectionately referred to as "the welfare spring."
During his career, he sold a variety of supplies and components, mostly concentrating on innerspring units to the bedding industry. Among the companies he represented were Shepherd Casters, which he sold for 25 years, Webster Spring, The Steadly Co. and, for the past 10 years, Hickory Springs.
He is survived by his wife and son, Bryan Gentry, CEO of contract furniture manufacturer The Gentry Collection.
Dennis J. Insogna, WorkPlace CEO
Cincinnati — Dennis J. Insogna, president and CEO of office furniture dealer support group WorkPlace Furnishings, has died from a heart attack. He was 56.
Insogna was named president of WorkPlace last year. Previously, he was a business advisor and board member of the company.
Before joining WorkPlace, he was vice president and general manager at Steelcase dealer BKM Total Office in East Hartford, Conn. Earlier, he had worked with companies including Imperial Inc. and Eutetic Corp. He served in the Army as a communications officer before beginning his business career in 1973.
"In the all-too-short time that Dennis was involved with WorkPlace Furnishings, he provided leadership and direction that took the organization to a new level, both for our dealer and supplier members," said the group's board chairman, Bob Carlson of Marco, St. Cloud, Minn.
Insogna is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren.
Thomas Montalbano, fine furniture maker
River Forest, Ill. — Thomas Montalbano, founder and former chairman of manufacturer and restorer The Montalbano Majestic Furniture Co. of Bellwood, Ill., has died. He was 96.
Montalbano started woodworking at 12 years old in 1923 and set up a workshop in 1929 in the family garage, after his father mortgaged the house to buy machines he needed. The business grew into a custom furniture company that makes French provincial and Baroque-style furniture in solid carved wood. A majority of its business now is in the restoration, renovation and sale of fine antique pieces.
"He drove until he was 92 and worked a 40-hour week until he was 94," said his son, Richard Montalbano, company CEO. "He said he never worked a day in his life because he loved what he did; it wasn't work to him."
The company has always been a family affair. His wife, daughter-in-law and grandsons Mark and Rick Montalbano work there.
Other survivors include a daughter, 11 other grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
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