Chris Rayle joins Samuel Lawrence Furniture in product role

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, April 2, 2012

HIGH POINT — Case goods resource Home Meridian International has named Chris Rayle vice president of product development for its Samuel Lawrence Furniture line.

Rayle replaces Guy Walters, who is leaving the company to form an independent design firm, Walters & Cochran Design Group. Walters, who has been with the company for about eight years, formed the company with Taylor Cochran, a High Point area furniture designer and engineer.

Walters, a 30-plus year industry veteran who has also worked for Thomasville Furniture and Schnadig, will continue to support HMI companies including SLF, Pulaski Furniture, Sourcing Solutions and Creations Baby on various projects.

"Although my role is changing, I am looking forward to continuing my relationship with the Home Meridian family of companies," he said.

Rayle was most recently with Legacy Classic Furniture, where he was most recently vice president of merchandising for bedroom and dining room. Before that he was director of case goods merchandising at Klaussner.

At Samuel Lawrence, he reports to company President Lee Boone and will be responsible for developing product.

HMI also has named Roland Maddrey vice president of sales at Samuel Lawrence, a newly created position. He was formerly vice president of sales for the East Coast region at Pulaski. In his new role, he reports to Boone.

Dallas George, formerly Pulaski's vice president of sales for the Western U.S., will assume national sales responsibilities as vice president of sales. He reports to Pulaski President Page Wilson.

"Our business has grown substantially and we need to adapt to these business opportunities," George Revington, CEO of Home Meridian International, said in a statement.