Furniture Marketing Group names new officers, board

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, May 2, 2012

HIGH POINT — Furniture Marketing Group announced new officers and its board of directors for 2012-2013 during the High Point Market.

Oscar Miskelly

Officers are Oscar Miskelly of Miskelly Furniture, Jackson, Miss., president; David Koehler of Johnny Janosik, Laurel, Del., vice president; Billy Rippner of Compass Furniture, Elmwood, La., continuing as treasurer; and Larry Klaben, Morris Home Furnishings, Dayton, Ohio, chairman. The presidential term for the executive committee started May 1 and runs for two years.

Joining the board this year is Lee Goodman, Jerome's, San Diego.

More than 120 members and guests of the buying group attended the evening market meeting, where FMG Executive Director Mike Herschel announced the buying group achieved its membership target of 100 high volume furniture retailers who are willing to share information and participate in common programs.

He also restated that FMG's primary mission "to improve the performance of its members, keeping operating costs of the organization low to maximize benefits to all participants," according to a release.

FMG's primary consumer finance provider Wells Fargo Finance presented annual awards during the meeting to FMG members based on program participation and sales finance volume. Honorees were Bernie & Phyl's Furniture, Norton, Mass.; Marlo Furniture, Forestville, Md.; Miskelly; Crest Furniture, Dayton, N.J.; Goldstein's Furniture, Hermitage, Pa.; Bob Mills Furniture, Oklahoma City; Conlin's Furniture, Billings, Mont.; Furniture & ApplianceMart, Stevens Point, Wis.; John V. Schultz, Erie, Pa.; Olinde's Furniture, Baton Rouge, La.; and Walker's Furniture, Spokane,Wash.

FMG's 100 members have nearly 750 stores doing more than $2 billion in annual sales.