3 leaders join Hall of Fame

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, October 29, 2012

American Furniture Hall of Fame new inductees Howard Haas, left, former Sealy CEO, Kevin O’Connor of Samson Marketing and Melvyn Wolff of Star Furniture, Houston, stand at the Wall of Fame honoring Hall members in High Point’s Furniture Plaza. Bricks bearing their names were installed in the sidewalk in front of the building.HIGH POINT - Industry leaders Howard Haas, Kevin O'Connor and Melvyn Wolff were inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame during a High Point Market banquet.
     They join 88 members previously inducted into the hall, which recognizes individuals whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the continued growth and development of the U.S. furniture industry.
     "Every person on the slate this year is worthy so the selection process was particularly competitive," said Randy Ford, president of the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation. He added, "Each new member truly represents enduring excellence, superior accomplishments, innovation and creativity, and philanthropic generosity in their time, talents and resources."
     Haas was president and CEO of Sealy for 19 years and in that time, increased revenues from $32 million to $550 million without the acquisition of a competitor or supplier. He integrated a group of 34 independent licensees into a unified entity, achieving new efficiencies and consistency across factories in production and service.
     O'Connor worked his way up from sales representative to president of two furniture companies before launching Legacy Classic Furniture in 1999. Partnering with Samuel Kuo of Samson Holding, he developed a business model that enables customers to mix a variety of products on a direct-container basis, allowing independent retailers to affordably source smaller quantities of imported products. Today he is president and CEO of Samson Marketing, which includes Legacy and Universal Furniture.
     Wolff, chairman of Houston-based Star Furniture, is credited with transforming a small credit-oriented, low-end store into one of the country's most successful retail furniture operations. In 1997 he sold his company to Berkshire Hathaway. Star has 750 employees in four cities and is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
     Other candidates for this year's Hall of Fame, designated Industry Fellows, were designer Jena Hall, Best Home Furnishings founder Clement M. Lange Jr., and Thomas E. Wright, co-founder and former chairman of Wright of Thomasville.