Industry veteran Joe Elmore joins Bella Esprit as director of sales

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, November 5, 2012

Joe Elmore

WHITTIER, Calif. — Industry veteran Joe Elmore has joined full line furniture supplier Bella Esprit as director of sales, a new position. He also will serve as a consultant to the company ownership in product development and marketing.

For the past several years, Elmore has served in consulting, sales and product development roles with various case goods and upholstery resources.

Before that, he spent about 12 years in management at case goods and upholstery importers Master Designs and Homelegance. For about seven years before joining Homelegance, he was vice president of sales, marketing and merchandising at California manufacturer Catalina Furniture.

In his new position, he reports to James Ou, CEO, and Tammy Ou and Sherry Liu, both managing partners. He also will work with Hans Ou, who runs the upholstery division in China, to develop upholstery product and with national sales manager Sergio Avilia to coordinate various sales initiatives.

In the sales role, Elmore will help expand the company's U.S. business. The company primarily sells on the West Coast but is looking to grow its East Coast business.

Elmore also will help develop new channels of distribution, grow the company's Internet business and also help boost international sales.

In the consulting role, he will help develop value-driven promotional product that will appeal to stores that typically carry middle priced lines.

Bella Esprit, which has been in business since 1997, produces a line of futons at its factory in Dongguan, China. It also sources upholstery and dinettes in China and bedroom and dining room furniture in Malaysia and Vietnam.

Over the years, Bella Esprit has shown at the Las Vegas and High Point markets, but has mostly shared space with other exhibitors. It has recently signed a long-term lease to occupy space on the second floor of the Profit Center on South Main Street in High Point, and is negotiating a lease for permanent space at the Las Vegas Market, Elmore said.