Joseph Progar elected president of Polyurethane Foam Assn.

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, November 14, 2012

Joseph Progar

LOUDON, Tenn. — Joseph Progar, executive vice president of Advanced Urethane Technologies/Sleep Innovations, has been elected president of the industry trade group the Polyurethane Foam Assn.

Progar was elected at the organization's Fall General Business and Technical Program in October. PFA was founded in 1980 to educate consumers and industry members about flexible polyurethane foam, whose uses include many furniture and bedding products.

Before joining Advanced Urethane Technologies/Sleep Innovations, Progar was vice president of sales and operations of the polyurethane division of Leggett & Platt, where he worked for more than 20 years. Earlier, he was a regional manager at United Foam Corp. for eight years.

"We have the benefit of working with a great product, and we have a tremendous opportunity to tell our story collectively," said Progar. "I look forward to continuing to be part of the very effective and important advocacy work being done by the PFA, and to reinforcing those efforts with new initiatives that strengthen our industry."

Other officers include first vice president, Greg Davis of Wm. T. Burnett & Co.; second vice president, Bill Gollnitz of Plastomer Corp.; secretary, Joe Wingfield of Prestige Fabricators; and treasurer, Bobby Bush of Hickory Springs Mfg.

Lynn Knudtson of Future Foam is the immediate past president, and Bob Luedeka remains the association's executive director.