Longtime Rooms To Go exec Lenny Cacioppo dies at 64

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, January 25, 2013

Lenny Cacioppo

TAMPA, Fla. — Industry veteran and longtime Rooms To Go senior manager Lenny Cacioppo died here Wednesday following complications after surgery. He was 64.

Cacioppo spent most of his career working with the Seaman family, first at the former Seaman's in greater New York and later at Seffner, Fla.-based Rooms To Go.

RTG principal Morty Seaman said both Cacioppo and his younger brother, Gary Cacioppo, joined Seaman's years ago and rose to key management positions. Among other things, Lenny Cacioppo was in charge of bedding merchandising for the Top 100 Room To Go. Seaman also said he was "one of the finest chefs we have in the company."

"We loved him," Seaman said. "In addition to his capacity in the business, he was a fun guy, and he was really family. And wherever he's going, he's going to liven it up."

Tom Rehwinkel, sales manager for Carolina Mattress Guild, said he has known Cacioppo since 1975 when Cacioppo was working at an Alperts Furniture store in Buffalo, N.Y.

"Lenny was a great guy. None better," Rehwinkel said. "It's a very sad day for his family, his RTG family and all his friends. It's also a very sad day for our industry."

Gary Cacioppo, who continues as a key member of management at Rooms To Go, said his brother "lived life to its fullest. That's what everybody always said about him."

Other survivors include his wife, Diana Cacioppo, and a daughter, Julie Derasmo.

A celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at The Italian Club, 1731 East Seventh Ave., in the historic Ybor City area of Tampa.