AHFA honors Stanley, Bassett execs with Safety Leadership Awards

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 12, 2013

AHFA award winners Carlton Craig, left, of Stanley Furniture and Gene Barrow of Bassett Furniture were honored for their leadership in furniture industry safety issues.

HIGH POINT — Carlton Craig, product compliance manager for Stanley Furniture, and Gene Barrow, manager of product engineering for Bassett Furniture, have received Safety Leadership Awards from the American Home Furnishings Alliance.

The awards were presented at a furniture safety work group meeting March 6 at the AHFA headquarters here.

Craig and Barrow sit on AHFA's Advisory Committee on Safety, which represents the furniture industry on safety issues and serves as an advocate before governmental and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

"Their contributions to this committee are enormous," said Bill Perdue, AHFA's vice president of regulatory affairs. "They are called on to help research emerging product safety issues - not when it is convenient for them, but whenever the need arises."

Craig and Barrow also serve on the ASTM International Furniture Safety Committee chaired by Perdue. The committee maintains safety standards for furniture tip-over, bunk beds and horizontal glass for desks and tables.

Perdue described Craig and Barrow as "safety champions" in the home furnishings industry. "They have not only worked to ensure that our industry's safety standards remain up-to-date, relevant and effective, but they frequently call for - and participate in - webinars and seminars to help educate their industry colleagues."

Craig has been with Stanley since 1973, and was named to his current position in 2009.

Barrow has been with Bassett since 1999.