Longtime furniture sales rep Joe Tillman Jr. dies at 90

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 13, 2013

Joe Tillman Jr.

SARASOTA, Fla. — Joe Tillman Jr., a furniture industry sales representative in the southeastern U.S. for more than four decades, has died. He was 90.

Tillman, a native of Greenwood, Miss., and a Mississippi State University graduate, began his furniture industry career shortly after a stint on the U.S. Army.

During his career, he was a rep for Kent-Coffee/Blowing Rock Furniture, Fairfield Chair, Singer Furniture and Global Furniture. A recipient of the "rep of the year" award from the Louisiana Furniture Assn., Tillman was credited with being one of the first sales reps to understand purchasing imported furniture by container.

He is survived by his wife, two children, a sister and four grandchildren. His son, Joe Tillman III, works for the contract furniture division of Fairfield Chair.