Tell Your Story To The American Home Furnishings Hall Of Fame Foundation

Furniture World News Desk on 4/15/2015

The American Home Furnishings Hall Of Fame Foundation reported that it will be collecting interesting life stories from members of the home furnishing industry at the High Point Market, Saturday, April 18, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the AICO/Amini Innovations showroom, IHFC Commerce 802. The video tapings for the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame can be done alone or in groups.

“We’ve all shared a good story at a party, or perhaps it’s one that’s been told over and over again through the years. Our ‘Tell Us Your Story’ project is such a simple but meaningful thing to do,” says Michael Amini, president of the Foundation. “We share these industry stories through the interactive kiosks at the Wall of Fame in Furniture Plaza, on our website and during our annual Banquet as well as preserving them for history.”

New stories taped during the October Market were from Andy Bernstein, FurnitureDealer.net; Jerry Epperson, Mann, Armistead and Epperson, Ltd.; Alejandro Macias, Del Sol Furniture and Giuditta, Furlan and Cristina Piovesana from A.L. Funo Furniture S.P.A. in Italy.

These will be added to the previous stories from Doug Bassett, Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co.; Don Belgrad, formerly with Schnadig Furniture International; Barton Bienenstock, Furniture World Publisher; Pedro and Carlos Capó, El Dorado Furniture; George Cartledge III, Grand Home Furnishings; Bill Child, R.C. Willey; Don Dreher, DMI Furniture/Flexsteel Industries; Bill Fenn, LADD; Darrell and Stella Harris, Furnitureland South; Caroline Hipple, HB2 Resources; Steve Hodges, Steve Hodges Associates, Inc.; Keith Koenig, City Furniture; Bob Maricich, International Market Centers; Dan Minor, Southwood Furniture; Reyna Moore, formerly with Norwalk Furniture; Irwin Novak, King’s Furniture; Dave Palmer, formerly with the World Market Center; Stu Perlmutter, Harold’s Furniture; Martin Ploy, AICO/Amini Innovations; Travis Rose, Rose Brothers Furniture; Jane Seymour, AICO/Amini Innovations; Paul Toms, Hooker Furniture Corp.; and Clark and Craig Young, from Bradington-Young.

Some key questions may be helpful to help generate story ideas before the taping. These include:

1. When did you attend your first Market? What was it like?
2. When did you start in the business?
3. What hurdles have you overcome?
4. What achievements are you most proud of?

Appointments are encouraged but not required for each 10-minute taping. For questions or to reserve a time, email Lauren Estep, lestep@furniturehalloffame.com.

The stories, captured on video, serve four purposes. Excerpts will be presented at the 2015 October Banquet, on the Foundation website, www.homefurnishingshalloffame.com, and on kiosks at the Wall of Fame in Furniture Plaza. They also are entered into the Foundation archives for future use as a video and written transcript.

The Foundation is also collecting company history books and historic photos to build its collection and further preserve the industry’s history. These materials can be sent to the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. at 202 Neal Place, High Point, N.C., 27262.

The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. is an international, industry-wide organization founded to honor those individuals whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the continued growth and development of the U.S. home furnishings industry, as well as to research, collect and preserve our cultural, economic and artistic history. Membership includes eligibility to nominate candidates for consideration by the Selection Committee, and the opportunity to help preserve the history and heritage of the industry. The organization is based in High Point, North Carolina at 202 Neal Place, and can be reached at 336.882.5900. http://www.furniturehalloffame.com