Jeff Young Replaces Jeff Cook as CEO for A.R.T. Furniture
Furniture World News Desk on
11/7/2019
The Board of Directors at A.R.T. Furniture recently announced that they have reached a mutual agreement with Jeff Cook to step down as CEO of A.R.T. Furniture. Cook leaves the division of Markor International Business for personal reasons. Effective immediately, Jeff Young has been named CEO of A.R.T. Furniture.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Cook for his eight years of service at A.R.T. Furniture,” said Mark Feng, President of Markor International Business Division. “We greatly appreciate Jeff’s loyalty and dedication to the brand, and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Jeff Young previously served as Markor’s Chief Branding Officer and brings with him vast experience in the home furnishings industry. In addition to leading his family’s Lexington Furniture Industries, Young has held CEO positions at Fine Furniture and Drexel-Heritage. Furthermore, he was appointed CEO for Furniture Brands International’s H.D.M. division, which included oversight of Henredon, Maitland-Smith, Lane Venture, Pearson Upholstery and Hickory Chair. Young is a long term Markor executive, and accomplished CEO who successfully guided the acquisition and transition of Markor owned Schnadig International to Caracole International. Today, Caracole is known for remarkable product innovation, a pioneering approach to marketing and an elevated focus on international branding.
“I would like to formally welcome Jeff Young as he takes the helm at A.R.T. Furniture. Jeff has the leadership skills and operational experience necessary to further drive A.R.T.’s global growth strategy, said Mark Feng. “He has repeatedly exhibited extraordinary product development talent, and has the ability to widen the appeal of the A.R.T. brand.”
“I am honored and excited to assume leadership responsibilities here at A.R.T Furniture,” said Jeff Young. “A.R.T. has always been recognized for its variety of designs, innovation, and offering a solid value proposition to its customers. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this history making brand.”
With the transition of A.R.T.’s own vertically integrated resources now complete in Vietnam, coupled with Markor’s global sourcing infrastructure, A.R.T. Furniture is poised, and in a unique position to take advantage of existing opportunities in the marketplace while attracting new customers to its current portfolio of products. This transition, coming after a very successful High Point Market in October, symbolizes an investment in the future and invigoration of the brand to continue innovating.
“The entire A.R.T. leadership team is excited to have Jeff Young join A.R.T. October was one of our best furniture markets so we are looking forward to the continued momentum,” said Doug Rozenboom, SVP Merchandising and Product Development of A.R.T Furniture. “Jeff’s creativity will be an engine for growth and his vast experience will ensure those initiatives come to life.”
About A.R.T. Furniture: A.R.T. Furniture is a Markor company that designs and manufactures whole-home collections in case goods, upholstery and outdoor. A.R.T. Furniture is positioned as the entry to the upper-end segment of the home furnishings industry and is best known for quality construction and its ability to craft artisan finishes. In addition to its wholesale market selling to U.S. and international retailers, A.R.T. Furniture has over 120 branded retail locations in major cities throughout China and is the pre-eminent brand in China for its style and price segment.
About Markor: Markor, founded in 1990 by Richard Feng, chairman and CEO, owns four U.S. subsidiaries -- A.R.T. Furniture, Caracole, Rowe, and Jonathan Charles -- and operates 10 advanced manufacturing facilities in China. Markor In China, operates seven distribution brands: Markor Home Furnishings, A.R.T., A.R.T. Epicenters, Rehome, Yvvy, Zest and Jonathan & Richard. Markor has more than 300 stores in China. The company distributes its products to over 50 countries through a large network of retail partners. It employs approximately 13,000 people and is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.