AFMA FORMS E-COMMERCE TASK FORCE AND NEW DIVISIONS TO BEST SERVE ITS MEMBERSHIP IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

Success By Association

The American Furniture Manufacturers Association Board of Directors has approved the establishment of an Information Technology Division, designed to provide management education opportunities for information technology professionals as well as facilitate the exchange of business information among various sectors of the furniture industry. The group will begin with a study of the issues involved in effective E-Commerce activity in the furniture industry. Fred Preddy, president of Hammary Furniture Co. and Chairman of the AFMA Board of Directors, said the AFMA anticipates future expansion of the Information Technology Division to include affiliations with additional sectors of the industry, including retailers.

"Our goal is to formulate a model for the home furnishings industry that enhances communication and information exchange among manufacturers, suppliers and retailers," said Preddy at the AFMA's annual Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. in May.

The first step of the Board was the formation of a special task force, organized to conduct a thorough analysis of the current status of information technology relative to the home furnishings industry. The task force will assess Internet utilization as it relates to the furniture industry and will include representation of all segments of the AFMA, including industry suppliers and small-, medium- and large-scaled manufacturers.

Ron Wanek, President of Ashley Furniture and President of AFMA, announced the formation of the E-Commerce Task Force, which includes an equal number of administrative and information technology executives. "This structure will assure that the considerations of all elements of furniture manufacturing are considered during the Task Force's deliberations," said Wanek.

Douglas Brackett, AFMA Executive Vice President, will serve as the AFMA liaison for the group. "We will be calling on a variety of resources both in and out of the industry to help facilitate the committee's work," said Brackett. "We are excited about the long term prospects of the work of this Task Force and will be in contact with other resources as needed."

Talmage Fish of Hooker Furniture will serve as Chairman of the Task Force. Ray Harm, also of Hooker Furniture, will serve on the committee along with Ames Flynn of Thomasville Furniture and Roger Bland of Action Industries, representing Furniture Brands International; Ken Fonville of Pennsylvania House and Stan Kirkwood of La-Z-Boy, representing La-Z-Boy Michael Blinzler and Mike Glauber, representing Leggett & Platt; Tyler Best and Robert Stamper, representing LifeStyle; and Bill Boyle and Bill Sibbick, representing Stanley Furniture.

AFMA NAMES ACCESSORIES DIVISION HEAD

This spring, the AFMA announced the appointment of Ruth Hicks as Director of Decorative Accessories and Director of Membership. Her hiring represents the further expansion of AFMA's Decorative Accessories Division. The Division was formed in 1999, opening membership to include producers of decorative accessories. The Board of Directors felt that including decorative accessories producers better represents the entire home furnishings industry, especially in its public relations and legislative efforts.

Douglas Brackett said Hicks will focus on the growth and development of the Accessory Division. "As AFMA's first full-time membership director, we anticipate great growth in our membership and a corresponding effectiveness in our overall program."

Brackett said Hicks brings nearly a decade of sales and marketing leadership experience to her new position. As membership director, she will work to expand the numbers of the AFMA, including the Suppliers Division. "Our Supplier members play key roles in the AFMA, providing technical information that affects everyone in the home furnishings industry. The AFMA is the largest association dedicated to the home furnishings industry in the United States. It is renowned for its programs and services plus it offers members the opportunity to network and socialize," Hicks said.

PURCHASING DIVISION ONE OF AFMA'S NEWEST GROUPS

Another newly formed division of AFMA, functioning under the umbrella of the Manufacturing Division is the Purchasing Division. The Purchasing Division operates with its own board of directors and officers. Formed a year ago, the division was designed to enhance competition and increase members' knowledge of current purchasing practices and future demand and communicate our customers' needs to our supply chain through a network of purchasing/material management professionals.

PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM EXCEEDS GOALS

The AFMA's Public Relations program, established to heighten public awareness of the Home Furnishings Industry and present it in a positive light, is off to an impressive start. Jackie Hirschhaut, head of the PR program said, "We are extremely gratified that in its first year of action, the program has to date reached more than 1 billion consumers through the media and public relations work we have done. The program is considered a strong success story. It is gratifying for all our members to know that a billion consumers have been touched by a message about the home furnishings industry." Hirschhaut said the program is a multimedia effort via print, TV and radio. "Just recently our Mars and Venus story about men and women relating to furnishings was picked up by U.S.A. Weekend, reaching 26 million consumers through that one story."

Hirschhaut said the public relations program will be expanded this year.