Does healthcare furniture need to be so ugly and institutional? Alan Rheault, Nurture’s director of product design, doesn’t think so.

Allsteel Strides into the Marketplace with New Systems Product

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Canada Hangs ToughSales for o!ce furniture have all but dried up in the U.S., but that’s not the case in Canada -- at least not yet.

Victor acquires Craftex MillsAcquisition helps strengthen their position as a “reliable supplier and increases the company’s product o"ering.”

Victor Innovatex, Inc., of Saint-Georges, Quebec, Canada, said Tuesday that it has acquired the Craftex brand from the secured creditor of Pennsylva-nia-based Craftex Mills. Victor now owns the Craftex brand and the company’s catalog of products. The Craftex brand will con-tinue to be o!ered by Victor. Craftex is known for intricate designs and woven fabrics.

The company said in a press release that the acquisition helps strengthen their posi-tion as a “reliable supplier and increases the company’s prod-uct o!ering.”

Founded in 1903 in Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania - Craftex Mills has a long history of be-ing a dedicated fabrics provid-er to the residential home fur-nishings and contract interiors industries.

In September of 2007 Victor formed a joint venture with Gordon Brothers Group of Boston, MA, to acquire the ma-jority of the assets of Quaker Fabric, Inc. of Fall River, MA.

That purchase included owned real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and all of the company’s intel-lectual property, trademarks and design archive. 6

CHI-LLC Launches Typicals Online Program for Herman Miller DealersCHI-LLC’s TOP provides online catalog of Herman Miller and Alliance manufacturer’s typicals in a variety of download #le formats

CHI-LLC announced Tuesday the availability of TOP, a new web-based service for Herman Miller dealerships. TOP allows design-ers and salespeople to search and "lter hundreds of typicals, compare products visually and by speci"cation, then download drawings and product informa-tion for use in presentations, de-signs, and proposals.

“We developed TOP speci"-cally to save design time and shorten sales cycles,” said Dave Mitchell, President of CHI-LLC. “TOP is the fastest and simplest way for Herman Miller dealers to show customers attractive, functional designs within their speci"cations and budgets.”

TOP includes typicals for Her-man Miller and Geiger prod-uct lines including 5000 Series, Abak, Action O#ce, Avive, Co/Struc, Eames, Ethospace, Keyei-ra, My Studio Environments, Passage, Resolve, Tablet, and Vivo. TOP also includes typicals from Alliance Partners of Her-man Miller, including Baker Manufacturing, Bretford, First O#ce, and SitOnIt. TOP’s down-load "le formats include JPG, AutoCAD 2D and 3D, Z-Axis, Z-Viewer, ZXF, PDF, SIF, and 3DS.INFO: www.chi-llc.com/topinfo.pdf. 6

When it comes to economic strength, Canada can sometimes be an afterthought to those south of the border. But a stable

banking industry and hous-ing market is helping Canada’s economy to continue to hum along nicely.

Sales for o#ce furniture have all but dried up in the U.S., but that’s not the case in Canada -- at least not yet. Project busi-ness is still working through

the system and the education and healthcare markets are strong.But before you book passage to Toronto for you and your sales

sta!, know that this party is limited, for the most part, to Cana-dian manufacturers. The U.S. dollar’s strength against its Cana-dian counterpart now makes it di#cult for U.S. manufacturers to compete north of the border.

Canadian o#ce furniture makers are happy to report the econ-omy there is hanging on. “Canadian banks are stable,” said Glob-al President and Chief Operating O#cer Joel Feldberg. “Earnings have come out and they are all very positive. Banks here are still lending money. Things have tightened a little, but not like the U.S. The economy is still expanding and projects are still going ahead. They are not being postponed or canceled as they are in the U.S.”

It certainly would be a stretch to say Canada’s economy is in high gear. The country is too closely tied to the U.S. for it to be immune to the recession. So while projects might still be hap-pening in Canada, many are being trimmed down. “If a project was $1 million, now it might be $800,000,” Feldberg said. “Still, projects are solid in Canada. Overall, things have been pretty stable.”

Francois Giroux, president of Groupe Lacasse, said there is “de"-nitely a di!erence” between what’s going on in Canada and the deep recession that is stalling business in the U.S. “Our market is lagging a little bit,” he said. “We are beginning to see some signs of slowness, obviously, but it is not as acute.”

There hasn’t been a stampede of U.S. manufacturers to Canada, but those that are already established there certainly recognize the opportunity. Despite the exchange rate, some are succeed-

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in turn lead to stronger furniture sales to those customers.

Canada’s economy is closely tied to the U.S. Many in Canada wonder weather it can seal the economic $u at the boarder. “There is a direct correlation that what happens to the U.S. happens to Canada,” Mills said. “We typically are later to see the downturn and later to come out of it. I don’t know if this is the delay or if we’re just going to come out of it quicker.”

Canada’s economy has been stronger or weaker depending on the region. Cal-gary was booming while oil prices were high. Feldberg said a lot of the oil related projects have slowed down or stopped. “There’s still business in Toronto and Ot-tawa,” he said.

Mills said Vancouver continues to be strong because of investments in the 2010 Winter Olympics. “There’s a lot of in-frastructure going in there,” he said. “I see a little less activity on the East Coast. On-tario seems to be pretty strong still.”

The biggest barrier of entry to U.S. com-panies working in Canada is the exchange rate. Not so long ago, the two dollars were nearly at par, which made it easier for U.S. companies to compete for Canadian busi-ness. Since that time, the U.S. dollar has gained strength compared to the Canadi-an dollar. A U.S. dollar now is worth about $1.25 Canadian. E!ectively, U.S. products now cost 25 percent more than they used to. “Now it’s just not competitive for U.S. companies,” Feldberg said. “It is very dif-ferent than it was when dollar was at par.”

It remains to be seen whether Canada will follow the U.S. into the deepest part of the recession. But so far, the o#ce fur-niture industry there is pleased to stay a$oat. “There’s all kinds of worry about what might happen,” Mills said. “But it’s not all gloom and doom here. There is an amazing di!erence in optimism between the U.S. and Canada. Hopefully Canada

ing. KI’s Canadian operations are running at 111 percent of its estimated plan for 2009.

“We didn’t get that full collapse that the U.S. did. I think the overall feeling in Cana-da is a little more positive,” said John Mills, KI’s vice president of sales in Canada.

Feldberg said he does see U.S.-based competitors on jobs, but doesn’t think U.S. manufacturers worry much about building their business in Canada. “The whole market here is only $1 billion,” he said. “There’s only so much I’m going to get and only so much Teknion is going to get. The pie just isn’t that big. If I’m Steelcase or Herman Miller, I don’t see that attraction in Canada. Steelcase just pulled out of here (healthcare furniture plant in Ontario) and they were pretty en-trenched. I think those guys are looking at the big jobs.”

Giroux added that while there has been some added competition from the U.S., “it hasn’t been a stampede of people from down south.” He said the market dynam-ics are di!erent enough in Canada to keep competition in check. “The popula-tion is only 33 million. I don’t think it is pro"table enough for some companies to come here,” he said.

KI has been in the Canadian market for at least 20 years. The company is “relentless” in the way it goes to market and goes af-ter business, Mills said. And the company focuses much of its e!orts in Canada on its education and healthcare business -- two areas that continue to expand in Canada. “Our business model shines in a downturn economy,” he said. “It is much more recession proof. We’re seeing more students go to school and stay longer. In the education market, we’re seeing an increase in students, which in turn, hope-fully will mean more furniture sales.”

In the next 30 to 45 days, Canada’s pro-vincial budgets are expected to be re-leased. Like the U.S., the Canadian govern-ment has approved a stimulus package. Many furniture makers are waiting to see how the funds will be allocated. Schools and hospitals could bene"t, which would

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isn’t just delayed getting into the reces-sion. Right now, I think most companies are happy to do the business they are do-ing.”

Vitra Targets USA in new pushMany in the U.S. have the misconception that Vitra is all about residential furniture

When people think of Vitra, they think of Europe. But Vitra USA’s new Director Jo Kaiser wants to change all that. Vitra is making a renewed push into the North American market and hopes its cutting edge furniture with a decidedly European $avor will gain favor here.

The company is poised to pounce on a new phenomenon that’s hitting U.S. of-

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"ces: The move toward lighter, open plan desking and benching systems. As the cu-bicle walls fall in the U.S., Vitra believes it can make a major push into this market. Already a design leader in Europe, Vitra wants to take that title in the U.S. as well.

“We are telling people we are here and we are in the market,” said Kaiser, who was named Vitra USA’s director in August. “We have things planned that will change (our position) in the U.S. market. Our plan is to talk a little bit louder to this market.”

Vitra plans to make its "rst splash at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, which will be held May 16-19 in New York City at the Javits Convention Center. While Vitra has been part of the show for a number of years, it is adding a second-ary showroom at its Meatpacking District showroom on 9th Ave. The company is setting up four vignettes in collaboration with Parsons University to show how Vitra products can be used in a residential set-ting. The company will operate a shuttle bus from Javits to the showroom and back to the fair for attendees.

The second event Vitra plans on wowing is NeoCon. The company has had a small showroom in the Merchandise Mart, but this year plans the Chicago show a much bigger event. Instead of investing more money in its showroom, Vitra will furnish the entire south entrance hall of the Mer-chandise Mart with its furniture. The dis-play will go up April 30 and last through NeoCon. It will feature the latest contract furniture Vitra is importing into the U.S., including desking, seating and other products. It wouldn’t be Vitra without a little showmanship, so the company is us-ing a Buckminster Fuller Dome to house the products at the Merchandise Mart.

“Some of our products will be shown at the Merchandise Mart for the very "rst time,” Kaiser said, adding that designer Antonio Citterio will be at the Mart as Vi-tra’s guest.

Many in the U.S. have the misconception that Vitra is all about residential furniture. Kaiser said 80 percent of Vitra’s business in the U.S. is contract furniture. And it is looking for a larger share of that market.

“We want to develop our market share further on,” he said. “Vitra can capitalize on bigger customers in the U.S. We want to bring this open o#ce, Net ‘n’ Nest prod-uct to our customers in the U.S. to help them increase their e#ciency and col-

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laboration. This is our strategy.”Net ‘n’ Nest is a Vitra benching system

that features low partitions. Desks are divided by low, upholstered partitions that provide privacy and absorb sound. The partitions can be moved around and taken o! to add more workers to a space. Vitra successfully used the Net ‘n’ Nest product at Lowe Worldwide, a London-based advertising agency. The space ad-vantage of using Net ‘n’ Nest helped Lowe move from a 75,000 square foot o#ce to a 44,000 square foot space -- to accommo-date the same 225 employees.

“With our furniture, we have the ability to help our customers use their o#ce envi-ronment at its best,” Kaiser said. “Vitra can help provide innovation for a company. If a company is trying to get better, it needs to be more than just a single person. It needs to be a team. Employees are work-ing together. We don’t just need work sta-tions, we need work environments.”

That’s where the Net ‘n’ Nest idea came from. The area where a worker does in-dividual work is the nest. The area where they collaborate -- the lounge area -- is the net. Net ‘n’ Nest is devoted to this bal-ancing act of di!erent work-related re-quirements. It was introduced at Orgatec

in 2006. “With this concept, we have mea-sured several areas where we can help our customers,” Kaiser said. “One of the points is e#ciency. Our customers can see that we can increase their e#ciency by using this o#ce environment. A Gal-lup study shows 20 percent of employees are motivated to work. 80 percent are not motivated. We say, the in$uence we can bring to the company environment is to make a space that people really want to go work in. If you increase a worker’s plea-sure, they’ll be more motivated to work.”

O#ce styling is working in Vitra’s favor. More companies are willing to look at benching products as a way to save space. Globalization also makes it easier to sell the open o#ce concept. “A few years ago, it was certainly tougher to talk about our story than it is now,” Kaiser said. “Today it’s easier to "nd friends, to "nd believers within the architecture community and with end users. This trend has really in-creased, even in the last few months.”

Let’s face it, Vitra is not going to com-pete with most U.S. companies on price. Vitra products are expensive. But Kaiser said the products are also built well. “We really believe our furniture can be used for many many years,” he said. “We really build this furniture for 15-20 years. It is an investment in the future. For a customer, payback comes over the years.”

Vitra is well known for its design prow-ess. But it is just starting to tell the U.S. market about its success stories.

“Vitra has installed a lot of product in the U.S. in the last 20 years,” Kaiser said. “Many of those are still very happy Vitra custom-ers. We need to do a better job to talk about what we can do for our customers. It is something we’ve started to do. For us, it’s a little easier if potential customers hear about the function of our furniture from other American companies. These are the success stories.”

Vitra is sending out a newsletter as a way to keep in touch with its customers and fans in the U.S. In each issue, the com-pany will introduce new products, discuss the Vitra Design Museum’s current and upcoming exhibitions, upcoming trade shows, and share an insider’s glimpse of Vitra’s forthcoming products.

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Job SearchingLongtime furniture industry headhunter Stephen Viscusi’s latest business venture is Bulletproof Your Resume, a unique resume writing and career counseling service

Many people in the o#ce furniture indus-try are searching for new jobs as the re-cession is forcing manufacturers, dealers and design "rms to trim their ranks.

And in this economy, job seekers have some serious competition. A tight and highly polished resume can make all the di!erence. Most industry executives, sales managers and designers are good at what they do, but few are great writers -- especially when it comes to an important document like a resume that can make or break a career.

Help is on the way. Longtime furniture industry headhunter Stephen Viscusi’s latest business venture is Bulletproof Your Resume, a unique resume writing and career counseling service. While most resume rewrite services simply focus on streamlining the wording, Viscusi’s busi-ness takes it a step further. Those who sign up for the service at www.bullet-proofyourresume.com also get two career counseling sessions with Viscusi himself.

When it comes to workplace issues, hav-ing Viscusi in your corner is hard to beat. He is the author of two books. His latest, “Bulletproof Your Job,” was published by Harper Collins and has been translated in nine languages. Viscusi also is a fre-quent workplace contributor to all the major networks, was a radio show host on workplace issues, and now has a TV show coming out. Charlie Gibson of ABC News named him, “America’s Workplace Guru.”

Bulletproof Your Resume goes beyond career coaching. Career coaches urge you along and pep you up during a job search. Viscusi actually gives you direct advice and tells you what to do. “I’ve been a recruiter for over 25 years and people say the same thing to me over and over,” he said. “They say, ‘I sent out 100 resumes and I’m not getting any interviews.’”

Viscusi is o!ering the industry his re-sume service for the introductory price of $250 until April 1. After that, the service will resume its normal price of $350. The service has already taken o!. Viscusi and his team are working on 2,500 resumes a week.

“Bulletproof Your resume isn’t just the

paper, it’s the process,” he said. “We looked at all the career service sites like Ladders and Monster and they are charging any-where from $400 to $600 (for resume ser-vices).”

Those who sign up for the service receive a personalized resume and a resume tem-plate so they can further hone their ca-reer objectives and employment history. Beyond that is the two personalized calls. Viscusi said the calls have galvanized his determination to help those who have lost their jobs.

Some of those Viscusi is helping just need their resumes polished. Others are starting at square one after long careers. Clients are pouring in from the o#ce fur-niture industry and beyond. Viscusi has helped a number of clients, for example, who lost their jobs in the publishing in-dustry. Still, the service is for anyone who has lost their job -- both blue- and white-collar.

“A lot of people older than 40 and older than 50 have been displaced,” he said. “I can help them. On paper, we can make it so they are perceived to be 10 years younger. I coach them on how to do that.”

Despite conventional thinking, Viscusi said there is nothing worse than a resume that touts 25-plus years of experience. “People don’t need to outline the num-ber of years they have in,” he said. “Tell me what you’ve done for me lately. Technol-ogy has changed all that. The years don’t really matter. Don’t get me wrong: If you have 25 or 30 years experience, it is not a negative, it just doesn’t matter anymore. Instead, quantify your experience by sales goals, by what you achieved. If you are a manager, let them know how many peo-ple you managed.”

In addition to professionals, Viscusi also is selling his service to moms and dads that are returning to work and parents who are buying the service for their col-lege students who are looking for intern-ships.

Viscusi specially designs the resumes so they can be put online and be picked up easier by the computers that are used to search them. He’s not just adding key buzz words to the resumes, but industry-speci"c words that can mean the di!er-ence between a computer picking out the resume or sailing by it without a look.

Viscusi has tips for job seekers:He recommends ditching the middle

name and using the "rst name that you go by. For example, if you are known as Max, leave Maximilian o! the resume. “And the only one who should use her middle name on a resume is Sarah Jessica Parker,” Viscusi said.

Viscusi also recommends cleaning up your Facebook and Myspace accounts. Get rid of the pictures where you are boozing it up or goo"ng o! if you are looking for a job. Human resources de-partments are scouring social networking pages to "lter candidates.

Sometimes you need to dummy down a resume. If you are a independent rep and have your own one-person "rm, it may not help your job search if you call yourself the president or chief executive o#cer.

Make sure to list cross training skills. If you work in human resources and han-dled training for salespeople for 10 years, it’s not a "b to say you have some sales experience.

If you were downsized, make sure to put the year and month you lost your job. “People who were let go from a job in the last 30 days need to be sure to do that,” he said. “You look at some resumes where someone lost their job and it will still say something like 2007-present. It’s dishonest. There is nothing worse than human resources at a perspective em-ployer thinking you are currently working and you’re not.”

Make sure you have a “normal” e-mail address. Perspective employers are more likely to hire someone with an e-mail like jdoe@yahoo.com than hotstud@yahoo.com, depending, of course, on your ca-reer objectives.

If it down to you and another candidate, o!er to work on a temporary basis for 90 days. It will make the employer more comfortable about the hiring decision. And most job seekers who o!er the trial period get hired full time after the 90 days is up.

Most people who lose their jobs are over-whelmed by the job search process, says Viscusi. “The most logical thing is to get help with your resume. When you think about it, your job is the most important thing in your life after your health and your family. Why in the world wouldn’t you have a professional do your resume? It is the calling card for your life.” 6

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Designer POV

It seems healthcare furniture design has been an afterthought. But does healthcare furniture need to be so ugly and institutional? By Rob Kirkbride

If you are a designer, it makes it easy when you get a job in an industry that has had traditionally poor design. And

there’s a lot of low hanging fruit to pick when it comes to designing healthcare furniture.

It seems healthcare furniture design has been an afterthought. Rightfully,

safety comes first. Then durability. But does healthcare furniture need to be so ugly and institutional?

Alan Rheault (pronounced “row”), Nurture’s director of product design, doesn’t think so. With the backing of Nurture’s parent company, Steelcase, Rheault is pushing forward the idea that

healthcare furniture can be functional and beau-tiful.

The design commu-nity is taking note -- and dishing out awards. Nur-

ture has won six major awards for its furniture design in the last few years, in-cluding two Nightingales and three Best of NeoCon golds.

“There is a transition happening in health care,” Rheault said. “It is a transi-tion in aesthetics and how a space looks and feels. Some of what we have seen in the past has not been good enough.”

Rheault believes that good design be-gins with solid research into the prob-lem, which is a cornerstone of Steelcase design in general. He has been with Steelcase since 1994 and his past jobs in-

Rheault knew he wanted to be a furniture designer since he was a junior in high school

!"#$%&'(#)"*

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clude directing design at its wood furni-ture division, Turnstone and Steelcase’s design studio, which focuses on creating specials for its major customers.

And while the move to healthcare furniture was a major switch for the de-signer, Rheault came into the position with some healthcare knowledge from a very close source: His wife is a nurse and knows what works and what doesn’t when it comes to healthcare furniture.

“I’m really lucky because I have a free consultant at home,” he said. “When I was working on the (Opus) over-bed ta-ble, she gave me some great advice -- add a spot for the cups to sit so they don’t tip over.”

Rheault said he knew he wanted to be a furniture designer since he was a junior in high school when he designed his own drafting table in shop class. He grew up Michigan’s rugged Upper Pen-insula, which helped shape his love for working with his hands and creating things from scratch. “I loved wood shop and metal shop and since 50 percent of

the kids I went to school with didn’t go to college, the trades in the U.P. are a big deal,” he said.

He went on to college to train as a

technical illus-trator and indus-trial designer. He later added a master’s degree in management, which he said gives him a solid understanding of the business side of the company.

When Rheault joined the ef-fort to create

the Nurture brand a few years ago, he quickly found that designing healthcare furniture is a lot different than design-ing office furniture. Healthcare furni-ture must be designed with safety in mind. Designers must also create prod-ucts knowing that patients -- some very old and some very young -- will be us-ing the furniture when they are frail and ill. Furniture for hospital staff members also is different than products found in the office. Staff members rarely get to sit down. The furniture needs to be mobile and must be able to handle the rigors of 24 hour use. And it must be easy to clean and made out of materials that won’t harbor germs.

“Everyone working in healthcare is in such a rush,” Rheault said. “The last thing they want to think about is their furniture. So when we started Nurture, we thought, ‘How can be provide a bet-ter work environment for those in a hospital setting?’ That has been the key. We’ve really tried to study and learn

and do as much research as possible.

“When you think about the design of healthcare furniture, you have to un-derstand that people’s lives are at stake. You need to think about what hap-pens in those spaces, how patients feel and how the family is accommodated.”

Each project Nurture undertakes starts with

research. Rheault stresses that the re-search is not just a quick overview, but serious review and observations. He and his staff study the research and photos and determine how a space is used. “It

also helps us look at the future and see how things might change. Research is an important part of the process used by the design team,” he said.

When it comes to healthcare furni-ture, it’s not just interior design and industrial design that comes into play, but true space planning as well. While hospitals continue their building boom, despite the recession, there is pressure to use the space available as efficiently as possible.

Like any business, hospitals are in competition for doctors and patients. The more comfortable the space and furniture, the easier it is for hospitals to attract their “customers.” “They (hospi-tal administrators) understand there is a transition taking place,” Rheault said. “They may not know how to get there, but that’s where we come in.”

The healthcare furniture industry hasn’t sorted out exactly what style is needed or wanted in doctor’s offices and hospitals. There has been a move to cre-ating spaces with a more residential feel. Some want hospitals to have the feel of a fine hotel and lean toward hospital-ity designs. “The most common thing I hear is that they don’t want it to feel like healthcare,” Rheault said. “As far as style is concerned, it really depends on the re-gion you are in.”

Although Steelcase has been in healthcare furniture for years, Nurture is still trying to establish its brand and market presence. Financial reports do not break out healthcare, but anecdotal evidence suggests healthcare is a small, but fast growing portion of Steelcase’s business.

“I think Nurture is establishing its brand with a clean aesthetic, broad ap-peal and a sense of warmth to the fur-niture it creates,” Rheault said. “Right now, we are focusing on spaces, whether it be the patient room, nurses station or oncology lab.”

As it moves forward, Nurture contin-ues to look back at and refresh its re-search. “We’ve received six awards in the past two years,” he said. “There are so many insights behind those products and awards. We want to push that for-ward.” 6

Designer POV

“There is a transition happening in health care. It is a transition in aesthetics and how a space looks and feels. Some of what we have seen in the past has not been good enough.”

12 The Monday Morning Quarterback www.mmqb.com

First Looks

In many ways, it’s like a Lego set for o#ce designers -- connect a desk to the spine and create a benching product, add a panel to that for a cubicle. By Rob Kirkbride

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When Allsteel set out to design its new Stride system, the company wanted to create a

series of pieces that could be connected to create everything from a traditional private office, to a benching product to a common cubicle.

In many ways, it’s like a Lego set for office designers -- connect a desk to the spine and create a benching product, add a panel to that for a cubicle.

Designers have been playing with All-

steel’s Stride system for some time, even though the product doesn’t ship until April 1. The company has maintained a showroom for Stride away from the Merchandise Mart (and the prying eyes of competitors) in Chicago since last fall. The company has brought designers through to kick the tires and get feed-back before the launch, according to DJ Heil, a product manager at Allsteel.

“The bulk of our growth at Allsteel has been through new products,” he

said. “We wanted to cre-ate that next generation system that would ad-dress the global impact and generational impact we’re seeing in the of-

fice today.”In developing Stride, three vital de-

tails were factored into the design equa-tion: a worker’s preference based on generational differences (who the per-son is; worker preference based on the individual (how one works); and work style based on organizational function (what one does). Allsteel believes that with Stride, one product platform can support and optimize the performance of all.

At the same time, Heil said Stride can grow and shrink along with business conditions. If a recession hits, he said it is easy to shrink the footprint of the product. When growth returns, it is just as easy to staff up.

Allsteel believes that with Stride, one product platform can support and optimize the performance of all

Allsteel’s new Stride furniture on display at the Stride Gallery in Chicago

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First Looks

Stride also is chameleon like when it comes to changing tastes in the office. Panel heights have dropped by 30 per-cent in the last few years as designers and facility managers try to get light into the cubicle and foster cooperative work. Stride can be used to create light and airy offices as well as traditional tall cu-bicles as styles change and evolve.

Increasingly, designers are demand-ing more flexibility out of the products they buy, said Kris Yates, vice president of marketing. “There is this need for a

broad breadth of product, from a cube to an open plan. I don’t think we’ve gone to the extreme of European bench-ing, but it’s get-ting closer.”

Allsteel is real-izing there is a new sensitivity among design-ers that furniture

must be able to change. The need to utilize space more efficiently has never been greater. Allsteel believes it has the answer with Stride.

Stride’s look ranges from European cool when it’s stripped down to North American stodgy when it’s built up in cubicle form. But it certainly can adapt to just about any taste. Most impressive is its ability to adapt to a private office setting as easily as it does a bullpen. The furniture looks as if it belongs in a pri-

vate office and not like it was forced into the space by over-imaginative Allsteel marketers. Stride, in the private office setting, uses a common work wall to sup-port desking and storage. It does a good job of using vertical space that would otherwise be wasted. “It gives you more function for less cost,” Heil said.

Stride runs on rails, which not only support the furniture, but host power and height adjustability. The brackets that hold the other components to the rail are adjustable in four-inch incre-ments. The legs are also adjustable.

Stride uses a rabbit edge on the desk to give a lighter scale appearance, but with the strength of a commercial prod-uct. Credenzas give Stride a residential feel as well. And its recessed feet make it seem like the product is floating.

Stride also has multi layer storage units to accommodate the pilers and fil-ers in an office. The desks can have 150 degree angles instead of 120 degrees so they work better with the flat panel dis-plays that are becoming more common

14 The Monday Morning Quarterback www.mmqb.com

First Looks

in the workplace.Designers want clean lines and they

want choices, Yates said. The materi-als that can be used on Stride are vir-tually unlimited. For instance, among the selection of storage units there is a choice of painted wood, a look that con-veys more of a residential furniture-like quality and creates a work environment that’s warmer and more comfortable, less sterile and institutional.

Allsteel’s goal from the onset was to make Stride as simple as possible, with

the least amount of parts and common components. It uses a universal panel clip design so that panels can be at-tached anywhere.

“Our intent is that Stride is not pre-

scriptive,” Heil said. “We don’t want to tell designers, ‘This is the way you have to do it.’ With Stride, a designer can ac-commodate the broadest range of peo-ple possible.”

Stride also is unusual in the way Allsteel is taking it to market. Instead of showing the product at NeoCon and having it ship months later, Yates said the company made a conscious decision to show Stride to the design community first and make sure it is shipping before it is formally introduced at NeoCon.

Of course, no product is complete today without an environmental story. Stride is no different. Allsteel be-lieves Stride will set the benchmark when it comes to sustainability. It is the company’s first complete system to utilize the De-

sign for the Environment framework incorporating Life Cycle thinking in both the product development and de-sign processes. Every Stride component was scrutinized through the DfE lens.

The product is certified by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry Cradle-to-Cradle and Scientific Certification Sys-tem. “The primary goal with Stride was to use a lifecycle approach of design, build, use, reuse and recycle,” Yates said.

100 percent of the energy used to pro-duce Stride is fully offset with the pur-chase of Green-e Energy certified wind renewable energy certificates. Allsteel also tried to localize as much produc-tion as possible, with more than 90 per-cent of the components and inputs on the series produced within a 500-mile radius. Stride also uses 60 percent less packaging than similar products when it is shipped.

Allsteel hopes Stride is the latest prod-uct that it can use to gain market share, especially with the economy struggling. “Stride is ground-breaking on so many fronts and reflects a relentless com-mitment to create the next generation workplace today,” Heil said. “Never before has a single solution been so di-versely applicable to nearly every type of business function.” 6

Stride’s look ranges from European cool when it’s stripped down to North American stodgy when it’s built up in cubicle form

Stride in a private office configuration

The Monday Morning Quarterback 15www.mmqb.com

Weekly Figures

Stocks in New York ended the week with losses Friday as the major aver-ages took a breather after three weeks that had sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 21% from its low earlier this month. The MMQB Index "nished the week up 11%.

For the day, the Dow dropped 148.38 points, or 1.9%, to 7776.18, and the S&P 500 lost 16.92 points, or 2%, to 815.94. The Nasdaq Composite fell 41.80 points, or 2.6%, to 1545.20.

There were no new 52-week lows or highs recorded during the week.

Stocks

MMQB INDEX FOR THE WEEK:

Close Previous Change

1808.77 1627.68 +181.09

52 week high 52 week low

4231.94 1363.30

YTD Gain or Loss: -16.41%

1000

1500

2000

3/303/233/163/93/2

MMQB Contract Furniture Index

COMPANY SYM CLOSE CHANGE 52/W LOW 52/W HIGH P/E MKT CAP

Aaron Rents RNT 25.38 1.58 15.11 30.22 15.22 1.36b

Chromcraft CRC 0.27 -0.01 .20 4.65 na 1.65m

CompX Int’l Inc. CIX 5.82 0.37 4.30 9.49 na 71.94mDesign Within Reach DWRI 0.60 -0.01 .31 4.50 na 8.68m

Flexsteel FLXS 5.20 0.09 5.11 13.98 46.85 34.19m

Herman Miller MLHR 11.41 1.46 7.91 30.54 6.27 611.34m

HNI HNI 10.81 1.09 7.70 34.37 10.57 479.14m

INSCAPE INQ.TO C1.81 C-0.44 C1.60 C4.50 22.62 C17.64m

Interface IFSIA 3.10 0.79 1.45 15.01 na 195.92m

Kewaunee KEQU 8.85 0.35 6.50 18.80 6.02 22.62m

Kimball Int’l KBALB 6.64 0.04 4.05 12.75 na 246.12m

Knoll Inc. KNL 6.68 0.62 5.33 18.68 3.67 314.49m

Leggett & Platt LEG 13.78 1.84 10.03 24.60 22.19 2.16b

Office Depot ODP 1.46 0.08 .059 14.39 na 401.25m

OfficeMax OMX 3.52 0.81 1.86 22.22 na 268.53m

Staples SPLS 18.57 1.56 13.57 26.57 16.40 13.27b

Steelcase SCS 5.63 0.64 3.03 12.86 9.11 752.91m

20-20 Technologies TWT.TO C1.50 C0.25 C0.86 C6.50 na C28.39m

United Stationers USTR 29.49 4.34 18.20 53.60 7.15 699.12m

Virco VIRC 2.59 0.27 1.65 5.41 29.10 37.36m

SOURCE: BIFMA

Year Volume % change

2008 $11.2 billion -2.3%

2009e $9.0 billion -19.3%

2010e $8.9 billion -1.1%

e=estimate Revised 3/2/2009

Value of U.S. O!ce Furniture Market (Millions of U.S. Dollars) SOURCE: BIFMA

Year Production %Change Imports Exports Consumption %Change

2008 $11,160 -2.3% $2,510 $679 $12,991 -3.2%

2007 $11,420 5.5% $2,563 $565 $13,419 4.4%

2006 $10,820 7.4% $2,531 $492 $12,859 7.9%

2005 $10,070 12.7% $2,280 $438 $11,912 12.3%

2004 $8,935 5.1% $2,022 $347 $10,610 5.4%

2003 $8,505 -4.3% $1,870 $307 $10,068 -2.5%

2002 $8,890 -19% $1,777 $338 $10,328 -16.4%

2001 $10,975 -14.4% $1,806 $430 $12,351 -17.0%

2000 $13,285 8.5% $2,094 $496 $14,883 9.5%Revised 2/23/2009

Annual Shipments by Product Category SOURCE: BIFMA

Year Seating Desks Storage Files Tables Systems Other

2008 27.6% 11.3% 5.4% 14.5% 9.2% 26.4% 5.6%

2007 27.9% 11.0% 7.3% 12.7% 7.5% 28.8% 4.8%

2006 26.5% 10.9% 7.4% 13.3% 7.2% 30.2% 4.5%

2005 26.3% 11.1% 7.6% 14.6% 7.5% 28.8% 4.2%

2004 26.5% 11.0% 7.9% 14.1% 7.2% 29.4% 3.9%

2003 26.6% 11.0% 8.0% 13.5% 6.8% 30.5% 3.5%

2002 25.7% 11.9% 6.3% 14.3% 6.8% 30.9% 4.1%

2001 25.2% 11.5% 6.0% 12.6% 7.1% 33.7% 3.9%

2000 24.9% 11.9% 4.9% 12.4% 6.4% 36.6% 3.0%

SOURCE: BIFMA

Year Volume % change

2008 $12.9 billion -3.2%

2009e $10.5 billion -19.0%

2010e $10.5 billion -0.1%

e=estimate Revised 3/2/2009

U.S Office Furniture Consumption Est.

U.S Office Furniture Production Est.

The chief o#ce furniture trading partner with the U.S. is Canada, re-ceiving about 50% of all U.S. o#ce furniture exports, and currently providing about 45% of all o#ce furniture brought into the States. That percentage was closer to 60% in the late 1990’s but imports from other countries, particularly China, have gradually been increasing their share of the U.S. market.

16 The Monday Morning Quarterback www.mmqb.com

EventsNEW YORK / May 5-7, 2009 Lightfair International - the Future. Illuminated. Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY.www.lightfair.com

LAS VEGAS / May 14-16, 2009 HD 2009 Expo and Conference at the Sands Expo and Conven-tion Center.www.hdexpo.com

CHICAGO / June 15-17, 2009 NeoCon World’s Trade Fair at Chicago’s Merchandise Martwww.neocon.com

TORONTO / September 24-25, 2009 IIDEX/NeoCon Canada at the Direct Energy Centre.www.iidexneocon.com

BALTIMORE / October 28-29, 2009 NeoCon East at the Baltimore Convention Centerwww.neoconeast.com

cant environmental properties. The Council also awarded the

2009 Award for Design Excellence in the furniture design category to HÅG for the Futu chair, de-signed by HÅG Design Studio.

Teknion’s Synapse Wood Guest Chair wins Bloom Award for Sustainable DesignTeknion Corporation announced that its Synapse contemporary wooden side chair was honored with a Bloom Award for its strong sustainable design. Synapse "n-ished "rst in the Furniture catego-ry in the annual award sponsored by Interiors & Sources magazine in partnership with the Ameri-can Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

Designed by Carl Gustav Magnusson for the contract, healthcare, hospitality and library markets, Synapse is environmen-tally friendly. It is comprised of just "ve parts. All are replaceable or interchangeable, allowing quick and simple replacement of parts in the "eld. When shipped $at in a carton, the chair requires one-third less space, maximizing shipping and installation e#cien-cies, and assembling on the job site in under "ve minutes.

“We are excited to be among the small circle of companies recog-nized with 2009 Bloom Awards, and equally pleased by this new initiative by Interiors & Sources and the ASID that encourages and celebrates sustainable design in our industry,” said David Feldberg, Teknion President & CEO.

Industry Briefing

Seen:

On the eve of the first day of Spring, GLOBAL – The Total Office, hosted its 7th Annual Spring Fling in their NYC Showroom. Usually a very festive event, GLOBAL was uncertain whether the timing was right to continue the annual tradition given the economic climate. Mi-chael Fishman – Director of Marketing & Design for GLOBAL in the USA commented, “We made a very conscious decision to continue the event for several reasons. This type of gathering allows us to communicate directly with so many market segments at once – dealers, industry partners, architects & designers. We can share thoughts and discuss proactive ways of keeping our business strong TOGETHER. And most of all, we believe the timing is always right to thank our supporters and business partners for their loyalty and commitment to GLOBAL. This event has always been about them.”

Despite the rather un-Spring-like weather outside, the atmosphere was sunny & upbeat inside . . . and certainly festive. Just over 300 invited guests mingled throughout the showroom, getting a sneak peak of a few upcoming product introductions scheduled to debut at NeoCon. Of course, everyone was equally interested in the colorful cocktails and hors d’oeuvres throughout the event. Jon Soll – Executive Vice President of Operations commented, “The change is season really seems to lift everyone’s spirits. We could not have asked for a more enthusiastic, appreciative group of people.”

BRIEFING

Award-winning HÅG Futu chair now shipping from izzyizzy now o!ers the award-win-ning HÅG Futu o#ce chair for or-der and shipping.

This month, HÅG Futu earned the Norwegian Design Council’s Environment Prize for developing a product or solution with signi"-

The Monday Morning Quarterback 17www.mmqb.com

Industry Briefing

IIDA Fashion Show to Benefit Working Wardrobes and Interior Design StudentsThe International Interior De-sign Association, Orange County City Center’s 9th Annual Fashion Show will be held from 6 - 9 PM on Thursday, April 2nd at the his-toric Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach. Themed “Give My Regards to Broadway”, this year’s event promises to be more entertain-ing and creative than ever as lo-cal interior designers race against the clock to craft fashions from samples of various materials from their design libraries.

As part of this year’s theme, par-ticipants are challenged to create designs to portray any Broadway character. The competition will re-ally heat up as there are no restric-tions on the designers’ creativity. The "nished - and extremely inno-vative- costumes will be paraded down the catwalk and judged by industry professionals.

Bringing a philanthropic edge to this event full of fashion and costume design, designers will be donating gently used clothing and accessories to the nonpro"t Working Wardrobes; adding that extra touch of style to boost the self-esteem of men and women preparing to re-enter the work force. Working Wardrobes will also receive the remaining de-signer fabric which they use to decorate their 10,000 square foot Career Center in Fountain Val-ley. Additionally, a portion of the show’s proceeds will bene"t local Interior Design students through educational scholarships, as they seek to further the profession.

INFO: linda.nabulsi@me.com

Home Office Spending FallsThe home o#ce furniture catego-ry appears to be in decline - but not as much as regular o#ce fur-niture. Statistics compiled by Fur-niture/Today show that spending on home o#ce furniture at retail, fell 11.1% in 2008 compared to 2007.

Haworth Facilities Manager Presents at EPA ConferenceKen Brandsen, Haworth’s Man-ager of Facilities Design & Man-agement, spoke at EPA’s Annual Resource Conservation Training Workshop on March 26 in Wash-ington, D.C. Brandsen presented Haworth’s approach to green building and materials conser-vation of its corporate head-quarters renovation to industry professionals from the EPA, local and state governments. The new building, One Haworth Center, is a two-time winner of EPA’s Lifecycle Building Challenge.

Brandsen and his team were re-sponsible for the transformation of the 25 year old corporate o#ce into the company’s global head-quarters - One Haworth Center. The transformation entailed in-corporating the company’s strate-gy and organizational culture into the physical facility creating an ef-fective tool for client engagement and employee e#ciency.

Brandsen has been with the company for 25 years in various facilities-related roles. He is re-sponsible for leading a team of project management, design and engineering professionals. Brand-sen is a professional member of the International Facilities Man-agement Association and is LEED accredited.

Humanscale Design Smart Seminars continue into SpringHumanscale’s popular Design Smart Seminar series continues in April with four educational events, including “Ergonomics & Healthcare: Boost Patient Care through Caregiver Comfort” and “Trench Warfare, Not Surgery: Im-plementing Sustainability in the Real World.”

In “Ergonomics & Healthcare: Boost Patient Care through Care-giver Comfort,” scheduled for Houston (April 1), Chicago (April 21), and Cleveland (April 23), Pro-fessor Alan Hedge explores the link between caregiver comfort and improved patient care.

In “Trench Warfare, Not Surgery: Implementing Sustainability in the Real World” on April 8 in San

Seen:

Francisco, Auden Schendler, a LEED-Certi"ed Professional and Executive Director of Community and Environmental Responsibility at Aspen Skiing Company, o!ers an honest, "rst-hand account of what driving an eco-friendly com-pany actually entails.

Attendees of “Ergonomics & Healthcare” are eligible for AIA credits; IDCEC accreditation is currently pending. Attendees of “Trench Warfare, Not Surgery: Implementing Sustainability in the Real World” are eligible for AIA and IDCEC (IIDA, ASID, IDC, IDEC) credits.

INFO: www.humanscale.com or call 800-400-0625.

IIDA 2009 Winning Design Projects AnnouncedThe International Interior Design Association (IIDA) last week an-nounced the winners of the pres-tigious 2009 interior design com-petitions: the 36th Annual Interior Design Competition and the 17th

Annual Will Ching Design Compe-tition. Truly international in scope, this year’s slate of winners demon-strates that great design is a uni-versal goal. The six winners in the 36th Annual Interior Design Com-petition were chosen from nearly four hundred projects submitted in the following practice areas: Commercial, Education/Institu-tional, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Residential and Retail.

1. Project: Greenhouse Night-club - New York, NY

Firm: Bluarch Architecture + Inte-riors - New York, NY

2. Project: Nishimura Restaurant, Shangri-La Hotel - Beijing, CHINA

Firm: CL3 Architects Limited - Hong Kong, CHINA

3. Project: Museum of Tolerance - Los Angeles, CA

Firm: Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design - Los Angeles, CA

4. Project: Fornari Headquarters - Milan, ITALY

Firm: Giorgio Borruso Design - Marina Del Rey, CA

5. Project: Wing Luke Asian Mu-

CANstruction, a design and build competition to benefit local food banks across the nation, returns to Chicago on June 10, 2009. This unique competition allows local architects, engineers and construction companies to create incredible structures using canned goods, while using their design skills to fight hunger in Chicago. All of the canned goods used in the structures are donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Competing teams, led by architects and engineers, will showcase their talent by designing and building larger-than-life structures en-tirely made out of canned goods. The structures are restricted to a 10’X10’X8’H space, in designated areas throughout Chicago Merchan-dise Mart. The structures will be on display at The Mart throughout the month of June. At the close of the exhibition, all of the canned goods will be donated to the Food Depository.

Last year’s CANstruction® event raised approximately 85,000 of cans of food from 20 structures. This year’s event is expected to exceed that amount.

18 The Monday Morning Quarterback www.mmqb.com

Industry Briefing

seum - Seattle, WAFirm: Olson Sundberg Kundig Al-

len Architects - Seattle, WA6. Project: Cathedral of Christ the

Light - Oakland, CAFirm: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

LLP - San Francisco, CAIn addition, Gallery More North

in New York, a gallery/exhibition space devoted to the best of con-temporary Nordic art and design, designed by KOKO Architecture + Design of New York, NY was chosen as the winner of the 17th Annual Will Ching Design Compe-tition, which honors outstanding commercial design by "rms of "ve or fewer individuals.

The judges selection for Best of Competition will be o#cially re-vealed and all winners will be cel-ebrated at COOL, IIDA’s NeoCon Gala to be held Sunday, June 14 in the Grand Ballroom at the Wes-tin Chicago River North. For table purchases or ticket information: jpalmer@iida.org or visit www.iida.org.

The Mohawk Group Host Workshop Series to Help Reposition CareersToday’s economic climate is leav-ing holes in more than just our wallets. It’s diverting career paths, disrupting lifestyles and a!ecting our generally positive perspec-tives on life and the future. Under-standing the signi"cant impact that the economy continues to have on the design community, commercial carpet manufacturer The Mohawk Group (including its four brands Bigelow, Lees, Karas-tan and Durkan) in sponsorship with the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and In-terior Design magazine, is helping to "ll an industry void by hosting a series of events called “Re:work.”

The events, to be held in major cities throughout the U.S., are de-signed to help out-of-work archi-tects and designers get back to the drawing board, and hopefully, back to work.

“Just like so many industries, the architecture and design commu-nity is "ghting severe business slow-downs, layo!s and even "rm closures,” said Al Kabus, president, The Mohawk Group.

The free, day-long workshop and

seminar-style events will provide valuable opportunities to work with experts on resume writing, "nancial planning, interview skills and career coaching, while o!er-ing constructive industry insight from architects and designers.

Information about local career and other job loss-related re-sources in each city will also be available to attendees. Partici-pants must register to attend.

(Ivan Allen Blvd. location)-

hawk Group Showroom (71 West 23rd Street, 18th Floor)

TBA

Group Showroom, The Merchan-dise Mart

INFO: www.themohawkgroup.com/rework

ODDS & ENDSJOINED: Melanie Cohen as the new Direct Sales Representative

for the Phila-delphia area of eastern Penn-sylvania, and New Jersey - for L a n d s c a p e Forms. Cohen is a LEED Accredit-

ed Professional and most recently served as a sales representative for Knoll Inc. She also has work experience with Haworth and Herman Miller in Architecture and Design Markets.RECEIVED: John Chipman, has received the 2009 Outstanding

Alumnus Award at Michigan State University. Chipman is the founder and re-tired president of Landscape Forms. Bill Main,

president of Landscape Forms, stated, “The success we have en-joyed is directly connected to the founding principles fostered by John Chipman, Sr. His insight, dedication, and vision have been our inspiration and a foundation on which we continue to build. We are delighted that John’s alma

RESERVE YOUR NEOCON SPACE TODAY6 Special NeoCon Issues

Pre and Post Show Coveragelizwolf@mmqb.com

First Look:

Next Monday (April 6) Groupe Lacasse will introduce its New Mor-pheo laminate casegoods program.

The company says that MORPHEO redefines the landscape of tradi-tional office environments with contemporary, adaptable and unique ergonomic shapes. MORPHEO has evolved and features a unique floating top construction conferring a high-end look. Sleek rails can be fixed to the surface to accommodate a host of accessories. Their PanGram laminate dividers can be used to offer affordable space man-agement possibilities.

Unique shapes, a lot of dimensions, new products, numerous choices such as top thickness, laminate or translucent modesty panels, trans-lucent inserts for doors, handles and legs are yours to pick. MORPHEO reflects intelligent design with appealing designer details. Up-to-the minute components, shapes, colors and finishes allow this shape-shift-er to suit any office environment or personality.

mater has chosen to recognize him in this way.” Chipman’s pas-sion for international travel was made obvious by his insistence that all design employees of the company have an opportunity to travel in Europe to witness "rst-hand the design inspiration in evidence throughout the con-tinent. That passion also led him and his wife, Patricia, to establish the John E. and Patricia Chipman Scholarship Endowment for Over-seas Study within the Michigan State University School of Plan-

ning, Design and Construction in 2000.JOINED: Christine Papachris-tos has recently joined Arc-Com Fabrics’ Southeast Division Sales team. With more than "fteen years of knowledge and experi-ence working within the A&D community, she will act as a Sales Representative for the Washing-ton, DC, Maryland and northern Virginia territory. Her career be-gan as an Architectural Designer at DBI Architects, in Washington, DC. 6

Cohen

Chipman

The Monday Morning Quarterback 19www.mmqb.com

MarketPlace

To place a Marketplace Ad simply go to: http://www.mmqb.com and click on “Place a Job Ad” or “Place a Clas-sified Ad.” Questions? Call us at 847-681-1199 x1. Ads close Friday 6:00 pm for Monday’s edition.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT / SALES REP. OPPORTUNITY Work for the premiere Herman Miller dealer in the Bay Area!

Key Deliverables:Demonstrate initiative by prospecting and closing sales leads within variety of com-mercial markets.

Consistently exceed customer expecta-tions by adding real value at each phase of the sale, by being accountable to customers, and by making and keeping commitments.

Provide a consultative approach to selling by working to understand the customer’s critical business needs and by delivering appropriate solutions with a sense of purpose and urgency.Ideal Profile:

Personality: Self motivated, resourceful, quick study, relationship driven, multi-tasker, strong work ethic, high energy, positive, assertive, detail oriented, strategic, team player, persistent, resilient.

Knowledge: Prospecting, probing, influencing, closing. Comfortable with technology, at ease with C-level executives, consultative selling, creating and delivering presentations, familiar with contracts and proposals. Knowledge of contract furniture industry and related products, applications, and design concepts preferred.

Motivations: Long term career, growth, recognition, money, affiliation, achieve-ment, freedom, security. Send us your re-sume: pdonlon@pivotinteriors.com EOE

INTERIOR DESIGNERS/CAD AND PROJECT MANAGERSStable Company Seeks Senior Professionals with Proven Interior Design or Project Management Experience

We have an ongoing need for experienced (5 yrs +) in the office furniture industry. We are seeking to fill both project manage-ment and space planning/CAD positions to support our government customers in the DC metro area. CAD applicants must be proficient in AutoCAD 20/20, CAPS or GIZA. Team management and architectural background is a plus.

Project managers must have relevant casegood furniture experience including managing projects from beginning to installation. Applicants for both positions must have outstanding customer service, proven experience working in the systems furniture industry and proficiency using Microsoft Office.

Send resumes with salary requirements to Apply@JMCBusinesssystems.com.

IN SUBJECT LINE WRITE: MMQ

OUTSTANDING SALES CAREER OPPORTUNITY Outside Sales Representatives

NATIONAL BUSINESS FURNITURE-Join the successful leader in office furniture sales

National Business Furniture, the 30 year leader in catalog and on-line business furniture sales has expansion opportunities for top notch outside sales representatives residing in or near Houston, Washington DC, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and St Louis. Will consider placement in other major cities with good customer base.

Stable company. No caps on commission. Generous full benefit package, car allow-ance, computer, solid customer base, large vendor selection, access to government contract, excellent design and customer service support.

3-years of business-to-business end-user office furniture outside sales experience required or 5 years experience selling other products or services B to B. Must be comfortable working from home office and have ability to travel within territory includ-ing use of personal vehicle. Comfortable with sales process. Well organized.

3-6 months on salary and then draw against commission

Visit www.nationalbusinessfurniture.com for company information.

Send resume and earnings expectations to: hr@nbf.biz Attn: OSGH

DEALER REPS.....DO YOU CALL ON THE VA?Service disabled veteran-owned teaming partner

We are a service disabled veteran-owned dealer holding our own GSA contract. We can help you secure local projects with the VA, and other Federal agencies.

For more details, please contact: alan@sdvfurniture.com

LOOKING FOR A DISTRIBUTOR!FURSYS, high quality office furniture company, is looking for a distributor in the U.S.

High quality office Furniture Company, Fur-sys, Inc in Korea is looking for distributors in the States. Established in 1983, Fursys has sales of USD 200 million and works with international dealers in 40 countries all over the world. Fursys has been number one in the Korean market and now we are ready to expand and serve the USA with you, an experienced distributor.

If you are interested in this position, please do not hesitate to call Wook, Kim at 82-2-3400-6457.

Phone: 82 2 3400 6457FAX: 82 2 443 3812Email: cruise704@fursys.com

ATT’N: DEALER REPS - BIG SPIFFSWant to Maximize your earnings in this tough economy? We can help!

We are a key manufacturer of ergonomic seating, accessories and productivity en-hancing work tools. We have revamped our compensation structure to maximize the return for our people in the trenches, our dealer sales people! We are offering spiffs as high as 20% of net sale on everything we carry and we guarantee our prices to be competitive with what you are currently selling.

E-mail davem158@gmail.com for all the details. We are looking forward to sending you some big checks!!

HEALTHCARE DIVISION SALES LEADERJoin this Seattle Steelcase Dealer with 60 years of market leadership!

BarclayDean, an award winning Steelcase dealer in the Seattle area, has an exciting new opportunity for a Senior Sales Profes-sional to lead our Healthcare Division.

Ideal candidates will have a proven history of success building and leverag-ing strong relationships in the A&D and Healthcare communities, running a business unit and increasing market share. Must possess the drive/vision to make an immediate impact on our organization. Senior level strategic sales experience is required. Contract furniture industry knowledge preferred.Apply online at www.hrpmsi.com/jobs/hdsl.htm

MARVEL GROUP, INC. WANTS WINNERS!Come grow with us!

We want your high energy and experience for our growing Office Furniture Team.

We are looking for proven performers. If you are self-motivated and interested in excellent commissions and know the Con-tract Furniture Industry, contact us today. Please call 773-843-2964 or e-mail: fortinjoe@marvelgroup.com

SALES MANAGERAre you a hunter, hungry for sales? Can you succeed in a Stock Economy?

If you possess the drive, the passion, the motivation, and the determination to be a proven hunter in the sales field, this is the opportunity for you. ErgoGenesis, manufacturers of BODYBILT® ergonomic seating and ErgoFusion ergonomic ac-cessories, is currently seeking a Territorial Sales Manager for the

Following areas:Seattle, WASan Diego, CAWashington D.C.ChicagoDallas, TXSouthern NJ/PA

This is a great opportunity for a self-motivated, disciplined individual with strong contract furniture and business sales experience. Excellent income potential, attractive benefits, company vehicle, and travel expenses are all available for the right candidate. (EEOC/AA Employer)

Requirements:Proven Performer in the Southern New

Jersey/Pennsylvania marketNew Account Conversion AbilityConversant in GSA and Commercial

Sales3 or more years in the contract furni-

ture industryONLY HUNTERS NEED APPLY to:employment@ergogenesis.com

REPS NEEDED IN TX, CO, & N. CAREPS WANTED

American Furniture Systems is looking for Independent Reps in Texas, Colorado, and Northern California.

Please contact us at 800-872-8858, bismark@americanfurnituresys.com

www.americanfurnituresys.com

20 The Monday Morning Quarterback www.mmqb.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OPPORTUNITY40-year-old, progressive high-end casegoods manufacturer

Family owned Canadian domestic manu-facturer committed to working hard at developing a market presence is seeking a self-motivated, experienced individual to be a strong addition to our team as Director of Business Development for our office division.

The responsibilities encompass all aspects of marketing and product development including, but not limited to: developing and managing a sales rep base, dealer and design community contact, territory travels, catalogue design, market show prepara-tions, sales meetings, customer service and dealer distribution network.

Applicants must be assertive, creative, flexible and have a sense of urgency. Writ-ing, speaking and computer skills, along with leadership ability, an asset. Must be able to present our company, our products and programs in a professional manner.

Please forward resume and salary expec-tations to Human Resources by fax: 416 745 1803 or via email to:

hrm@ledafurniture.com

JANUS ET CIE IS SEEKING OUTSIDE SALES SPECIALISTS!JANUS et Cie is currently seeking Outside Sales Specialists for their Corporate and Site sectors in Chicago, Dallas and New York.

JANUS et Cie, a reputable, design-focused leader in the furniture industry is currently seeking Outside Sales Specialists for their Corporate and Site sectors in Chicago, Dallas and New York.

You will:Develop and deliver presentations to

architects, designers, purchasing agents and owner’s representatives

Generate solutions and quotes for clients

Create and closing salesProspect new accountsManage current accounts to ensure

company and client satisfactionHandle day-to-day customer care

together with your back up team If you are looking for a career with one

of the finest growth-oriented companies in the industry, interested in creating value, and know that you can add value to a special company recognized by its Brand and quality, email your resume and cover letter to Marlo Smith, VP of Human Resources to marlo@janusetcie.com or fax 562-262-2844. No phone calls and only email or fax resume.

HEALTHCARE SALES POSITIONBe a part of New England’s premier Haworth dealership!

New England’s premier Haworth dealer-ship, Environments at Work is creating a new kind of office furniture dealer. Owner-operated, we service corporate and healthcare clients throughout Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. We currently have an opening in our Healthcare group as described below.

Healthcare Sales Must be familiar with and enjoy working

in the hospital environment. You will be responsible for working with some high-profile existing accounts and developing new business in other accounts. We are developing a program in partnership with several major healthcare manufacturers to increase our sales in the clinical areas of the hospital and your role will be to bring this program to the key influencers in our marketplace. Previous healthcare sales or healthcare design experience required. Knowledge of key healthcare furniture manufacturers is a plus.

Please send your resume to careers@environmentsatwork.com.

TERRITORY SALES MANAGERSeeking Superstars!

Are you a hunter?Can you succeed in a Stock Economy?

If you possess the drive, the passion, the motivation, and the determination to be a proven hunter in the sales field, this is the opportunity for you. ErgoGenesis, manu-facturers of BODYBILT® ergonomic seating and ErgoFusion ergonomic accessories, is currently seeking a Territorial Sales Manager for the Following areas:

Houston, TXSan Diego, CAWashington D.C.Los Angeles, CAChicagoDallas, TXSouthern NJ/PA

This is a great opportunity for a self-motivated, disciplined individual with strong contract furniture and business sales experience. Excellent income potential, attractive benefits, company vehicle, and travel expenses are all available for the right candidate. (EEOC/AA Employer)

Requirements:Proven Performer in the marketNew Account Conversion AbilityConversant in GSA and Commercial

Sales3 or more years in the contract furni-

ture industryONLY HUNTERS NEED APPLY to:employment@ergogenesis.com

MarketPlace

HEADLINE: AUTOCAD ENGINEER - LABORATORY FURNITURECome and be a part of a growing company

RSC, located in Philadelphia, is a premier outsource provider of services within the office furniture industry. RSC provides office furniture specifications and related services, renderings and project manage-ment services.

We are now branching out into the laboratory furniture market and are looking for individuals who have experience in de-signing and specifying laboratory products. Industry experience is a must. This position would be responsible for the specifying and drafting of projects to provide labora-tory casework and equipment drawings with details to be used in the construction of secured or design build projects.

Erik Rothbard, VP Sales/MarketingRSC, LLC2011 Chancellor StPHILADELPHIA, PA 19103Phone: 215-568-8380 x216Fax: 215-568-9397Email: erothbard@rscllcorp.com

GOVERNMENT/GSA SALES REPHave you worked hard to build your GSA network?

BF Molz, an independent office products and contract furniture dealer, is seeking a proven and successful sales professional to identify and generate revenue within all segments of the government sector. The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing, developing maintaining and driving new business opportunities in the New Jersey area.

Qualified candidates must have at least 2 years of business-to-business selling experience with emphasis in the govern-ment sector; bachelor’s degree; excellent communication skills and a goal-oriented attitude.

Send resumes with salary requirements to humanresources@bfmolz.com

Visit our website: www.bfmolz.com for more information about company.

CONTRACT FURNITURE SALES REPRESENTATIVESGrowing Rep Group looking to fill positions in North & South Florida

Contract Interior Solutions is looking for independent, self motivated and energetic sales professionals for both our North and South Florida territories. This position will be responsible for developing your territory and marketing all of our product offerings to dealers and A&D.

Experience in contract furniture sales preferred.

Please send all inquiries and resume to josie@cisolutionsonline.com

KI SALES REPRESENTATIVESJoin the trusted furniture market resource.

KI is looking for experienced salespeople to join our sales team. Positions are available in Raleigh, NC and Los Angeles, CA.

Candidates with previous contract furni-ture industry or related experience selling to the government market are invited to apply for the Government Sales position in Raleigh. Your track record of success in strategic GSA selling will be recognized. Use your government expertise to build a strong territory.

The Sales position in Los Angeles will be calling on decision-makers to market KI’s products. KI sales reps also work closely with influential architects and designers to increase KI’s consideration in targeted projects. Candidates with 2-4 years of related selling experience are preferred. Your relationships with end users and the architect and design community will be rewarded.

If you thrive on furnishing knowledge and providing solutions to clients’ needs, visit www.ki.com and apply today.

Females and Minorities are encouraged to apply. EOE

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER, SOUTHEASTGreat opportunity for office filing or contract furniture salesperson to join an industry leader!

Aurora Office Products, an industry leader in high density filing equipment, is seeking a salesperson to expand our business in the Southeast.

Ideal candidate will be a highly moti-vated, self-driven professional living in the Atlanta metro area with experience in di-rect/dealer sales in the office filing industry or contract furniture markets. You should have a proven history of training and managing existing dealers while develop-ing new dealer relationships, making A&D presentations, and closing transactions. Established A&D contact relationships in the Atlanta metro area and the Southeast US is a plus.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefit package. If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, please e-mail your resume and salary requirements to:

recruit@richardswilcox.com or fax to 630-264-5014.

The Monday Morning Quarterback 21www.mmqb.com

MarketPlace

SERVICES

WEB BASED OFFICE LAYOUT DESIGN AND RENDERINGIncrease sales by showing the best features of your products.

Millipede is a fully integrated web-based application that enables a furniture manu-facturer to offer 3D photo-realistic designs of their products at their web site. Since it is totally web-based, designs are instantly available to clients, dealers, and the A&D community.

The user can make a design from scratch using our unique error free technology and/or view offerings from a pre-config-ured design library. The selection can then be viewed in full 360 degree 3D. What-if scenarios can easily be made by changing finishes, and/or parts with an instant price recalculation. Once the final plan is made, it can be saved in dwg format, printed, and /or ordered. It is compatible with all installed electronic design tools.

Incorporation fees start as low as $1,500/line for pre-configured designs and $5,000/line for design from scratch.

For a Millipede demo go towww.millipe.deFor more information contact Jim Smith

(800) 350-7434

SEASONED OPERATIONS MANAGER NEEDEDGrowing company needs experienced leader

Operations Manager needed in San Diego to manage our Furniture Installation & Corporate Relocation Field Staff. Must have furniture experience.

Email resume to: info@4myoffice.com.

SPECIFICATION SERVICESDesign and specification services for dealers and manufactures.

Servex-US is an independent design and specification department for Steelcase, Her-man Miller, Allsteel, Teknion, AIS, Allsteel, Knoll and many more. We have 20 full time designers that work with over 500 dealers primarily in North America. We work on a per-project basis and charge $42 an hour using 2020 CAP and Giza.

As dealers adjust to the economic climate Servex can assist you in designing and specifying your projects. We offer fast turn-around times and affordable rates. We also have a photo rendering department that can work from CAP or Giza files to produce renderings at $55 an hour.

Contact Nick Fernandez: 212 647 0110 or email nfernandez@servex-us.com. Visit our website at www.servex-us.com.

LOOKING TO ACQUIRE

SEEKING BUSINESS TO ACQUIRESeeking to acquire business or product line.

A leading U.S. manufacturer of seating products selling to universities & K-12 schools is looking to acquire companies selling products into any of these markets. Backed by private investment capital, we have experience acquiring and integrating companies and providing attractive exit strategies for owners of businesses. Con-tact Gary confidentially at 847-926-0295

PARTS FOR SALE

WORKSURFACES- STEELCASE, HAWORTH, HERMAN MILLERCheck out our straights, corners, contours, curved corners, transactions, 3mm edgebanding, 90 & 180 degree edges, 1-1/4 & 1-1/2 thickness, etc. Whether you need 10 or 10,000 worksurfaces, National Office offers a limited lifetime warranty and lead-times to meet your project deadlines.

Our extensive finish library is guaranteed to satisfy your customer’s need for match-ing existing worksurfaces or creating a new look.

For projects attaining LEED certifica-tion, we offer Sierra Pine SDF which is formaldehyde free and made from 100% recycled wood.

Let us bid your next project. For more information, samples and prices contact our wholesale division: 800-321-6165

www.gen2officefurniture.com, a product of National Office, Cleveland, Ohio.

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