well site(d) furniture
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THE BUSINESS OF FURNITURE 8.26.2013
Well Site(d) FurnitureLandscape Forms was founded in 1969 in Comstock, Mich. by a kindhearted landscape architect who did not want to lay off his crews during the harsh Michigan winters. p18
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The Monday Morning Quarterback - The Business of FurnitureCopyright © 2013 by ZZC Inc. ISSN 1064-3575 All rights reserved. Founded 1990Subscribe instantly at http://www.mmqb.com Editorial / Sales office: 888-603-7665 Issue 1,191 Email: [email protected] • http://www.mmqb.comFederal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction or transmission of this publication (pdf ) in any form and imposes fines of up to $100,000 for violations.
U.S. Stocks GainIt was an eventful week for stocks, if not an active one in terms of volume. Stocks slumped early in the week, with blue chips experienc-ing the longest losing streak in over a year and Treasury yields jump-ing to two-year highs, amid increasing worries that an improving economy would prompt the Fed to start slowing the flow of liquidity by tapering bond purchases as early as September.
The market started rebounding on Thursday, as investors shook off technical issues that forced trading halts in all Nasdaq Stock Market-listed for three hours that afternoon.
MMQB Industry Index YTD gain or loss: +20.40%(2012 finished with a year-over-year gain of 25.42%)
Charles Pollock dies in Queens, NY house fire p4
Positive Trend for Architecture Billings Index p10
Inscape Announces Resignation of CFO p10
COVER: Well Site(d) Furniture p18
Briefing P30
Office Funnies p31
Marketplace p34
MMQB Online PollHave you supplied furniture or provided design services for coworking facilities?
MMQBContents
CreateCreate, by Allsteel is a simple system product that can redefine just about any space in the office. p12
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Jul 29, 2013 Aug 12, 2013 Aug 26, 2013
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Yes 48.00%
52.00%
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Charles Pollock dies in Queens house fire
Top News
f The blaze ripped through a South Jamaica home where Charles Pollock died at the scene. The fire started just af-ter 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Firefight-ers ruled out foul play.
Furniture designer Charles Pollock, who created an executive chair that became ubiquitous in offices in the mid-20th century and is still in production, died Tuesday in a fire at his home.
Pollock, who was 83, was pronounced dead in his Queens home, and the cause of the fire was under investi-gation, police said.
Charles Pollock was a mostly minor player in the mid-century industrial de-sign movement. Only recent-ly did he resurface to design chairs again, this time for Jerry Helling of Bernhardt De-sign. Pollock created a lounge chair that was introduced last year.
Pollack, according to Marga-ret Rhodes, associate editor for Fast Company magazine, went under the radar in the years following the release of the Ex-ecutive chair and didn’t resur-face until 30 years later, when Bernhardt president, Jerry Helling, relentlessly sought him out. In fact a New York Times article from 2012 chron-icles Helling’s motivation to locate the reclusive designer: The Pollock chair, Mr. Helling explained, “Was the first chair that made an impression on me when I came into this industry
over 20 years ago.”In 1958, while working
under George Nelson at Her-man Miller, Pollock designed the now-iconic Swag Leg Armchair (although Nelson was widely credited for the creation). Most notably, in 1963 he introduced the Pol-lock Executive Chair through Knoll Studio. It remains an office fixture to this day, making high-profile appear-ances on Mad Men and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Pollock also worked for Charles and Ray Eames.
“In the past 10 years there’s been all this talking, reading and film making about our mid-century designers, yet nothing had been said about that chair or Charles Pol-lock,” Helling said.
And when he tried to get more information about Mr. Pollock, he always hit a dead end, which fueled his curios-ity, according to Rhodes.
“When I started research-ing, I found 30 Charles Pollocks, then I narrowed it down to three who might be him,” Helling said.
Armed with a list of ad-dresses, he visited one or two every time he came to New York. When he finally located the right one, he said, “I dropped off a letter and package about who I was and said I’d love to meet him, and if he was ever interested, would love to talk about do-ing something.”
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Last year Helling and Bernhardt Design, along with Pollock created the CP Lounge Chair after a year of sketching on paper. It’s an armless leather chair that exudes the same continuity in form as the Executive but with a more relaxed posture. Pollock had an animated way of describing his pieces as both like
humans and like luxury vehicles--both apt ways of explaining his ability to design for durability and staying power.
And yet, as famous as he was in our industry, he spent the last year of his life living in a studio apart-ment in a South Jamaica house.
In fact, Pollock was living in an
CP Lounge Chair for Bernhardt
Responders remove the body of Charles Pollock from the house where he died
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illegally sub-divided four-family home on 157th Street near 115th Avenue, according to fellow resi-dents and the city’s Department of Buildings.
In a statement, a Buildings spokeswoman said, “Violations were issued for work without permits to create illegal apartments; plumbing and electrical work performed with-out a permit; defective or exposed electrical wiring and an illegal gas stove in the cellar.”
“It’s a great shock,” said Con-stance Smith, who had been Pol-lock’s partner at Charles Pollock Design. “We were still working on furniture today. He has paintings hanging that he just completed last week. His ideas went on and on. He’s a wonderful designer.”
No doubt many great stories about furniture design and the rise of the modern office furniture business are lost forever.
Smith did not comment on why Pollock was living in such a location.
According to news reports, resi-dents said they had tried to check on Pollock, who used a walker.
Mary Kayulu, who lives in the apartment below Pollock’s, first heard repetitive loud sounds before she smelled smoke at about 7 a.m.
“That banging was coming from Charles, maybe asking for help,” Kayulu said, explaining that as she and her two children evacuated, she asked her daughter to check on Pollock.
“I’m thinking, he’s dead. He’s dead. We cannot get in,” Kayulu said.
Her daughter, 20-year-old Naomi Ebouki, then used a key to open the door to the senior’s apartment and was met with a wall of smoke.
“I saw black smoke and a fire up
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to here,” she said, pointing to about a foot and a half off the ground.
The family feared the worst and headed outside to wait for emer-gency responders.
Hours later members of the city medical examiner’s office removed Pollock’s body from the home.
“He basically talks about his chairs, how you design them,” Ebou-ki said. “I was surprised. This man is famous. I said to myself, ‘What is he doing here?’ He is supposed to be in a better place.”
Pollock was born in Philadelphia and moved as a youngster with his family to Toledo, Ohio, and then Detroit. His online biography said his family moved to Muskegon, Mich., when he was 16, though he remained in Detroit and lived in a small boardinghouse as he finished high school. Also attending the same high school was industrial
designer Niels Diffrient, who died in June was two years older.
Pollock went to work part time on the assembly line at Chrysler while in high school and later at-tended the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute in New York on a scholarship. According to sources Pollock got the scholarship beating out Niels who did not.
Though Helling said Pollock never married and has no known relatives, a woman emailed News-day last week to say her mother had been married to Pollock from 1970 to 1985.
Charles Pollock, Maud Nordwalk Pollock and her daughter Lisa lived in a house in Jackson Heights, wrote the daughter, Lisa Keuchen, in the email.
No doubt many great stories about furniture design and the rise of the modern office furniture business
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are lost forever, but Pollock did share one story about how his most famous chair came to be. In an interview with Fast Company last year Pollock said: “You wanna hear a story? I had a crummy little apart-ment on West 25th Street starting in the 1940s. With hardly anything to build anything, I built this damn chair with my bare hands. One day, I carried it on an elevator--it’s heavy!--and I was getting off the elevator, and I knocked Florence Knoll down! I just left, I was so embarrassed. I told my psychiatrist, and he said, ‘This is perfect! Now you write her a letter and you say you were so embarrassed and how much you love Knoll and how you worked so hard on this chair.’ And she hired me.”
Positive Trend Continues for Architecture Billings Index
f This score reflects an increase in demand for design services.
The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) saw a jump of more than a full point last month, indicating ac-celeration in the growth of design activity nationally. As a leading economic indicator of construc-tion activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Archi-tects (AIA) reported the July ABI score was 52.7, up from a mark of 51.6 in June. This score reflects an increase in demand for design ser-vices (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 66.7, up dramatically from the reading of 62.6 the previous month.
“There continues to be encour-aging signs that the design and
construction industry continues to improve,” said AIA Chief Econo-mist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “But we also hear a wide mix of business conditions all over the country, ranging from outstanding and booming to slowly improving to flat. In fact, plenty of architec-ture firms are reporting very weak business conditions as well, so it is premature to declare the entire sector has entered an expansion phase.”
Key July ABI highlights:* Regional averages: Northeast
(54.3), South (54.2), West (51.1), Midwest (50.8)
* Sector index breakdown: mixed practice (56.9), commercial / indus-trial (54.2), multi-family residential (53.3), institutional (50.6)
* Project inquiries index: 66.4
Inscape Announces Resignation of CFO
f Smallwood will leave his post Sep-tember 30th.
Inscape announced Friday that Kent Smallwood, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice Presi-dent, will be leaving the company effective September 30, 2013 in order to pursue other interests. While an external search is under-way, Mr. Smallwood will continue to serve the Company as CFO until his departure.
“We wish Kent well in his new endeavors” said Rod Turgeon, President and CEO. “We appreci-ate his contributions during his 8 years with Inscape. We have a strong financial foundation which will continue to serve the company, his successors and our stakeholders moving forward.” Q
CreateCreate, by Allsteel is a simple system product that can
redefine just about any space in the office.
______________
By Rob KiRKbRide
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The products and its commitment to innovation is attract-ing the attention of the design community as well. In short, Allsteel is back to being the fierce HNI brand that seems to be in the right market segment at the right time. And its leaders are all smiles.
“We are in a place where we are finding designers want to visit us,” said D.J. Heil, director of product management, while sitting in the company’s Chicago Merchandise Mart show-room. “They are looking for fresh thinking and fresh ideas and we have them at Allsteel.”
The NeoCon crowds are gone, but the company’s show-room in Chicago is still buzzing with activity, the aftereffect of a successful event. There is a mock-up in the back of the showroom for one customer. Several other customers groups filed through the showroom on a recent Thursday. Everyone, it seems, is looking for guidance on how work is changing and Heil said Allsteel is happy to provide some direction.
“About seven years ago, we started looking at our products,” he said. “We wanted to find a playfulness to our design that could also be sophisticated. Allsteel has always looked at its portfolio to make sure it is relevant. Then came Stride (sys-tem), Acuity (ergonomic seat), Clarity (a BMW Group Design-
worksUSA chair). When you look at our showroom, all the products you see were developed in the last five years or so.”
The latest is Create, a simple system product that can rede-fine just about any space in the office. The ongoing evolution of the workplace requires spaces that allow for the ability to change as businesses grow, an issue Allsteel addresses with Create. It is designed to bring teams together, make the most of a footprint,and offer privacy in an open environment. Cre-ate also supports the evolution of all types of work.
It can be described as a “simple” product only because it is simple to use and specify. It is well designed, which makes it seem simple on the surface. The underlying innovation makes it special. While the company’s Stride product has 982 differ-ent options to make a panel (not counting colors or surface materials), Create simplifies the process with 342 options. Still, it does just about everything and that’s the point, Heil said. “We have no idea what the future holds,” he said. “That’s the premise of the product. Using exactly the same kit of parts, you can create any number of (office layouts).”
The new product line includes surfaces, supports, screens and storage that can be configured to form a wide variety of work environments. Create also has the flexibility and scal-
Call it the furniture version of the seven year itch. Allsteel has spent the past seven years literally redefining what it is as a company, through new products and redefining what it means to work. The
time was well spent. The company has a stellar collection of products and an energy that is beginning to pay dividends.
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ability to allow customers to efficiently reconfigure their space on the spot, or over time.
“With Create, we readdressed the open plan environment and deconstructed it to its essential elements to support an organization’s individual spatial needs. We designed a system with the greatest level of flexibility for work in an individual or collaborative setting,” said Heil. “We want to put emphasis back on ‘work’ being what you do, not where you go.”
Core to every workplace are an organization’s employees and Create was developed to support the needs of people, not just space. Create allows users to work in environments that are most productive to their individual or organization’s needs. Integral to this notion is the innovative Power Hub, the structural support for the system that can also double as a stand-alone power and data terminal. The Power Hub in-creases flexibility by providing a range of options -- from indi-vidual, focused workstations to collaborative areas, each con-necting people to power and data. Previously, connection to power could limit space configuration options, but with Cre-ate, power becomes the catalyst that allows users to work in a wide variety of settings.
Create was designed with many configuration possibilities that can be employed either tethered or untethered, linear or organic. Key to this is Create’s unique trapezoidal-shaped work surfaces that offer an alternative approach to 120-degree planning. The trapezoid surface achieves 120-degree design without aligning users in face-to-face configurations and pro-
vides options so users do not fully face away from high-traffic areas such as hallways.
“It is truly a unique system. The premise of Create is ‘Hu-mans Being,’” said Lynda Whittle, vice president of market-ing. “The product is all about minimizing the effort to create a space and to give designers the flexibility to adapt the office to things like changing technology. The simplicity of the specifi-cation process makes it easy to design with.”
It is the paint to the designer’s canvas. “It is about instilling confidence with our customers,” Whittle added.
Allsteel also took into consideration the details. Depend-ing on the configuration, the storage can overhang the end of the desk, creating a space for impromptu meetings. It is just the right height. There is a piece at the back of the desk for cord management that has notches of differing widths to keep cords organized.
A modesty screen can be popped off and flipped over, creat-ing a space divider on the work surface. The storage unit is 10 inches wide and pulls out to create a spot for shoes. There is a lip to keep high heels in place. Depending on how it is speci-fied, the work surfaces can be on wheels to move and create collaborative work spaces.
Although Create was launched at NeoCon as more of a con-cept of what is possible, it gives the industry a good idea of where the company is headed. And it looks as if it is headed in the right direction. Q
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Well Site(d) FurnitureLandscape Forms was founded in 1969 in Comstock, Mich. by a kindhearted landscape
architect who did not want to lay off his crews during the harsh Michigan winters.______________
By Rob KiRKbRide
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Much time, effort and thought is devoted to the space between the walls of a building. Size, shape, color, furniture and a thousand other details are debated while deciding how a structure takes shape.
But what about the space right outside the window? Often, the
outside is neglected; caught in a limbo between the architect and interior designer. Worst case: It is simply forgotten. How many new buildings have you seen that look complete on the inside but like a badly kept golf course sand trap on the out-side?
Landscape Forms hopes to change all that. The site furniture specialist is probably the most important furniture company in West Michigan that you’ve never heard of. But chances are, you’ve used its furniture while waiting for a light rail train in Portland, Ore., sitting in a New York City park or tossing some trash into a bin on countless college campuses. Though you probably didn’t bid against the company, Landscape Forms likely worked on the same projects. It counts many Fortune 500 companies as it clients.
The company was founded in 1969 in Comstock, Mich. by a kindhearted landscape architect who did not want to lay off
his crews during the harsh Michigan winters. So he decided to build outdoor furniture. At the time, outdoor furniture was often built on site from wood. The business started small in Comstock, a berg just outside Kalamazoo about an hour’s drive from Grand Rapids (the town actually has a more famous busi-ness -- Bell’s Brewery -- one of the original and best craft beer brewers in the country).
The uninformed might mistake what Landscape Forms does with uninspired umbrellas and patio furniture found be-hind homes across North America. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The firm was founded on design and holds to that focus today. Its headquarters is tucked into a residential neighborhood near a pond -- the site of the landscape archi-tect’s original plant nursery. Its 250 employees fill out the con-temporary office, which is filled with top-of-the-line Herman Miller furniture, and adjoining plant.
The company started with $141,000 in sales that first year. Sales have doubled about every six or seven years since. Land-scape Forms is expected to have $80 million in sales this year and President Richard Heriford has plans to double sales to $160 million by 2020. You might remember Heriford from his office furniture days at Allsteel and Sunar Hauserman.
Other rising stars from the office furniture industry have made there way to Kalamazoo as well. In what might be the most impressive coup in recent memory, Heriford convinced
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Kirt Martin, who was instrumental in bolstering the design at Steelcase’s Turnstone brand, to join him at Landscape Forms. Since Martin arrived, he has honed an already strong commit-ment to design in a new market that he says he loves.
“The space that I want to go after is right outside that win-dow,” he said. “It is a half and inch away -- just outside the glass. This is such a great market because the products are (for use) by people 6 to 60 years old and everywhere in between.
“Here’s what pushed it over the edge. Here’s what brought me here; why I think we can make such a big difference: Think about a city you really love. It might be Paris or San Francisco or New York. In your mind’s eye, you always see that place from the outside. That’s what really excited me about Land-scape Forms.”
The factory churns out a surprise amount of product, which ranges from benches to tables to litter, trash and recycling bins, umbrellas and sun shades, light-ing, bike racks, bollards and path lighting, transit and shelter structures, planters and accessories.
Martin is bringing on top name designers such as Yves Be-har, former Metro Furniture Design Director Jess Sorel, Frog and Francisco Gomez Paz. Landscape Forms has 17 projects currently in production.
Landscape Forms is, by far, the largest company in a niche market that includes mostly mom-and-pop operations, few of which seriously consider design. Its main competitor is Forms+Surfaces, though it is a smaller company that serves more markets.
Landscape Forms continues to stay focused on its market: site furniture. The company did briefly branch out into lobby furniture in the 1970s and 1980s to ride the wave of shopping malls being built in North America but it has long since aban-doned that market.
Though its designs attract companies like Google, its factory is what really makes the company shine. It is more like a big job shop than a factory with true craftsmen and craftswomen working there. Each product is built by hand. The company has an innovative outreach program with local high schools to train skilled welders (Landscape Forms’ engineers take weld-ing classes as well to better understand how their designs ac-tually take shape on the factory floor).
The factory churns out a surprise amount of product, which ranges from benches to tables to litter, trash and recycling bins, umbrellas and sun shades, lighting, bike racks, bollards and path lighting, transit and shelter structures, planters and accessories. The company continues to expand into ancil-lary markets as well. A few years ago, it began making its own outdoor LED lighting products, which are made in-house. Landscape Forms acquired Raleigh, N.C.-based Meld last year. Meld is a high-end, high-performance concrete manufacturer.
The addition of Meld led to the design of the Olithas table and bench for Landscape Forms’ Terrace Life collection. A winner of a 2013 Red Dot Award, Olithas has a slim fluted cast
concrete top and seat supported by a geometric tubular steel base. It was designed by Efrain E. Velez. Terrace Life is a new initiative that marks the company’s entry into lifestyle furni-ture for more intimate, social, high-design outdoor spaces.
“Design professionals know Landscape Forms as a manufac-turer of site furniture for streetscapes, parks and campuses,” said Heriford. “Now we are going to places we haven’t been before with furniture by award-winning architects and land-scape architects designed specifically for terraces, rooftop gardens and other private and protected spaces. With Terrace Life we’re creating new modern classics.”
Terrace Life makes its debut with three new collections, one being Olithas. The others include: Morrison, designed by Lionel Morrison, features a high table with stools and a broad, low sybaritic bench. The Chipman Collection from landscape architect Robert Chipman includes chairs and tables in stan-dard and low heights. Chipman is the product Martin believes will take the company to another level.
“I want us to be the company to define the value proposition of what outdoor furniture is,” he said. “From corporate cam-puses to healthcare to education to cities. These are products for really cool spaces.”
A small but quickly growing part of the business is Studio 431, Landscape Forms’ custom, site-specific brand. Managed by Robb Smalldon, the group is responsible for all the custom projects -- most of which make national and international news because of the high-profile nature of the jobs and the designers associated with them. They are Olympic villages, public arenas and parks.
Studio 431 is responsible for outdoor custom site furnish-ings for Target Field Plaza in Minneapolis, the Charlotte Area Transit System and Duke Energy Center in Charlotte, N.C., Bryant Park and the Chelsea Improvement District in New York City, Portland (Ore.) Transit Mall and The Yards Park in Washington, D.C., to name just a few. Studio 431 is working with New York DOT and the New York Department of Sanita-tion for a city-wide bench and recycling bin program. “Every bench you sit on in New York will be coming from this fac-tory,” Smalldon said.
Though the company is in a niche market, it is diversified. About a decade ago, 50 percent of its sales were to corporate clients -- private money. The last recession brought strong growth in its government sales as economic stimulus money funded projects like Veterans Administration hospitals and transit corridors. Landscape Forms does a good job of follow-ing the money and the projects.
“What we are benefiting from at the moment is the redo of many of the (outdoor) projects that happened 25 years ago,” Heriford said. “We are seeing more corporate campuses.”
The company is also benefiting from changing technology and trends. Since technology isn’t tied to desks anymore, out-door areas are becoming more important as a place to work and relax. Outdoor spaces are also a tourism draw for many communities -- Bryant Park in New York and Millennium Park in Chicago are good examples.
“One of the things that makes us so different is that we are not high volume,” Heriford said. “High quality and great de-sign in batches is what we have perfected.” Q
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TORONTO / SEPT 26-27, 2013 IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, Direct Energy Centre, Torontowww.iidexneocon.com
BALTIMORE / OCT 16-17, 2013 NeoCon East, Baltimore Con-vention Centerwww.neoconeast.com
SAN ANTONIO / DEC 4-6, 2013 EdSpaces, San Antonio Con-vention Centerwww.ed-spaces.com
Regional Averages· Midwest: 56.6· Northeast: 57.7 · South: 51.4· West: 57.9For the first half of the year,
2013 looks very much like 2012, with perhaps some slightly more accentuated variation. Activity should stay positive in the second half, although gains likely will be modest.
Higher billings and more posi-tive economic news helped lift designer confidence in June. The ASID Business Outlook Index rose from 67.5 in May to 71.8. Signs of job growth and rising hous-ing prices suggest things may be moving in the right direction, if more slowly than predicted ear-lier in the year.
Launched in November 2010, The ASID Interior Design Billings Index tracks performance data for billings, inquiries and product sales specific to the interior design industry. The index is based on a monthly survey of 300 firms and provides a tailored perspective on billings, business conditions and economic outlook. The results are compiled into diffusion indexes centered on 50, with scores above 50 indicating an increase in bill-ings, and scores below 50 indicat-ing a decline.
Herman Miller offers Barco ClickShare wireless collaboration technologyBarco, a provider of visualization and collaboration solutions, has forged a North American alliance with Herman Miller to offer Bar-co’s ClickShare wireless collabo-ration technology to enhance meeting dynamics.
Traditionally, commercial office furniture and ProAV industries rarely intersect, but with the need for collaborative work spaces, consumerization of IT and growth of personalized technology, these two industries are finding ways to combine their offerings, provid-ing turnkey collaboration solu-tions.
Herman Miller and Barco collab-oration products are an ideal mar-riage of furniture solutions and collaboration technology. This partnership revolutionizes and
Events
BRIEFINGDesign Billings Get a Boost in Second QuarterThe American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) quarterly Inte-rior Design Billings Index reports that the second quarter of 2013 remained positive in the April-June period. The Billings Index for June closed at 56.4, up nearly three points from May’s score of 53.7 and higher than April’s score of 55.5.
The AIA’s Architectural Billings Index, which rebounded May, was down slightly in June (from 52.9 to 51.6, respectively). Inquiries, however, were up three and a half points (from 59.1 to 62.6), and ar-chitectural firms were reporting a higher proportion of project backlogs.
“The economy expanded more than expected in the second quarter of 2012, and this momen-tum should carry forward, albeit at a soft pace, in the remainder of 2013,” said Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist for ASID. “The pace of growth is expected to lift to about 2.2 percent in the second half of 2013.”
Performance Averages Across In-dustry Sectors
· Single-family: 57.3· Multi-housing: 59· Retail: 45· Entertainment: 31.3· Office: 49.7 · Hospitality: 60.3· Healthcare: 50· Government: 42.7· Education: 33.3
Noted:
KI CEO Dick Resch and wife Sharon recently made a $1M donation to Bellin Health in support of its new “Resch Medical Unit.” The donation reflects Resch’s lifelong commitment to enhance the Green Bay com-munity by developing and supporting health and wellness initiatives throughout the area.Description: IMG_1671
“Improving the health and wellness of our community has always been incredibly important to Sharon and me, as well as Bellin Health,” said Dick Resch, CEO, KI. “Our shared vision and ongoing commitment will continue to positively impact the quality of life and health care for thousands in our community today and well into the future.”
“Bellin Health is honored and grateful to receive the generous gift made by Dick and Sharon Resch to improve health care in our commu-nity through the Resch Medical Unit,” said Steve Maricque president, Bellin Health Foundation. “KI and Bellin Health share a long history together of delivering innovation in the health care industry. This gift will help us towards our vision of the people in our region will be the healthiest in the nation.”
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simplifies the way people work together and share content.
Additionally, Barco’s ClickShare design fits discreetly into Herman Miller’s products.
“A sleek and efficient product, ClickShare integrates seamlessly with both our AV carts and our furniture,” comments Wayne Bax-ter, Director of Herman Miller’s “Thrive” ergonomic portfolio of products.
Barco ClickShare makes it easy for professionals to present their content on the meeting room main display with just a click of a button. Comprised of only a few simple components - a base station, ClickShare buttons and easy-to-use software - ClickShare allows users to instantly connect, communicate and collaborate by mirroring their computer screen content on the meeting room dis-play.
“Like Herman Miller solutions, ClickShare enhances collabora-tion and inspires productivity, making meetings more impactful and efficient. I personally never want to have another meeting without ClickShare!”
Financial Recovery To Drive Office Demand?By Peter Muoio Ph. D.,a managing di-rector at Auction.com and is head of the Auction.com Research Center team
One of the big challenges facing the recovery in office market fun-damentals is the weakness in the big time lessors: law and finan-cial firms. Traditionally large us-ers of office space, these sectors have been struggling to grow, greatly inhibiting office absorp-tion in the aftermath of the reces-sion. Financial services employ-ment plunged nearly 9% peak to trough in the aftermath of the housing bust, market crash and recession. This left a huge swath of vacant space on the market as firms reduced their footprints, as well as an overhang of space to fill as firms utilize their existing space before resuming new absorption. In certain markets, namely New York City and San Francisco, this has been abated by a growing technology presence, but this re-mains isolated and helps only on the margins.
So far, the office market recov-
ery has been held back by a lack of demand, as the supply pipeline shuttered following the recession and fundamentals remain near their trough and unsupportive of new construction. According to REIS, office vacancies remain elevated at 17% inhibiting rent growth, and the holy grail to getting growth in these funda-mentals is absorption removing the remaining excess supply. As vacancies fall, rents will be able to grow more rapidly. This has been tough given the malaise in large office space using indus-tries, resulting in a sector with fundamentals stagnant near their trough.
However, with the stock market roaring to new all-time highs, banks posting record profits and the initial recovery in the hous-ing market, it appears financial firms are once again hiring. Fi-nancial services employment on a seasonally adjusted basis has increased in each of the last 21 months. This has brought em-ployment in the sector 3% off its lows, though it remains 5.8% off its prior cyclical peak. The trend is
clearly positive however, and this sector is recovering.
While financial services employ-ment remains well off its peak, and firms likely still have existing space in which to expand first, the renewed growth trend in this im-portant office-using sector is en-couraging. Continued gains in the sector will prompt firms to seek additional space, and could finally be the spark for office space de-mand the recovery has been sore-ly lacking. Headwinds remain, most notably the myriad of regu-lation facing the financial sector. Should these diminish profitabil-ity or incentivize smaller institu-tions this trend could stall or re-verse. Additionally, the recent rise in interest rates and its still nebu-lous effect on the housing market could be a short-term headwind. However, if the growth in financial services continues, the office mar-ket could finally get the demand its recovery has been waiting on.
Peter Muoio Ph. D. is a manag-ing director at Auction.com and is head of the Auction.com Research Center team. He is a veteran of the real estate industry and founder of
Office Funnies by Jamie Cosley:
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
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the research and consulting firm Maximus Advisors, which Auction.com acquired in December 2012. The views expressed in this column are the author’s own.
American Institute of Architects Accepts Workplace Wellness Research PaperA research paper prepared by Ste-phen Witte has been accepted by the Interior Architecture Knowl-edge Community of the Ameri-can Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington, D.C. The findings presented in the paper concern interventions in behavior and of-fice design to reduce workplace health risks from extended peri-ods of sitting without standing or moving.
In the last 50 years, work has be-come more sedentary. Workers face a health risk from sitting long periods at their desks or worksta-tions. Medical research highlights the relationship between sitting too much with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and asso-ciated risks such as musculoskel-etal disorders. Reducing the risk involves adapting workplace de-sign for more activity while work-ing and emphasizing healthy habits during the workday.
These topics and how they could be addressed in the workplace was the subject matter of a panel discussion at the 2nd Annual Just-Stand Wellness Summit, held on July 10, 2012, in St. Paul, Minn. This panel discussion provided the basis of the paper.
The four members of the panel represented both research and practice. Dr. James Levine, of the Mayo Clinic, is the world’s leader in researching N.E.A.T.TM (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) and an expert on mitigating sed-entary health risk. Dr. Kevin Mc-Cabe, of SC Johnson, and Ms. Lori Nicholson, then of GE Healthcare, discussed innovative wellness programs at their respective com-panies. Stephen Witte, partnering with SHAPE Environments of Cin-cinnati, Ohio, conceptualized a se-ries of before-and-after scenarios in which sit-stand furnishings and active workplace methodologies replaced typical floor plans and
furnishings.The 38-page research paper
includes chapters entitled “Ac-tive Workplace Theory,” “Fac-tors Contributing to Workplace Health Risk,” and “Evidence and Outcomes from Sit-Stand Mitiga-tion.” Three appendices provide sit-stand resources: “An Introduc-tion to Sit-Stand;” “Furniture and Workplace Interventions;” and “Workstations with Touchscreen Monitors.”
The paper, Establishing Sit-Stand Wellness Cultures in Larger Enter-prises, can be downloaded free-of-charge at the AIA’s website, www.aia.org.
Prior to posting papers or other resources about interior design for AIA members, the content must be approved by an eight-member Advisory Group within the Interior Architecture Knowl-edge Community (IAKC). The IAKC provides leadership and expertise to practitioners of interior archi-tecture and design, addressing timely practice issues, markets and trends.
Previous work by Stephen Witte includes How to WOW Interior Designers in the Furniture Speci-fication Process, accepted by the International Interior Design As-sociation (IIDA), Chicago, in 2011; a continuing education unit (CEU) seminar, IPD, BIM, & LCA: A New Alphabet Soup for Success, pre-sented at the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings (NeoCon) in 2012; and other articles or pre-sentations related to commercial interiors and design.
The JustStand Wellness Summits are produced by JustStand.org, with funding from Ergotron®, a manufacturer of products suited to sit-stand applications in office, education and healthcare envi-ronments.
CALENDARConfigura announces complete schedule for 6th annual CET Designer User ConferenceConfigura, maker of CET Designer software, announced the com-plete schedule for the 6th annual CET Designer User Conference be-ing held Oct 9-10 at DeVos Place
in Grand Rapids, Mich. Confer-ence registration is open at www.configura.com/userconference/.
“We’re excited to host the 6th annual CET Designer User Confer-ence in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA – home of Configura’s North American offices,” said Configura Vice President Peter Brandinger, who heads up the Grand Rap-ids office. “We think ‘GR’ – as it’s known to locals – is a pretty cool city.”
The conference unofficially opens the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 8, with a slate of welcome events designed to showcase Sweden-based Configura’s sec-ond hometown.
The conference officially opens Wednesday, Oct. 9, with presenta-tions by Configura leaders offer-ing an update on What’s New and Upcoming with CET Designer, followed by breakout sessions that include CET Designer in the Sales Process, Tips and Hints with CET Designer, CET Designer as a Presentation Tool, Dealer Process Change with CET Designer, CET Designer and the Office of the Fu-ture, CET Designer and Your Busi-ness Strategy, Q&A with Config-ura Developers, SmartTools Tips and Hints, Canvas Tips and Hints, ProjectSymbols Tips and Hints and Revit 101.
The day’s highlight is keynote speaker Irene Etzkorn, chief clarity strategist for SiegelVision based in
New York City. Siegel is co-author of the book Simple: Conquering the Crisis of Complexity.
The conference continues Thurs-day, Oct. 10, with a special presen-tation by 2013 Business and Insti-tutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) President Chuck Saylor on the State of the Furniture and Design Industry. Saylor is the founder and CEO of izzy+ in Spring Lake, Michigan.
The day continues with break-out sessions that include Reconfiguration Tool, Mastering the Calculation Dialog, Render-ing Techniques, Edit Graphics and Catalogue System.
The winners of the Best of CET Designer Awards will be an-nounced that morning followed by official closing of the confer-ence.
Manufacturer-partner breakout sessions for Steelcase, Haworth and Teknion follow in the after-noon.
The complete schedule is here: http://configura.com/userconfer-ence/schedule.
The 6th annual CET Designer User Conference unofficially opens the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 8, with a slate of welcome events designed to showcase Sweden-based Configura’s sec-ond hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Welcome events that conference attendees can choose from include:
Noted:
The @theOffice seating collection is bringing more color options to the workplace. The Series 8 and 10 chairs are now available in an ex-panded color palette including Kiwi Green, Orange, Blue, Red and Ala-baster White. These chairs have an innovative, comfortable and color-ful polymer grid back. Most colors are available in stock for immediate delivery.
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
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• An ArtPrize tour and dinner at San Chez. ArtPrize is an inter-national art competition held in Grand Rapids every fall, drawing more than 1,000 art installations and thousands of people around the globe to the second-largest city in the state.
• A Beer City USA brewery-and-dinner tour of the Grand Rapids Brewing Company, Brewery Vi-vant and Founders Brewing Co. Grand Rapids, home to interna-tionally recognized breweries, holds the national title “Beer City USA” for the second year in a row. Beer is big fun and business in Grand Rapids!
• An architectural trolley tour of Grand Rapids and dinner at Mangiamo. Grand Rapids has a long and rich architectural his-tory, much of it tied to its origins as “Furniture City.” A local histo-rian shares the city’s history and points out architectural gems along the way to dinner in an Itali-anate mansion.
• Meyer May house tour and dinner. Grand Rapids is home to Heritage Hill, one of the larg-est residential historical districts in the United States. Among the homes is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Meyer May House, which Steelcase purchased and renovated in the late 1980s.
• Swing dancing and dinner. Grand Rapids is home to the Guinness Book of Records’ Largest Swing Dance in the World. Dance lessons will be offered, preceded by dinner at The Bulls Head.
ODDS & ENDSHIRED: ELEMENTS, A Colorado and Wyoming distribution part-
ner to Knoll and DIRTT, an-nounced the hiring of Chris-tine Kennedy to its sales team. Christine has ex-tensive industry
experience and held her most recent position as a Facilities Consultant managing national accounts. She has a degree in Housing and Interior Environ-ments (F.I.D.E.R. accredited) from Colorado State University.
JOINED: Kristi Rubino, has been named to a newly created posi-
tion; Director of Marketing for IN-DEAL, the North American buying group. Ms. Rubi-no brings a solid and successful background in
marketing to INDEAL. In 2000, Ms. Rubino entered the furniture industry as a Marketing Services Associate for Jofco. She worked for them until 2008, having been promoted to Corporate Com-munications Manager and later to Marketing Manager. In 2008 she was Marketing Manager for Mayer Fabrics, overseeing their website, trade shows, showroom design, and Greenguard certifica-tion. She was also responsible for their branding, photography and media planning. As Director of Marketing for INDEAL, Ms. Rubino will be charged with overseeing the group’s branding, electronic media, website, IDEA Books and collateral material, and also all special events. In addition, she will be spearheading INDEAL’s Dealer Champion program.PARTNERED: The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) announced its partnership with Public Architecture in sup-port of its pro bono design pro-gram, The 1%. The goal of The 1% is to secure the commitment of Designers of the built environ-ment to donate a minimum of one percent of billable hours each year to pro bono work on behalf of the nonprofit community. As part of its own mission to elevate the Design profession and ad-vance Design, IIDA encourages its Members to participate in The 1% program.NOW REPPING: The Lowe Group as manufacturer’s representative for @theOffice in Texas, Okla-homa and Arkansas with show-rooms in Dallas and Houston.NOW REPPING: Grant Ingram as independent representative for Ontario, Canada for Buzz Seat-ing.NOW REPPING: Chris and Tonie Rommel of Capitol Solutions will be representing the Clear De-sign bench system desking in VA. MD. and DE. Q
Noted:
Stylex’s Merchandise Mart showroom in Chicago has had a fresh rede-sign for the summer. The existing showroom was created by Perkins + Will Chicago to showcase Stylex products and the new Share activity-based seating system in thematic environments within a modern office setting. The three areas, which include a focused workspace, a collab-orative space for meeting and discussion, and a social space where teams interact, are complemented by a dynamic wall graphic that gives the showroom a sense of greater space and places Share in the context of a standard, desk-based work setting.
Stylex President John Golden commented, “We worked closely with the Perkins + Will team to give the showroom a realistic office feeling. The new space explores the many different ways the Share system can be used while including a range of other popular Stylex products.”
Kennedy
Rubino
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
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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.
ConTrACT SAleS SPeCiAliST - nJ/PA JANUS et Cie®, the reputable, design-focused furniture industry leader is seeking a corporate sales specialist in New Jersey and Pennsylvania The candidate will need to be a motivated, self-starter with a hunter mentality, while maintaining a polished image that is in line with the company’s mission and values. They must be able to generate leads and sales from clients with a major focus on A+ dealers and corporate end users. They must also have a thorough knowledge of the corporate furniture industry, including competitors, projects in process, and relationships with key influencers and decision makers.
Total Compensation Includes:-Base salary-Commission-Medical, dental, & life insurance-401k Plan-Paid vacation-Expense accountQualified candidates may email resume,
cover letter, references and earnings history to Marlo Smith, VP of Human Resources to [email protected] or fax to 562-262-2844, or contact Harry Ward, VP of Corporate Sales at [email protected] for questions.
ATlAnTA BASed ServiCe SAleS oPPorTuniTy Atlanta Based Service Sales Opportunity
National Workplace Services Company provides solutions for corporate environ-ments through highly experienced regional operating companies, and provides these services nationally to Fortune 1000 customers. This position is responsible for generating and closing sales in their assigned territories and/or specific cus-tomer segments with margins that meet or exceed budgeted amounts.
Experience in the office furniture and/or commercial relocation fields a real plus. Base salary + commission.
Larry DoveThe Integrated Group Atlanta125 State StreetPeachtree Corners, Georgia 30071 Phone: 770-582-1955Email: [email protected]
Join The lArgeST herMAn Miller deAler in CA! Opportunities in all locations
Key Deliverables:• Demonstrate initiative by prospecting and closing sales leads within variety of commercial 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 resume: [email protected] EOE
ConTrACT SAleS SPeCiAliST - SAn FrAnCiSCo JANUS et Cie®, the reputable, design-focused furniture industry leader is seeking a corporate sales specialist in San Francisco.
JANUS et Cie, the reputable, design-fo-cused furniture industry leader is seeking a corporate sales specialist in San Francisco.
The candidate will need to be a moti-vated, self-starter with a hunter mentality, while maintaining a polished image that is in line with the company’s mission and values. They must be able to generate leads and sales from clients with a major focus on A+ dealers and corporate end users. They must also have a thorough knowl-edge of the corporate furniture industry, including competitors, projects in process, and relationships with key influencers and decision makers.
Total Compensation Includes:-Base salary-Commission-Medical, dental, & life insurance-401k Plan-Paid vacation-Expense accountQualified candidates may email resume,
cover letter, references and earnings history to Marlo Smith, VP of Human Resources to [email protected] or fax to 562-262-2844, or contact Harry Ward, VP of Corporate Sales at [email protected] for questions.
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - BAlTiMore (#849444) Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a VERY lucrative furniture sales opportu-nity in Baltimore. Apply by visitingwww. careers.staples.com (job #849444)
deSigner - BoSTon (#848760) Join the leader in Modern Space Planning!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a Designer position in Boston. Apply by visiting www.careers.staples.com (job #848760)
deSigner - new york CiTy or STAMFord, CT (#848760) Join a Leader in Modern Space Design!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a Designer position in New York City OR Stamford, CT . Apply by visiting www.careers.staples.com job (#848760)
TerriTory SAleS MAnAger MulTiPle oPeningS Hunters needed in Dallas, California, Atlanta, and Michigan!
ErgoGenesis, LLC is the manufacturer of premium BodyBilt® ergonomic seating products, and ErgoFusion® workplace accessories.
Current opportunities exist for Territory Sales Manager in the following territories:
• Dallas• Southern California• Michigan and Ohio• Atlanta
About The PositionThis is a full-time outside sales position,
with the following key responsibilities:• Hunter Skills• Hit or exceed your sales goal• Develop a minimum of 25% new ac-count base year to year• Identify target market opportunities and prospect for new accounts• Maintain and grow key accounts and contacts• Prepare quotations and manage ap-pointments
Requirements• Experience in Direct Sales to end-user• Experience in Governmental Sales• Furniture Industry experience of at least 3 years is a plus• An ability to lift 75lbs on a regular basis• Good driving recordApply by sending your resume to
[email protected] is an EEOC/Affirmative Ac-
tion company
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - ColuMBuS, oh (#850850) Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a lucrative furniture sales opportunity in Columbus, OH. Apply by visiting
www.careers.staples.com job #850850.
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - PiTTSBurgh, PA (#850849) Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a lucrative furniture sales opportunity in Pittsburgh, PA. Apply by visitingwww. careers.staples.com, job #850849.
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - new york CiTy -#849890 Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a VERY lucrative furniture sales opportu-nity in New York City. Apply by visiting
careers.staples.com(job #849890.
ConTrACT SAleS ASSoCiATe - SouThern CAliForniAOutstanding opportunity with a very successful Southern California representative group.
The Schneider Group - Representing world-class manufacturers from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, and the USA. www.barryschneider.com
The Schneider Group is well established with the Southern California design and dealer communities; offering fine furniture, and most importantly, world class service. This is an outstanding sales opportunity for the right money-motivated individual; with high-income possibilities.
The chosen candidate will be working from a home office, and have a 24/7 work ethic. As an Associate with The Schneider Group you will contribute to the company’s success.
Requirements:• 3 to 5 years of sales experience• At least 2 years of outside sales experience• BA Degree is a plus• A design background is a plus• A SUV or Van is required• The ability to lift and present fine office chairs on a daily basis.• If you live in OC or San Diego; this is a plus
Compensation:• Competitive Salary + Unlimited Com-missionSeriously qualified candidate for this
career position with a successful sales and marketing organization, should email their resume, cover letter, and references to Barry Schneider [email protected] or fax to 310.496.2761
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
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deAler ouTSide SAleS reP - loS AngeleS Top Performing So Cal Teknion Dealer Is Looking For Outside Sales Reps That Want To Make A Lot Of Money!
OFG, the Top Performing Teknion Dealer in Southern California is expanding our Los Angeles team located next to LA Live and we’re looking for experienced outside sales reps. Our win ratio remains extremely high and we are seeking individuals that want to earn top dollars for themselves.
While we are looking for motivated self-starters that have existing industry re-lationships, we also generate a tremendous amount of sales opportunities and annuity business. Our team environment and sup-port structure truly allows an outside sales rep to be in the field in front of customers while their projects are supported by a talented team of experienced, easy to get along with professionals.
If you are looking for the next level in your career, a new environment where you’re appreciated rewarded and chal-lenged, a compensation structure to make a lot of money, we want to talk to you!
Please contact us confidentially at: [email protected]
MinneSoTA TerriTory SAleS ASSoCiATe Jump Start Your Sales Career!
ErgoGenesis, LLC is the manufacturer of premium BodyBilt ergonomic seating products, and ErgoFusion workplace ac-cessories.
Current opportunities exist for Territory Sales Associate in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Position Description:New hire will participate in an intensive
learning program to gain critical skills and competencies to become eligible for the position of Territory Sales Manager. Company vehicle, cell phone and other electronics provided. Starting pay range $25K-$35K with significant upward potential.
Requirements:• Clean driving record• Education - Bachelor Degree preferred• Strong computer skills• Fitness training and/or kinesiology a plus• Willingness to learn product lines and make cold calls on a regular bases
How to Apply: Apply by sending your resume to
[email protected] is an EEOC/Affirmative Ac-
tion company
MAnuFACTurer SAleS rePreSenTATive Join the Country’s Leading Manufacturer of Educational Furniture!
Virco, the leader in Educational Furniture, is looking for a highly motivated, experienced and successful sales rep to represent our company in Central and Eastern Pennsylva-nia, Delaware and Maryland. The success-ful candidate’s responsibilities will be to conduct direct sales and direct marketing in our target markets: K-12, Higher ED, City and County Government, A&D and our Dealer Network.
The successful candidate should have: a minimum of 2 years outside sales experience; be detail oriented; work well under pressure; meet deadlines/sales goals consistently; be computer savvy; and be an effective communicator (verbally and in writing).
Virco offers a competitive compensa-tion package: base salary, potential for commission and spiffs, as well as a car program.
Visit www.virco.com to learn more about our company and our products.
If you are interested in this opportunity please contact:
[email protected] is an Equal Opportunity Employer
M/F/D/V
Seeking ConTrACT FurniTure SAleSPerSon Join a Growing Maryland Furniture Dealership
Growing Maryland office furniture dealer-ship has a full-time position available for a Contract Furniture Salesperson with at least 2 - 5 years of experience. Pay is $48,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year depending on experience. We offer paid holidays, vacation and sick leave.
Must have experience with selling office furniture to government, commercial, education and/or healthcare business establishments. Must have enthusiasm, willingness to learn, drive to succeed and enjoy selling.
Must be able to work with sales team to uncover projects and build furniture sales. Knowledge of 20-20 GIZA Studio and/or Team Design software is a plus. Candidate will assist the Project Team (consisting of Designers, Project Managers, Customer Service Representatives and Installers) with activities concerned with the specifying, ordering and installing of furniture. US Citizenship is required.
For more information, see our ad online in the Job Marketplace section.
Reply in confidence to [email protected] Department D in Subject
of email.
CAnAdiAn ConTrACT FurniTure SAleS A great opportunity for sales agents calling on contract furniture dealers and the A&D community.
Heartwood, HDL and Star Quality are long-established Canadian brands focused in the mid-market laminate case goods segment, and SOHO market. We currently have sales opportunities available in;
• Metro Toronto (GTA)• Western and Northern Ontario• and are seeking to partner with sales representatives that are actively servic-ing the contract dealership and design communities. We envision the ideal partnership with an agent representing a non-competing portfolio of products (seating, systems, filing, etc). As such, our brands will be a natural fit rounding out your current product offering. An aggressive commission of up to
7% will be paid on new accounts, with competitive commissions paid on an exist-ing book of business as well. If interested, please reply in confidence to:
[email protected] including a list of the product lines you currently represent.
FurniTure AreA SAleS MAnAger - riChField, oh Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a Furniture Area Sales Manager op-portunity in Richfield, OH. Apply by visiting careers.staples.com, job #850845.
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive Staples is the world’s largest office products company and a trusted source for office solutions.
The FSE is responsible for initiating and closing profitable furniture sales. The FSE serves as the primary contact for the client during the sales process and works with the other furniture support functions (de-sign, project management, furniture sales support, etc.) to ensure that client needs are met and client satisfaction is achieved. As part of an integrated selling team, the FSE collaborates with sales professionals from other Staples product categories to develop comprehensive sales plans for Staples accounts in an effort to maximize sales of all product categories. The FSE reports to the Sales Director, Furniture.
Basic:• High School Diploma or GED• Minimum four years of direct selling experience• Prior experience in office contract furniture industry, general knowledge of systems furniture, and experience in customer interaction requiredPlease access the link below to apply:https://staples.taleo.net/careersection/2/
jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=852257&src=MTP-200023
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - BoSTon -#849902 Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a VERY lucrative furniture sales opportu-nity in Boston. Apply by visitingwww.careers.staples.com (job #849902)
rePS And deAlerS wAnTed Take advantage of this great opportunity!
TREMAIN is an international company with over 50 years of experience providing solu-tions in working environments and one of the major and fastest growing manufactur-ers of office furniture in Mexico.
We are looking for highly motivated, well established and Service driven independent reps and dealers with strong experience in the contract market for office furniture systems.
We provide competitive prices, excellent design and service support, amazing qual-ity on innovative product lines and a fast turn around delivery time.
For further information please contact us at 855.312.7770 or visit our website
www.tremain.com.mx
SAleS MAnAger Be Associated with Excellence!
Bring enthusiasm/proven success to organization with excellent product/superb service to customers. Well-established leader specializes in engineering/manu-facturing/distribution of highest quality polyurethane fabrics on market. Located in Tarrytown, NY, company strives to establish successful long-term relationships with clients providing them an unmatched qual-ity of product/service.
Qualified candidates: • minimum 5 years sales experience with contract furniture manufacturers• 10+ plus years continuous experience in Sales• Would consider candidates who worked for furniture manufacturer• Several years of marketing experience a plus• Should reside in the New York Metro-politan area• Position requires extensive national travel (U.S. and Canada)• Excellent communication skills neces-sary• Ability to prioritize/multi-task• Attention to detail/follow up skills needed• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience. Wonderful opportunity for the qualified
candidate!Submit resume to: Barbara James, Dir. of
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
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So. CAl TerriTory SAleS MAnAger At SitOnIt, we are all Chairmen!
SitOnIt is currently seeking a So. Cal. Terri-tory Sales Manager who will be responsible for integrating the company’s brands into new and existing markets for their sales region. The position is critical in collecting and providing informational support to Dealers, A&D, End Users, Sales, Marketing, Customer Support, Product Development and Operations.
The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of selling experience preferably in in-dustry sales, has managed a team of sales people before and is comfortable leading a team. Should also have experience driving end user business and have extensive experience and familiarity with the LA / OC market. This person must be self-motivated and performance / numbers driven. Prefer candidate to be LA based.
If interested please send resumes to Lindsay Aimar at [email protected] or call 714-763-1896.
oPPorTuniTy wiTh induSTry MArkeT leAder! VP Sales - Los Angeles
Cherryman Industries is looking for candi-dates who want to join a growing business. This individual will need to have skills that are critical for analyzing, team strategy, customer and sales representative com-munications. This also requires computer skill set to develop presentations, prepare analysis and build excel worksheets.
Past experience in a similar role is benefi-cial. This position is based in our Southern California headquarters and requires being based there daily. There will be some travel when needed. Please respond in confi-dence to: [email protected]
SAleS direCTor, MAnuFACTuring SoluTionS - CAry, nC Grow your career with an Industry Leader!
Reporting to the Executive Vice President Sales and Services Americas, the Sales Director, Manufacturing Solutions, is responsible for managing a sales team who source new sales leads and develop new accounts in the furniture / kitchen manufacturing industries in North America. The Director also has responsibility for selling the company’s products or services and managing existing accounts. The Director and his team are also responsible for expanding existing accounts and/or developing new accounts within an established geographic territory, industry or product segment.
To apply please send your CV to: [email protected]
nATionAl ProJeCT MAnAgeMenT nyC AreA BASed Exciting Career with Nationally recognized company. Great earning potential.
Lead and manage growing team of design-ers and project coordinators throughout US for a nationally based company specializing in project presentation in the K-12 school market. Work with upper management and local sales managers to identify growing markets. Prepare annual budgets and analyze variances. Attend trade shows.
Requirements: 5 years project manage-ment experience. Highly effective com-municator. Use AutoCAD, OI or comparable programs. Handle pressure and multi task. Travel - 40+ weeks per year.
Submit resume and salary history to: [email protected]
nATionAl SAleS MAnAger Join The Bold Companies Sales Team!
The Bold Companies, a growing and entrepreneurial driven wood manufactur-ing facility located in Muskegon, MI seeks a highly motivated, experienced Sales Manager.
Bold is a customer centric, capability driven manufacturer that delivers both standard and mass-customized products cost effectively, quickly, and reliably. We are building a unique culture with strong values and a mission to serve our custom-ers while providing a rewarding work environment.
The successful candidate will be able to work in a fast-paced environment and be a self-starter. Applicants should have a mini-mum of 7 years experience in sales within contract office furniture, retail store fixtures or wood working. Responsibilities include managing and growing our independent sales representatives, national accounts and developing new markets.
Bold offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.
If you would like to be a part of a win-ning team, send cover letter and resume to [email protected]
FurniTure AreA SAleS MAnAger - riChField, oh Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a Furniture Area Sales Manager op-portunity in Richfield, OH. Apply by visiting careers.staples.com, job #850845.
ACCounT exeCuTiveS/ouTSide SAleS ProFeSSionAlS Make your move to National Business Furniture TODAY!
We are having another excellent year at National Business Furniture and we are adding experienced Account Executives/Outside Sales Professionals to our team in the following markets:
• Los Angeles• Virginia• Your location If your market presence and our current
customer base make it attractive to launch a new Account Executive! We offer:
• An Outstanding pay plan • A Monthly guarantee • No caps • Great internal support to keep you selling• Product offerings that delight your customers • The opportunity to reach your income goals It is time to get selling! Send your
resume to [email protected] or call Tom Milc-zarski, our HR Director at (414) 615-3625 and let him know you are interested. DO IT TODAY!
ProJeCT deSigner Exciting design opportunity for one of the most prestigious dealers in the DFW metroplex
Project Designer - Carrollton, TXCompetitive salary, outstanding benefits,
fun and challenging work environment• May attend client meetings with sales-person to gather programming data;• Assist in developing sales strategy as appropriate;• Develop block plans, layouts and specifications, check plans for design integrity, completeness, and compliance with CAD/ADA requirements;• May create presentation boards and/or sales tools;• Work with project team to develop schedule and installation sequence;• Maintain contact with clients during critical phases of jobs, including some site visits;• May assist sales with client presenta-tions and finish selections;• Participate in reviewing post occu-pancy evaluation and punch list; and• Maintain current knowledge of industry, products, methods, promotional strategies, and trends in design.• Requires BS in Interior Design, plus at least 2-4 years’ design experience• Experience with space planning and AutoCAD required• Systems furniture and dealership experience strongly preferredCheck us out at
www.workplaceresourcegroup.com or send resumes to [email protected]
ACCounT exeCuTive kC AreA Join Our Dynamic KC Team!
BA Designs, a Contract Furniture Dealer-ship (Woman Owned, GSA Schedule and State of Kansas Contract Holder) is seeking a sales professional to sell in the Kansas City metro area. The ideal candidate must have had 3-5 years success selling contract furniture and/or related products. Must be self motivated maintaining a professional image in line with the company’s mission and values.
• First year salary plus bonus• Second year and beyond, commission with draw• Dental and health insurance, 401k• Paid vacation• Expense accountQualified candidates may forward resume
and cover letter to Sales Manager, [email protected]
FurniTure SAleS exeCuTive - irving, Tx (852722) Join an Industry Leader!
Business Interiors by Staples is seeking to fill a VERY lucrative furniture sales opportu-nity in Irving, TX. Apply by visiting
careers.staples.com (job #852722) More information is available at www.StaplesFurnitureSalesJobs.com
indePendenT rePreSenTATiveS wAnTed Woodtech Inc. is interviewing Independent Representatives for: Atlanta, Ga, Philadelphia, PA & Florida
Woodtech Inc., a flexible Furniture Manufacture located in Oakland California is interviewing independent representa-tives for the following territories: Atlanta GA,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Florida The product includes Casegoods, Reception Stations and Conference furniture. Our product line is flexible/ custom, veneer, reclaimed wood, salvaged veneer and hardwood, Fumed veneer, glass of all types, metal, stone and acrylic. FSC Certified, ISO 9001 certified, Minority Certified and made in USA.
Please email at: [email protected] or call at
(510)304-3096.Website www.woodtechgreen.comGeorge Runckel, VP of Sale & Marketing
Woodtech, Inc.
August 26 - September 1, 2013The Monday Morning Quarterback
37
REPS, DEALERS & DEALERS WANTED
BuZZ SeATing iS A CoMPAny on The Move! Celebrating 10 years
Buzz Seating is looking to expand busi-ness via independent reps, new dealers, private labels, GSA and other venues. With multiple facilities in the US and Canada, domestic manufacturing operations, experienced and skilled industry labor and overseas/domestic resources the business opportunities abound.
Recently launched product e-library web-sites to compliment our main site www.buzzseating.com with more in the works:
• www.rikachair.com (all mesh)• www.melochair.com • www.stingerchair.com• www.landachair.com• www.jemchair.comRecently awarded a 5-year GSA contract
extension and all of these products (and more) are on the GSA schedule.
Yes, Buzz Seating is a company on the move and expanding into new concept markets. Check out the company and let?s explore the possibilities. If you have an interest please respond to: [email protected]
rePS And deAlerS wAnTed Small Business Movable Wall & Systems Manufacturer based in Ohio.
M/W International is a small business manufacturer of movable walls and systems furniture established in 1921. We manufacture unitized movable wall products and a frame and tile stackable systems product. Our engineering capabili-ties allow us to provide tailored solutions for our clients.
We are seeking highly motivated, estab-lished, service driven independent reps and dealers to promote our movable wall and systems products.
Major Markets are available.We provide competitive pricing, excellent
commissions, superior support, in-house design, and amazing quality
products.Please visit us www.theoriginalmovable-
wallcompany.com to review our company and products.
For more information please contact Da-vid D’Amico, VP of Sales at 330.801.4445 or email [email protected].
REP GROUPS NEEDED
indePendenT SuB reP needed in ConneCTiCuT Add our major line to your existing package or start your own business in Connecticut.
Murphy Associates Inc, a New England Independent Rep Firm needs a Sub Rep in CT. Please contact Mike Murphy at 508-341-1970 or [email protected]
indePendenT SAleS rePreSenTATion wAnTed Immediate Opportunity!
BRC is seeking Independent Sales Repre-sentation for the following markets:
• Colorado• North Carolina• Minnesota• New MexicoBRC is a proven supplier across North
America in the quality laminate furniture, market segment.
BRC offers an aggressive commis-sion plan,dealer incentives,product promotions,an existing national dealer program,spiff programs,flexible lead times,freight inclusive pricing and more++.
BRC offers an extensive range of standard products along with full custom capabilities.
Interested candidates should contact; Steven Geiger,Vice President,Sales.
[email protected](www.brccanada.com)
rePS wAnTed in So. Tx, uPSTATe ny And on weSTCoAST Great opportunity with leading office furniture manufacturer
HPFI, an established manufacturer of educational, office and healthcare furniture has openings for independent sales rep-resentatives in South Texas, Upstate New York, and on the West Coast. All products are level-certified and on GSA contract. Candidates should be experienced in servicing the A & D community as well as dealer and installation partners.
Please send Resume to [email protected]
FABRICATION
lAMinATe And Solid SurFACe workSurFACeSWe are a supplier to contract furniture OEMS of laminate and finished veneer work surfaces. we bring solutions to the surface.
- Custom Components Corporation -We are a, FSC Certified (mixed and pure credit), supplier of fully fabricated worksurfaces and laminated assemblies. Tops, doors, panels, shelving, wall panels, conferencing solutions, casegoods and much more. We are currently compliant to ISO9001-2000 - with a documented qual-ity system - PPAPS provided.
Our core competency encompasses supplying various types of surfaces and casegoods in a wide range of materials as simple components or finished good assemblies. Let us do the work and we will supply you with your very complicated assemblies including all accessories and supporting hardware: Legs, Grommets, Electrical, Stretchers, Ganging Hardware, Lighting ETC. built to your specifications.
Our Capabilities Include:• Three top of the line schelling rear load cnc panel saws• Contour / curvilinear edgebanding (using baz / cnc automated technology for superb quality and repeatability) up to 3mm thickness (homag) also topmaster t-edging of t-molded surfaces• Straight / linear edge banding (pvc, polypro, abs, veneer) (homag)• Every surface is cnc machined (5 cells) for precision (hole patterns, t-nuts, threaded inserts, stiffeners and much more). (weeke, homag and ima)• In house laminating using hot and cold pressing - enviro-friendly pva cross-link bonding agent. (Black Brothers, National Casein, Joos, Tyler). sketch face laminating available in laminate and veneer.• post laminating of 3d products - case clamping, dato
We process many materials includ-ing:
• MDF• Particleboard• HPL (Wilsonart, Formica, Laminart, Merinolam, Nevemar, Pionite and many more)• Natural wood veneers and exotics• Recon veneers• Solid core phenolic• Epoxy resin• Corian• LPL melamine• Markerboard laminates• Plywood• TimberstrandWe are located in a 40,000 sq foot
facility in West Michigan. This puts us in close proximity of our primary parts and technical support supplier of our process-ing equipment. This ensures minimal down-time. The latest in processing technology
with duplicate+ machines in every cell to avoid delivery disruptions.
Lead-times from 24 hours to 3 weeks. Nation-wide shipping
Capacity of up to 1000 surfaces per day. Small or large jobs and contracts. Finan-cially sound operation, competitive pricing, friendly customer service with a can do attitude. We are ready to serve.
Contact: Ryan Pawloski, CEO for more information. Contact us today.
PHONE: 616-523-1111email: [email protected]
MM
QB
Coming this Fall from the Editors of MMQBAn all new print and electronic publication to help A&D and end-users decide what to specify and buy.
www.officeDNA.com