The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation has included business partners as a team for the first time among its 2010 nominees.
The six nominees are: Gerald Birnbach of Rowe Furniture; Manuel Capó of El Dorado Furniture; Thomas Day, a leading furniture maker in the mid-1800s; Darrell and Stella Harris, founders of Furniture Southland; Michael and George Massood, of MGM Transport; and artist/designer Bob Timberlake.
Birnbach was the chairman of Rowe Furniture, where he started as a salesman in 1956. Capo grew El Dorado Furniture into one of the top 50 furniture chains in the United States.
Day was a free, black business owner and master craftsman. Darrell and Stella Harris have grown Furniture Southland into one of the world’s largest retail furnishings showplaces at over 1 million square feet.
The Massoods have spearheaded innovative concepts including an order consolidation system, full-service assembly and repair facilities. Timberlake is an internationally recognized artist known for his theme-based furniture collections.
“This year’s slate represents some of the best from the breadth of our industry, including retailers, manufacturers, designers and suppliers,” said Jeff Cook, president of the Foundation. “Each stands for leadership and innovation in their fields and has positively impacted the home furnishings industry. It is an impressive slate.”
The nominees were selected from nominations by Foundation members who submitted a biography including detailed information about professional achievements, personal standards and civic involvements. Each nomination was seconded in writing by another member. The voting period begins June 28 and ends July 30.
New members will be announced and officially inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame at the annual banquet celebration on Oct. 17, at the High Point Market.