Furniture/Today Publisher Joe Carroll Joins the Ranks of American Furniture Hall of Fame

Joe Carroll of Furniture/Today, Farooq Kathwari of Ethan Allen and Steve Kincaid of Kincaid Furniture were inducted on Oct. 18, 2009 into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.

Such inductees were elected by members of the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation Inc., based on detailed information about professional achievements, personal standards and civic involvement.

They were honored on the night of Oct. 18 during the High Point Market, at a banquet attended by nearly 400 industry members, hosted by HGTV personality, interior designer and author Libby Langdon.

"Continuing the long tradition of the Hall of Fame, the three new members represent the highest standards, ingenuity and achievements of our industry globally," said Don Belgrad, president of the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation. "They are well known in our industry because they have devoted their lives to home furnishings and they are respected for their integrity and years of service to others personally and professionally. We congratulate each of them and their families for joining the ranks of the Hall of Fame."

Truly significant is that the inductees are not merely trade association representatives, special-interest mouthpieces but have actual field experience, which has helped to build reputation and clout, and given them realistic insight, enabling them to move the American furniture industry in right directions, as well as help to communicate messages that contribute to positive developments of the industry.

Carroll, longtime publisher of Furniture/Today, has guided the publication to become the furniture and mattress industry's news leader and definitive source of industry statistics, according to the Hall of Fame. He was also instrumental in developing several sister publications, as well as a daily e-mail news service. He helped organize and chaired the International Alliance of Furnishings Publications (IAFP), an industry information exchange platform for 18 members globally, as well as being the author of four books on home furnishings design.

Kathwari is president, chairman and CEO of Ethan Allen, a well-known upscale American furniture brand, and has been the driving force behind the manufacturer and retailer. His continual reengineering of the company has enabled it to remain one of the most successful vertically-integrated furniture companies globally. This year, he directed the launch of the Ethan Allen Contract division.

Kincaid is president of Kincaid Furniture Co., and after the sale of the company to La-Z-Boy, the maker of the rocker-lounger that is synonymous stateside with reclining relaxation upholstered in quality fabrics, also became senior vice-president of that company and has developed the case goods division of La-Z-Boy into an industry leader. In addition to Kincaid, the division includes Lea, Hammary and American Drew.

The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. is an international, industry-wide organization founded to honor individuals whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the continued growth and development of the American furniture industry,

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