Church leaving Clayton Marcus for Southern
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, April 21, 2003
Conover, N.C. — Veteran upholstered seating executive Ken Church is leaving as president of Clayton Marcus to become president and chief executive officer of upholstery and case goods manufacturer Southern Furniture Co.
Church will join Southern, a privately held, 77-year-old, family operated company here, in May.
Church, 51, has held various executive posts at Clayton Marcus, a unit of La-Z-Boy, since joining the company in 1984. He also served as president of the upholstery group at Clayton Marcus parent Ladd, until Ladd's acquisition by La-Z-Boy in 1999.
Before joining Clayton Marcus, Church held management positions with the upholstery division of Broyhill Furniture.
Church will succeed longtime Southern President Jerome Bolick, who will remain chairman. Bolick said he sought Church's expertise as part of a management succession plan and a strategic move into new design and styling directions.
"For Southern to be in the right position to respond to dramatic changes and opportunities in the furniture industry, our company needed a strong continuity in management, in the person of an accomplished, results-oriented executive," Bolick said.
He added that Church's "respected management skills will position our company as a more vibrant style leader and business partner to all of our customers. Ken is an experienced furniture executive with a proven track record that will bring progressive leadership to our company and allow me more flexibility to focus on strategic issues, and spend more quality time with my family."
Church is charged with expanding Southern's market share, which could include growth by acquisition and joint ventures.
A news release said the company also sees opportunities in adding more wood imports to complement its upholstery business.
"While my time at Clayton Marcus was thoroughly fulfilling, the present challenge and overall growth opportunity at Southern Furniture made this a very attractive and compelling choice at this point in my career," Church said.
"Southern is poised and ready to leverage its style and design leadership to ensure a larger piece of the midpriced upholstered furniture market," he said.
"Making a move like this is such a sweet sorrow," Church said, "considering the family I am leaving at Clayton Marcus, in addition to the friends I respect so much throughout the entire La-Z-Boy organization, which has been so good to me."
