Gary McCray named Laneventure president

Art Thompson to retire in November

-- Casual Living, 9/10/2008 1:50:00 PM

Gary McCray has been named president of Laneventure, succeeding Arthur C. Thompson (above) who will retire in November, Furniture Brands International announced today. This comes as the company prepares for Monday’s opening of the annual International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

“Gary is in his 30th year with Laneventure and has seen it develop into the resource for premium outdoor and indoor furnishings that it is today,” said Dan Bradley, president of Furniture Brands’ Designer Brands Group. “His background with the company crosses a variety of disciplines including engineering, product development, merchandising and marketing and most recently he has served as vice president of Supply Chain Management. Gary has also been heavily involved in industry affairs having served as the president and chairman of the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association (recently renamed the International Casual Furniture Association).

“I am excited that Gary has accepted this opportunity to build upon the successes created by Art and the team at Laneventure,” Bradley added. “I am confident he will continue to grow and develop the Laneventure brand across all channels of distribution to meet the needs of today’s furniture consumers.”

McCray credited Thompson for growing the company to its current level. “During his 20 years of leadership Art has transformed Laneventure from three distinct companies offering wicker, rattan, accent and fully upholstered furniture into an industry leading position with a wide range of products in the outdoor and indoor segments,” McCray said. “Art’s insistence on dramatic marketing and visual impact has been central to the company’s success and will continue to be so in the future. Over his many years in both the industry’s retail and manufacturing sectors he has developed strong leaders and made unique contributions that will not only continue to make Laneventure successful but also impact many other companies throughout the industry. We all wish Art much success as he moves on with the many endeavors of his retirement.”

Furniture Brands International is a vertically integrated operating company that is one of the nation’s leading designers, manufacturers and retailers of home furnishings. With annual sales in excess of $2 billion, it markets through a wide range of retail channels, from mass merchant stores to single-brand and independent dealers to specialized interior designers. In addition to Laneventure, Furniture Brands include Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair and Maitland Smith.