Johnston leads American Home Furnishings Alliance | News
By Russell Craver 2 years agoA Wilkes County native and resident with a robust spouse and children history in the home furnishings production industry has been elected to direct the American Residence Furnishings Alliance (AHFA).
Joseph “Joe” Johnston, CEO and owner of Johnston Casuals Furniture in North Wilkesboro, was elected 2023 chair of the AHFA Board of Administrators during the organization’s Once-a-year Assembly and CEO Meeting in Sea Island, Ga., Nov. 3-6.
The alliance acts as the voice of the residential home furniture market on regulatory and other matters impacting the business. It has a basis that funds investigation and instructional initiatives aimed at enhancing administration, production and advertising in the home furnishings sector.
“We just celebrated our 40th 12 months at Johnston Casuals Furniture. I want to thank the folks who have built their operate residence with us at Johnston Casuals and American-Drew for the final 95 decades,” stated Johnston. He added that offering management to the AHFA is a way he can give again to the market.
The AHFA represents community and non-public organizations of all sizes that are liable for just about 50{a57a8b399caa4911091be19c47013a92763fdea5dcb0fe03ef6810df8f2f239d} of all house furnishings marketed in the United States, said an alliance push release. Member businesses have factories in 23 U.S. states and 17 overseas countries. Residential furnishings is a $35 billion segment of the U.S. economic system.
With Johnston on the AHFA executive committee are Nathan Cressman of Magnussen Dwelling in Greensboro, first vice chair and Andy Bray of Vanguard Home furnishings in Hickory, next vice chair. Roger Bland, president and CEO of Southern Motion in Pontotoc, Overlook., stays on the executive committee as rapid earlier chair.
Johnston has served as president of the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, Wilkes Jaycees, Wilkes Artwork Gallery and Oakwoods Region Club. He was a member of the North Wilkesboro Board of Commissioners from 2013 to 2019, and at the moment is on the Wilkes Economic Growth Corp. Board of Administrators.
Johnston’s grandfather, Andrew “Dick” Johnston, grew up in japanese Wilkes and began manufacturing unit function in North Wilkesboro at Turner-White Casket Firm, exactly where he refined his home furniture creating skills.
In 1927, Dick Johnston founded American Home furniture Corporation alongside the Yadkin River in downtown North Wilkesboro. It utilized used hardwood timber of northwest North Carolina to construct bedroom suites.
In 1957, Dick, Richard Johnston (Joe’s father), Tom Tale and Wayne Coffey started a sister organization, Drew Furniture, in North Wilkesboro. The “Cherry Grove Bedroom” national bestselling manufacturer started from this endeavor.
Joe put in summers performing at American-Drew in North Wilkesboro whilst in superior faculty and university and began working there complete-time as chair manufacturing facility manufacturing manager following graduating from college or university in January 1975. At the time of his time of departure in 1980, the chair factory was building up to 1,100 dining chairs every day.
In 1981, Joe and his father started Johnston Casuals Furniture. This company is best recognized for its hand-crafted, modern day, metal household furniture, as well as its capacity to make modifications according to their customers’ needs.
Johnston Casuals, the only remaining home furniture maker in Wilkes County, sells barstools, cocktail and stop tables, relaxed dining and accent objects manufactured from industrial top quality metal. “We make furnishings. We make it the previous-fashioned way. We make it by hand. Paying for a piece of Johnston Casuals, however functional, is truly a piece of art,” stated Joe.
Joe and his wife, Deborah, stay in North Wilkesboro and have 3 married children and five grandchildren. They are customers of 1st United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro. He claimed that in their spare time, they get pleasure from hiking and having fun with the fresh air in the Blue Ridge Mountains with friends.
Executives named to new three-year terms on the AHFA Board of Administrators include Edward Audi, Stickley Furniture Mark Franklin, Franklin Home furnishings Sean O’Connor, Universal Household furniture Veronica Schnitzius, American Leather Luke Simpson, Durham Furniture and Henry Vanderminden IV, Telescope Informal Furnishings.
Continuing on the board with terms expiring at the conclusion of 2024 are Steve Elton, Brown Jordan Fred Henjes, Riverside Furnishings Steve Lehman, Smith Brothers of Berne Neill Robinson, Legacy Traditional | Fashionable Home furniture and Melinda Whittington, La-Z-Boy Inc.
Board associates with phrases expiring at the close of 2023 are Caroline Hipple, Norwalk Furnishings Jeremy Hoff, Hooker Home furnishings Allan Palecek, Palecek and Todd Wanek, Ashley Home furnishings Industries.
Eddie Massood, Massood Logistics, and Andrew Wright, Smith-Leonard, are the 2023 associates on the board from AHFA’s Alternative Partners division.

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