Jensen Outdoor— known to the casual industry for crafting sustainable luxury wood furniture for the North American market—has appointed Schon Duke as the new president of the company. An experienced business leader, Schon succeeded Hlodver Olafsson and assumed responsibilities as of Dec. 1, 2021.

Olafsson retired as president and from his seat on the Board of Directors after a lustrous 40-year career in the wood-manufacturing industry. Olafsson’s passion and his outstanding personal commitment have helped position Jensen Outdoor as a strong brand across the U.S. and Canada. He will be greatly missed by all those who have worked with…

As Elaine Smith continues to build on its industryleading luxury pillow business, the company announced that brand builder, Alexis Maklakoff, has joined the senior leadership team as executive vice president. Maklakoff will be responsible for evolving and growing Elaine Smith from a luxury pillow brand to a luxury lifestyle brand in the U.S. and globally.

“When I first walked through the doors at Elaine Smith, it was immediately evident that this is truly something special. The culture is incredibly unique and I felt a sense of vibrancy, collaboration, skill, and professionalism among the team. At this stage of my…

Sarasota, Florida-based designer and manufacturer of casual outdoor furnishings, Windward, has expanded its corporate executive team with the addition of Chad Desmett as operations manager, Lisa Cobert as human resources manager, and Steve Waszazak as information technology manager.

“These three consummate professionals bring to the Windward organization an energy and expertise that will be a tremendous asset as our company continues to grow,” says Rachel Peace, CIO. “We welcome each as a valuable resource in our efforts to position Windward as a leading casual furnishing brand.”

As operations manager, Desmett joins Windward with a track record of ramping…

“Running a business is more than learning about how it’s done. It’s about making decisions and taking action,” says LuAnn Nigara, keynote speaker at the International Casual Furnishings Association Educational Conference in Orlando on February 15. The recognized author, podcast host, and business consultant will kick off the twoday program with her talk, “Excellence is a Decision.”

The former co-owner of Window Works, an award-winning window treatment and awning specialty store in Livingston, N.J., Nigara shifted her focus after 30 years in retailing to help other home furnishings professionals strengthen their business, sales, and negotiation skills, as well as…

Ortal’s Wilderness Collection gas fireplace line has been named by Architectural Record as one of the best architectural products of 2021. A favorite of architects and interior designers for its ultra-realistic flames, the Wilderness Collection features a series of highly designed styles and varied models to fit almost any environment.

Judged by a jury of six design industry experts, the best new products of 2021 selections were based on criteria including innovation, usefulness, and aesthetics. Ortal’s Wilderness Collection gas fireplace line was selected as one of the best in the Building Systems category.

“Ortal has long been on…

Hearth & Home Technologies announced the acquisition of The Outdoor GreatRoom Company (Lakeville, Minnesota), a leading manufacturer and supplier of premium outdoor living products. Founded in 2003 by hearth industry veteran, Dan Shimek, The Outdoor GreatRoom Company was the first to enter the gas fire pit category, positioning the company as the expert on outdoor fire.

Gerry Shimek, CEO of The Outdoor GreatRoom Company, states, “We are proud to have built on our brother Dan’s legacy by adding a full offering of outdoor gas fire pit tables, gas fire burners, outdoor kitchen islands, outdoor gas fireplaces, outdoor patio furniture…

CANOGA PARK, CA – Ortal is introducing four new products to its popular Wilderness Collection at the 2022 International Builders’ Show (IBS Booth W3391, West Hall). Following an extremely successful year for the new Wilderness Collection in 2021, Ortal is expanding its line of gas fireplaces featuring a realistic burning-log experience with more sizes, styles, and configurations. The company will also debut its new Island 70 unit and exhibit some of the past year’s most popular Ortal models.

New Wilderness Collection models showcased at IBS, all featuring the Ortal patent-pending (U.S. patent number 62/797.279) Firelog Technology, include:

• Wilderness 25H…