EAST HANOVER, NJ - Mike Runnells has joined Foremost Groups Inc as its new national sales manager for the Outdoor Division – Specialty Channel.

As national sales manager (Outdoor Division), Mike will be directly responsible for developing and implementing the Veranda Classics sales programs, management of the sales force, and servicing a nationwide specialty customer base. He will create, expand, and enhance training and development tools and programs at the retail level and coordinate closely the customer needs with the PD&D department.

Mike comes to Foremost Groups with over 40 years of experience in the outdoor furniture & retail…

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Officials at Phifer Inc plan to present “the season’s hottest and most versatile indoor/outdoor cushion fabric offerings at the ITMA Showtime Market, June 5-8, 2016.” Combining luxury with comfort, the fabric lineup presents a range of livable options featuring inspired designs and centered upon various themes.

Learn more about the GeoBella® Indoor/Outdoor Performance Cushion Fabrics line – and get a look at the newest patterns, hues, color combinations and trends – at Phifer’s booth, SMS (Suites at Market Square) #1-638.

Made from recycled yarns, Phifer’s GeoBella offers the soft, touchable texture and comfort of indoor furniture…

POUND RIDGE, NY - Fire by Design and ETE (EmTechEngineering) teamed up for the Pellet Stove Design Challenge hosted by The Alliance for Green Heat and NYSERDA, which took place April 6-8 at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, NY.

The German engineers combined the newly designed pellet stove with the xeoos Twinfire wood stove and created the unique “Pellwood” pellet/wood stove (rendering of future product at left and prototype that was used for testing at top right).

The Pellwood can burn pellets or cordwood, so if pellets are not available, or there is no power, wood…

GLEN RAVEN, NC - The Sunbrella® 2016 Upholstery Collection was honored with a Platinum award in this year’s ADEX awards competition, an industry recognition of design and product innovation.

The 2016 additions to the Upholstery Collection emphasize design simplicity with new bright colors and natural-inspired neutrals. The new introductions include seven fabric groupings drawing attention to vibrant colors and patterns as well as textural neutrals.

“With these new fabrics we’re mixing two ends of the spectrum—bright to muted, old to new—and showing how they can come together to create beautiful, unassuming design,” said Greg Voorhis, design director for Glen Raven…

DAWSONVILLE, GA - New products include Fermob’s entry into upholstery with a new outdoor sofa and armchair, fun portable lighting, an accessories collection, and a new woven outdoor furniture collection.

New products include:
• Bellevie sofa, armchair and low table is a new entry into upholstery; and
• Balad lighting is a wonderful way to light the patio and garden and extend summer nights;

The Croisette Collection debuts this summer. It is a new collection of comfortable, generously proportioned and smart garden furniture. Standing at “mid” height, this woven set is all about accessibility and comfort.…

PELHAM, AL - Summer Classics has promoted Schon Duke to vice president of Sales for both Gabby and Summer Classics. Duke joined Summer Classics in April 2015 as VP of Sales for Summer Classics Wholesale Division. In 2015, Duke’s teams:
• Launched multiple designer friendly programs, which increased market share in this channel;
• reconfigured sales teams and territories, resulting in exponential sales growth and increasing the customer base of both designer and dealer accounts since January 1, 2016;
• restructured Summer Classics’ annual National Sales Meeting and Garden Party Event, increasing attendance and engagement;…

HIGH POINT, NC - The International Casual Furnishings Association has begun work on its first educational forum, slated for February 14-16, 2017, at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“ICFA’s 2017 conference ‘Navigating the Future’ will combine giving our members educational content that they can put to work immediately in their businesses and providing networking opportunities across our industry,” said Gary McCray, president of Klaussner Outdoor and 2016 chairman of ICFA. “In keeping with our focus on participation, the event is being planned by our conference committee of retailers, sales representatives, manufacturers and suppliers with an eye towards actionable…

SIMPSONVILLE, KY - With its large portfolio of successful luxury outdoor furniture brands, Brown Jordan International has created a new organizational structure for its two largest brands. Since 1945 and 1954, respectively, the Brown Jordan and Tropitone brands have a heritage of delivering quality products to the discriminating outdoor consumer.

Effective immediately, and to unite the operations behind the brands, Brown Jordan International has promoted John Mattson to group vice president of Contract Sales, and Frank Verna as group vice president of Retail Sales and Marketing. “Brown Jordan and Tropitone are two great complementary brands that cover a broad…