Parker James opened its first U.S. stand-alone showroom in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart in time for the ICFA Preview Show™in July. In addition, Zuo Modern Contemporary opened a new showroom—a space about twice the size of its former space—in the Merchandise Mart. These companies cross over several product categories (including outdoor furniture, fabrics, lighting, and accessories) and further enhance the casualfurnishings offerings available to attendees of the Preview Show and the Chicago International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market™.

Harold Hudson, president of Parker James, says, “With the opening of the new showroom, Parker James is excited to have our own…

M&G DuraVent and Security Chimneys promoted Karen Galaise to the position of regional sales manager for the newly created Quebec region. Galaise will oversee sales of both M&G DuraVent and Security Chimneys products in the province of Quebec and the Ottawa metropolitan area.

Reporting to Geoff Wilcox, Canadian national sales manager, Galaise will work directly with customers in the hearth and HVAC and plumbing, heating, and cooling markets. In her 25 years with Security Chimneys, Galaise has worked in human resources, administration, and (most recently) customer service. In addition to possessing a strong knowledge of the industry, Galaise is…

Soundcast, developer and manufacturer of high-performance outdoor music systems, has added Tom Dixon to its leadership team. As its new vice president of marketing, Dixon will work closely with Soundcast’s dealers, distribution partners, sales team, and management to deliver the marketing support needed to increase Soundcast’s brand awareness, growth in retail sales, online channels, and unique strategic partnerships (to enhance channel marketing, promotional programs, advertising strategy, trade shows, media relations, product development support, market research, and customer-loyalty initiatives).

Dixon, an industry veteran with more than three decades of combined consumer-electronics, professional audio, and outdoor entertainment– products marketing experience, says,…

Shademaker, the premier line of commercial umbrellas for restaurants, resorts, country clubs, and highend residential designers, has added its newest designs, the Astral-TC and the Polaris, to its 2014 collections. Each design offers advanced functionality in multiple sizes.

Jeff B. Dorough, vice president of sales and marketing for Shademaker USA, says, “The Astral-TC is ideal for commercial applications, including resorts or hospitality venues where versatility and multiple-size models are desired. With the crank lift and telescoping-mast design, the Astral-TC is able to provide large shade and ease of closure over high-dining, bistro, and cafe seating.”

The side-post Polaris…

Celebrating 125 years in business, Pawleys Island® Hammocks is introducing, for 2015, a line of handsome, virtually maintenance- free, all-weather porch furniture inspired by life in the Low country South. Crafted of solid Durawood™high-density–polyethylene lumber manufactured from recycled plastic milk jugs, each of the casual chairs, rockers, footstools, tables, and swings in the new furniture line’s three collections also features marine-grade, rust-resistant 316 stainless-steel hardware and uncommonly secure joint connections, making this among the most stable outdoor furniture available today. Every piece of furniture is available in multiple lumber colors, from hues that closely resemble wood to the eye popping…

Jay Weber, a 25-year veteran of the outdoor-furniture industry, has joined NorthCape International as its national account manager. In this role, he will supervise special projects, including the debut of teak, which was introduced at the 2014 ICFA Preview Show™.

Tom Murray, president of NorthCape, says, “We’re excited that Jay is joining the team. His knowledge and experience in the industry will be a big asset as we expand our product line. The addition of teak (and reclaimed teak) is an exciting opportunity for NorthCape, and I’m looking forward to our customers’ response to the new product.”

A…

Surya has appointed Jim Levine to the newly created role of vice president of Surya Outdoor. Levine is a veteran of the casual-furniture industry, where he has spent the past 32 years overseeing business operations, sales/marketing, supply-chain management, and product design for a variety of outdoor-product lines.

In his new role, Levine will be responsible for expanding Surya’s outdoor- product offerings while also building and overseeing a sales force focused specifically on retailers in the outdoor-products category. Surya’s outdoor lines currently include rugs, pillows, and poufs, with ceramics, hurricane lamps, tabletop products, outdoor mirrors, and outdoor lighting set to…

Outdoor-furniture manufacturer Agio International has signed a long-term lease with Las Vegas Market™. Starting in July 2015, Agio will anchor the 12th floor of building C (in a 22,000–square-foot showroom) as part of the market’s casual-furnishings category launch. The display space will feature the same collections as Agio’s 19,000–square-foot gallery in Chicago, Illinois.

Bob Gaylord, president of Agio-USA, says, “This new showroom will help us reach an incremental retailer base that does not attend category-specific shows. Las Vegas Market attracts the traditional-furniture and lifestyle stores and the big-box, catalog, and Internet retailers, which aligns with our future growth plans.…