The entire casual furniture industry is saddened to learn about the loss of Merv Conn, vice president of Mallin Casual Furnitue, who died unexpectedly on Feb. 14 while undergoing a medical procedure. A memorial Service will be held Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. at Temple Adat Elohim, 2420 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, Calif. For more information and directions, call (805) 497-7101 or email office@adatelohim.com. Messages of condolence may be sent to Merv’s daughter, Melissa Conn, at 14221 Clemson St.Moorpark, CA 93021.

The Riverside Company, the parent of leading hearth and grill manufacturer Vermont Castings Group, has elected to exit its investment in the company and is seeking potential buyers.

“Vermont Castings Group is a stable and profitable company with an enviable portfolio of brands and products, a solid team and a strong growth strategy that requires additional investment,” said Dan Clifford, president and CEO of Vermont Castings Group. “We know that Vermont Castings Group is an attractive asset and we look forward to continued success in both the short and long terms.”

Riverside acquired the…

Homecrest Outdoor Living has appointed Greg Johnson as the company’s newest sales representative. Based in Tampa, Florida, Johnson will focus on sales throughout Florida. A 21-year industry veteran, Johnson also represents NCI Wicker, Outdoor Lifestyle, and FiberBuilt Umbrellas.

Todd Wingrove, director of sales at Homecrest, says, “Greg fits the mold of the type of representative we are looking for; he’s a hard-working, results-oriented type of person who goes to work every day expecting success.” According to Wingrove, Florida’s retailers are particularly interested in Homecrest’s new AlumaRoc™ swivel, its landed freight programs, and its one-grade fabrics. He says, “Florida’s retailers…

In January, the rate of single-family homebuilding was up in spite of a big drop in apartment construction. Even with an overall drop, analysts predict continued strength in the residential housing market. To read more, click here.

We are saddened to announce the unexpected passing of Stuart Johnson on February 13, 2013.

Family was always extremely important to Stuart. He was a loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. An opportunity was never missed by him to expand his family and take someone else into it. 
 
He was a mentor, a leader, and an innovator in the industry. Stuart joined the business started by his grandfather and began working with his father, Gordon Johnson, in 1963.  Chuck Belcher was later added as a partner. In recent years,…

Skytech II, Inc. (Skytech), a leading manufacturer of control systems for the hearth and HVAC industries, has acquired key assets of Fire Gear, L.L.C., including its growing brand of award-winning outdoor products branded under the firegear name. The effective date of the acquisition was January 1, 2013.

Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Skytech will acquire assets including receivables, inventory, certain contracts, and intellectual property, among other specific items. The firegear brand will continue under the leadership of Dennis G. Smith, founder of Fire Gear. “I am truly excited about the future of firegear—and for its customers, who…

Firetainment, Inc., producer of quality fire tables and supplier of fire table cooking accessories, will be reaching residential and commercial outdoor markets in the next few months using various dealer and media outlets. Firetainment fire tables will be showcased next month at North America’s largest hearth and patio show along with luxury events such as Concours d’ Elegance and Festivals of Speed. The Firetainment product will also be featured on HGTV’s and DIY Network’s popular show, Decked Out.

After the launch of the fire table, Firetainment is seeing an increased interest for their products.  The Firetainment product is the…

Mr. Bar-B-Q® continues its 40thanniversary celebration by forming a partnership with culinary expert and gourmet chef Michael Steifman, president of Michael Stuart New York, a popular catering company. This alliance is one of many recent initiatives (including rebranding; a new website, www.mrbarbq.com; and improved, eye-catching packaging) to appeal to a new market of grillers and to maintain the company’s industry-leading position into 2013.

Marc Zemel, CEO of Mr. Bar-B-Q, says, “As the grilling category evolves, we will continue to be the leader of grill-tool innovations, just as we’ve done for more than 40 years. Michael is the perfect partner…