Darrow Takes On Expanded Role At La-Z-Boy

Furniture World Magazine

Kurt L. Darrow has been promoted to senior vice president of sales and marketing for La-Z-Boy Residential, a position last held by Patrick H. Norton, who is now chairman of La-Z-Boy Incorporated. Formerly senior vice president of sales, Darrow has taken on an expanded role overseeing all merchandising and marketing functions, as well as sales and customer service, for the Residential division. In his new position, Darrow continues to lead the company's sales initiatives, including domestic, Canadian, and international sales, retail growth and real estate development. Additionally, he assumes responsibility for all merchandising, including new product and fabric selection, and the division's marketing efforts, including consumer, business and product research; national and retail advertising; marketing for the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network of stores; and the La-Z-Boy Internet and dealer extranet sites. Reporting to Darrow are Greg White, vice president of merchandising, Vivian Kovenich, vice president of customer service, Thomas Sprenger, vice president of real estate development, Iain Douglas, vice president of sales and marketing, Canada, Kevin Wixted, director of marketing, and Ken Salm, national sales manager. Darrow will continue to report directly to John J. Case, president of La-Z-Boy Residential. "This position oversees four of the most critical aspects of our operation," said Case. "Having someone with Kurt's vast industry experience and history with La-Z-Boy in this vital role affords us the ability to maximize consistency between these various areas. It also will allow us to better leverage our brand name with consumers and grow our business with our important retail partners." Since joining La-Z-Boy in 1979, Darrow has held a variety of management positions, including regional sales manager for the western and southern regions, national accounts sales manager, vice president of sales and, most recently, senior vice president of sales. Darrow is a 1977 graduate of Adrian College (Adrian, Mich.) with a B.A. degree in business administration. He and his wife Renee are residents of Monroe. Headquartered in Monroe, La-Z-Boy Residential is the nation's largest single manufacturer of upholstered furniture and the world's leading producer of reclining chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated, the nation's largest furniture manufacturer.