San Francisco Mart Announces Lifetime Gold Pass Winners

Furniture World Magazine

The San Francisco Mart is pleased to announce that David Cunningham of Pacific Furniture Dealers and Lee Tice of McMahan's Furniture have been named recipients of the Summer Market '98 Lifetime Gold Pass Award. As coordinator for the Pacific Furniture Dealers since 1984, Dave Cunningham has provided 64 member stores with cohesiveness and leadership as they have broadened and deepened their joint buying from key vendors. Their collective sales have reached more than $150 million dollars annually, and the San Francisco Mart has been their prime shopping venue for home furnishings. Before joining PFD, Cunningham served as a sales representative or sales manager for companies including Kroehler Furniture, Universal, Riverside and Hooker. This 30 years of experience gave him invaluable exposure to successful independent stores throughout a five-state region. During this time, Cunningham began attending San Francisco Markets. After 14 years of service to PFD, Cunningham is retiring and turning the reins over to Jeff Weinstein. In honor of his service to the industry and support of the Mart, the SFM is awarding him a Lifetime Gold Pass. The second honoree, Lee Tice, has spent more than thirty years with McMahan's Furniture of West Los Angeles, one of the top 100 furniture chains in the United States. Rising from truck driver to General Merchandise manager, Tice has been recognized and commended by his peers for his stability, tenacity and drive. During his climb to the top, Tice has served as salesman, store manager, district manager and merchandiser. At its peak, McMahan's chain of West Coast stores numbered 46, but more than half were sold to Heilig-Meyers in recent years. Now McMahan's is charting a new course for generating growth and will be opening two stores in Chico in July. Lee Tice has been an inspiration to those who have worked with him at McMahan's and to his many friends in the industry. He has exemplified quiet leadership and has been tremendously supportive of the San Francisco Mart. For more than 20 years, he has attended San Francisco Markets and has led a large contingent of store managers in Market walk-throughs that provided them with invaluable exposure to the industry. In recognition of this support, the Mart is reciprocating with a Lifetime Gold Pass. The Lifetime Gold Pass is awarded to Western retailers who have distinguished themselves by their participation in industry organizations, the caliber of the retail stores they have built, and their ongoing support of the San Francisco Markets. All honorees are independent retailers, and are nominated by the Mart, in conjunction with WHFA and NHFA-Northwest. For more information on the San Francisco Mart contact sfmeditor@sfmart.com