La-Z-Boy Announces Key Staff Appointments

Furniture World Magazine

Northeast Regional Sales Manager, Controller and Director, Quality Management Join the Company MONROE, Mich., December 13, 2000 -- La-Z-Boy, the nation's leading manufacturer of upholstered furniture, recently announced three key staff additions. Charles Coker joined the company as the northeast regional sales manager, David Piacenti was hired as controller and Brandon Hooper joined as director, quality management. Charles Coker - Northeast Regional Sales Manager. In his new role, Coker will oversee sales in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, northeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Virginia. He reports to Ken Salm, national sales manager for La-Z-Boy, who held the northeast regional sales manager position prior to Coker. "We're very glad to have Charlie aboard," said Salm. "He brings with him great experience and well -established relationships in the furniture industry. Under his direction, we expect the northeast region to continue to grow and expand." Coker has more than 18 years of experience in the furniture industry and joined La-Z-Boy from Berkline. In his six years with that company, he progressed steadily through the organization starting in the position of west coast regional vice president. After two years, he became corporate sales vice president and, in 1999, he was promoted to regional and key account vice president, the position he held prior to joining La-Z-Boy. Before joining Berkline, Coker was a manufacturers representative, based in Irvine, Calif., for two years. He represented Fair Line Upholstery and Master Design, a line of dining and occasional tables. He began his career as a sales representative/ manager at Culp Inc., a fabric mill in High Point, N.C. Coker earned his bachelor's degree in business and industrial management from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1972. Coker, with his wife and two sons, will relocate to Annapolis, Md. from Knoxville, Tenn. David Piacenti --Controller. In his role as controller, Piacenti will report directly to John J. Case, president of La-Z-Boy. Piacenti will be responsible for the financial management of La-Z-Boy. "With 20 years of financial management experience, David is an excellent addition to our management team," said Case. "He has a thorough understanding of operations and manufacturing that will be invaluable in his role with us." Piacenti joined La-Z-Boy from Toledo Technologies, where he was corporate controller and was responsible for the financial management of a $140 million, four plant division. Prior to that, he held the position of division controller with Defiance Precision Products for four years. From 1987 to 1995, Piacenti held several positions of increasing responsibility at Allied-Signal Corporation, including plant controller and finance team leader for North American Friction Material. Piacenti began his career as a cost analyst with Owens Illinois, Libbey Glass Division. In his eight years with that company, he also held several positions of increasing responsibility culminating in becoming division finance supervisor in 1987. Piacenti earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from North Adams State College in North Adams, Mass., and his master's degree in business administration, accounting, from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, N.C. He lives in Perrysburg, Ohio, with his wife and two children. Brandon Hooper - Director, Quality Management Reporting to David Layman, senior vice president of operations for La-Z-Boy, Hooper will have primary responsibility for leading cultural change within the company to ensure customer satisfaction, continuous organizational improvement and professional development. "Brandon has a proven track record in driving and managing cultural change," said Layman. "With the experience he brings to the company, Brandon will help us make the La-Z-Boy vision a daily reality." A veteran of cultural change and quality management, Hooper brings 18 years of experience to his new position. He joined La-Z-Boy from ITS Technical Resources, Inc., where, from 1997, he was a contract management consultant. Hooper began his career as chief product engineer with Associated Spring, Barnes Group, Inc. From there he joined Diemolding Corporation as quality/engineering manager and went on to become supplier quality assurance manager with Motorola, Inc. Throughout his career, Hooper has held a series of positions of increasing responsibility, leading to his joining La-Z-Boy. Prior to earning his bachelor's degree in math and science education at the State University of New York, College at Oswego in 1974, Hooper served for four years in the United States Army Security Agency. Additionally. he was a middle school math and science teacher before beginning his career in industry. Hooper, with his wife and two children, will continue to reside in Toledo, Ohio. Headquartered in Monroe, Mich., La-Z-Boy is the nation's largest single manufacturer of upholstered furniture and the world's leading producer of reclining chairs. The company manufactures a full line of products for the living room and family room, including the company's world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and leather upholstery, as well as stationary sofas, love seats and chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), the nation's largest furniture manufacturer.