by HIGH POINT, N.C. — Five rising stars within the home furnishings industry will be recognized as a prestigious Paul Broyhill Leader during a reception on Thursday, April 23, at the spring High Point Market.
The award given by the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame is the industry’s highest honor given to emerging leaders under 40 years of age. They are: Katie Capece, vice president of site merchandising and vendor management, Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc.; David Cartlidge, vice president of product innovation at Mattress Firm; Maggie Feltman-Ruiz, senior designer, Springs Creative; Amy Hardesty, senior retail operations manager at La-Z-Boy Incorporated; and Patrick Lanier, vice president of sales and marketing, Liberty Furniture Industries, Inc..
“The Paul Broyhill Leader is a core part of our ongoing mission to inspire and mentor the next generation of industry leaders,” says Jeremy Hoff, president of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Board of Directors. “Each of the five emerging leaders being honored well deserves this industry recognition and encouragement. They are making a positive impact on both their companies and the industry, and this award pays tribute to those achievements.”
The Paul Broyhill Leader is given annually to five emerging leaders by his son, Hunt Broyhill. Named after one of the industry’s leading families and a company that long focused on executive training, the award symbolizes the passing of leadership to new generations. Each honoree is under 40 years of age and selected for their leadership, personal growth, communications skills and commitment to the greater home furnishings industry.
Hosted by ANDMORE and open to the industry, the awards ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Hall of Fame, 311 S. Hamilton. Recipients will receive an engraved crystal bowl, framed certificate, the published “Oral History of Paul Hunt Broyhill” and membership in the Leaders Circle of the Hall of Fame.
Following the presentation, the Paul Broyhill Leaders participate in an inspiring discussion led by Furniture Today founder Steve Pond over dinner, bringing together the honorees with five inducted members of the Hall of Fame. It is a master’s class setting designed to foster a genuine exchange of new perspectives balanced by the wisdom and experience of those who have received the industry’s most prestigious honor.
This year’s Paul Broyhill Leaders are:
+ Katie Capece, vice president of site merchandising and vendor management at Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., oversees critical functions within Ashley’s ecommerce operations. Her role encompasses strategic leadership across multiple areas, including site merchandising, vendor management, team leadership and planning. She directs the strategy for Ashley’s digital platforms, ensuring optimal product presentation, categorization and customer experiences. In addition, Capece directs merchandising initiatives and operations, and she also manages vendor relationships. Under her leadership, Ashley.com grew sales more than 20 percent in 2025 versus 2024.
+ David Cartlidge, vice president of innovation for Mattress Firm, has 17 years of experience in developing high-performing teams that deliver results and increase revenue. Recognized for his personable yet polished demeanor, Cartlidge leverages a natural competitiveness and drive to excel as he builds strong relationships that advance organizations. He joined Mattress Firm as senior director of product innovation in 2021 after two years as senior product manager for Corsicana Bedding. Cartlidge began his career as a sales manager and then mattress buyer at Art Van Furniture, where he managed the product assortment for 131 PureSleep locations.
+ Maggie Feltman-Ruiz, senior designer at Springs Creative, is responsible for leading the development of complex, high-visibility textile design projects that require both creative and strategic execution. Her role includes conceptualizing original textile designs, translating brand objectives into market-ready collections and collaborating across creative, archival and leadership teams. On the Baxter Mill Archive collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm, Feltman-Ruiz led the creative vision from concept through execution, working directly with Disney to develop revisions and new creative solutions. Her leadership skills are recognized by both peers and management.
+ Amy Hardesty, senior retail operations manager at La-Z-Boy Incorporated, manages a broad and complex portfolio of responsibilities, including day-to-day retail store operations, communication to store and field teams, retail systems management, and ecommerce and order support. Known for her people-first mindset, Hardesty delivers exceptional outcomes for both customers and associates. Her creative, customer-centric thinking has helped simplify processes and improve the overall selling and buying experience. In her current role, Hardesty now leads one-third of La-Z-Boy’s Retail Experience Team.
+ Patrick Lanier, vice president of sales and marketing for Liberty Furniture Industries, Inc., has a proven track record of exceeding sales targets, forging long-lasting client relationships and contributing to business growth. After serving 12 years as a high-performing sales rep, Lanier was named Liberty’s vice president of sales in 2024. In that role, he is responsible for driving revenue growth and brand visibility through the development and execution of comprehensive sales, marketing and digital strategies. As the leader of a key project rolled out at the October High Point Market, Lanier navigated several setbacks and challenges to help deliver the company’s largest order-writing market in its history.
