People and places at October Market

HIGH POINT — At Market, Home News Now captured some of the social scene that epitomizes the people- and relationship-focused nature of the industry. From the retirement parties for Tom Conley of the High Point Market Authority, and for Martin Ploy of AICO, to IHFRA’s Furniture Industry Gala and the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame, our staff was on hand to meet up with many familiar faces in the industry.

These and other events brought the Market back to a place many of us recognize and love, thus ending the limited and in many cases canceled gatherings we all endured during the pandemic.

“It was like old times,” one designer told Home News Now. “Exciting, active, friendly, lots of food and giveaways.” Not to mention, the “furniture and accessories looked good.”

Below are some of the highlights captured by our editors Clint Engel and Tom Russell who got to as many events as possible during the five-day event. In addition, some industry friends and associates shared some images of their own, including Drew and Jonathan Scott who took some selfies we thought we’d share for this lineup.

First some fond farewells: To High Point Market Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Conley, right, shown at a reception in his honor with Harold Brubaker, left, Brubaker & Associates; Tammy Nagem, who succeeds the retiring Conley; and Pat Conley.

AICO President Martin Ploy is retiring next month, too. He’s shown here (center) at a reception in his honor with AICO CEO Michael Amini and other guests. Friends stopping by included …

Raymour & Flanigan’s Steve Goldberg, left, Seth Goldberg, Adam Goldberg and Neil Goldberg

Carlos Capo, left, El Dorado Furniture, Miami Gardens, Florida; Ploy; and El Dorado’s Pedro Capo and Alfredo Lopez

And Keith Koenig, left, City Furniture, Tamarac, Florida, with Michael Amini, AICO; Irwin Novack, Kane’s, Pinellas Park, Florida; and David Koehler, AICO

This year’s American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame inductees at the pinning ceremony: John Gabbert, left, Room & Board, Minneapolis; Michael Dugan, former president and CEO of Henredon; Michael Amini, AICO; Neil Goldberg, Raymour & Flanigan, Liverpool, N.Y.; and Steve Pond, founder of Furniture Today.

A celebration shot from the Hall of Fame dinner

And one from the cocktail reception: Valerie Berman, left, The RoomPlace, Lombard, Illinois; Pasquale Natuzzi, Natuzzi; Bruce Berman, The RoomPlace; and Gianni Tucci, Natuzzi.

Here’s one from International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn.’s Furniture Industry Awards Gala at High Point University: Bobbie Leflein, left, with Tommy Leflein, A.R.T., and Distinguished Service honoree; and Jack Hawn, Zenith Global Logistics, now J.B. Hunt and IHFRA’s Pillar of the Industry honoree. Check out our full coverage of the gala, too, in this Friday’s edition.

Attending the WithIt’s WOW Awards event were Cathy Lloyd, left, The Media Matters; Gail Doby, Pearl Collective; Dawn Brinson, The Media Matters; Erin Weir, Pearl Collective; and Kathy Wall and Melissa Donnell, The Media Matters.

Craftmaster Furniture celebrated its 50th anniversary this Market. Seated in the front row from left to right are: Richard Meadors, vice president of sales; Roy Calcagne, CEO; Suzanne Henson, vice president of merchandising and marketing; Alex Reeves, president; and Steve Beeker, vice president of sales and merchandising. Standing in the background is the company’s sales team.

New Classic Furniture celebrated the opening of its Royal Classics division at Market. Shown here are Thomas Russell, left, Home News Now, and Bill Dominguez, Jean Tong and Hans Tong, all of New Classic.

Drew and Jonathan Scott made an appearance at HMI Group, a division of Hooker Furnishings, to celebrate their latest product introductions at HMI. Shown here from left to right are Drew Scott, Scott Living; Dorothy Linville, Jackie Spooner-Wilhoit and Patricia Small, all of House of Design, Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Jonathan Scott, Scott Living.

And here are the Scott Brothers again with Rene Green and Jake Jabs, American Furniture Warehouse of Englewood, Colorado.

Here’s the Scott Brothers’ idea of a good prank with the selfie they took with Tom Russell of Home News Now.

Now that’s a little better, Drew and Jonathan! Or maybe not?

Libby Langdon, center, Fairfield Chair, with Patricia Small, left, and Jackie Spooner-Wilhoit, of House of Design, Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Members of the Malaysian Timber Council are shown assembling a piece of KD shelving produced in Malaysia. The group met with various suppliers at Market and also held a reception on Monday evening at Congdon Yards.

At Market, Sherrill Furniture celebrated the opening of its reimagined showroom at 315 Fred Alexander Place. Shown here are Sydney Wells, left, Charles and Jeannie Sherrill, and Brian Brown, all of Sherrill Furniture.

Rick Suffoletta, left, Suff’s Furniture, Nicholasville, Kentucky; June Sedlak Mooney, Studio J, Dublin, Ohio; Aminy Audi and Edward Audi, Stickley; Robin Van Huss, Traditions Furniture, Overland Park, Kansas; and Dick Suffoletta, Suff’s Furniture, Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Jackie Spooner-Wilhoit, left, House of Design, Hilton Head, South Carolina; Barclay Butera, Lexington Home Brands; and Patricia Small, House of Design.