by Executives discuss their vision for the future and dedication to domestic case goods and upholstery production
MORGANTON, N.C. — Late this past spring, luxury furniture manufacturer EJ Victor named Richard Oliver president and chief executive officer, a role previously held by David Bennett, who left the company in June to devote more time to other business interests.
Oliver came to the company from Compass Business Solutions, where he also was chief executive officer. Before this, he was chief financial officer of Precision Materials and before that was president of padded sock manufacturer Thorlo.
The company also has named industry veteran Ben Radoll senior vice president, sales, marketing and business development. Radoll comes to the company from Klaussner Furniture, where he was senior vice president of case goods and bedding and import upholstery. Before that, he was vice president of product development at Stickley and was previously vice president of merchandising and market development at Pride Family Brands. He also previously held executive roles at Heritage Home Group and Furniture Brands International and before that was a manufacturers sales representative at Broyhill and Universal.
Recently the two executives took time to share some thoughts with Home News Now about their respective roles and their thoughts about where they plan to take the company moving forward.
Home News Now: Can you tell us about your respective positions at the company and what your responsibilities are?
Ben Radoll: Senior vice president of sales, marketing and business development, handling EJ Victor’s worldwide sales and marketing efforts along with planned expansions in contract, hospitality and OEM sales.
Richard Oliver: President and chief executive officer, handling strategic leadership and direction, while also equipping our leaders to execute with purpose and on plan.
Is there anything you would like to accomplish in your respective positions over the short term?
Radoll: Continue to honor the heritage and exemplary positioning of EJ Victor while collaborating with our dedicated team to position the brand for future growth.
Oliver: Leverage our points of differentiation to grow our brands, deliver excellent customer service and diversify our offerings.
In recent years, EJ Victor has shifted its model back toward domestic manufacturing on the case goods side of the business. How important will domestic manufacturing be for the company moving forward, particularly in case goods?
Oliver: EJ Victor is dedicated to our custom domestic case goods production, and we feel there is strong potential to continue growth in this area. While we will always look to optimize the values represented in the EJ Victor portfolio, our domestic production represents over 90% of our total volume and we see this as a primary focus in both our wood and upholstery opportunities.
How has business been of late for EJ Victor? Has it been insulated from the slowdown at retail this year?
Radoll: While the industry has receded slightly from the highs of the pandemic, we are still tracking well above our pre-2021 numbers and are on track to hit our current production targets.
What do you see as the company’s biggest challenge moving forward?
Oliver: Like others in our industry, the external unknowns loom largest. Fears of recession and housing slowdown have the potential to disrupt our advances, but we are looking at ways to diversify our operations to ensure we can grow despite any potential volatility.
That said, can you describe your biggest opportunity?
Oliver: A mixture of operational improvements and market share expansion will be the keys to EJ Victor’s continued growth. We’re well on our way to implementing changes to the former and will remain dedicated to our position as a leader in design for the high-end sector. Market share expansion in both the retail and design channels will be key to 2024 and beyond.
Can you identify any key goals heading into 2024?
Radoll: We will continue EJ Victor’s strong sales and production trends with a focus on developing best-in-class positioning for the brand.
Can you tell us what your big market story is this time?
Radoll: We are adding five new pieces for the Shamsian collection, including embroidered front consoles by world-renowned artist and designer Geraldine Larkin. We also are showing extensions to our Antonia collection, including two new dining tables and the Lyon console. EJ Victor is also adding new sectional pieces to our bestselling Reserve upholstery collection.
