by Individuals include Elicia Oliver, chief operating officer, Dana Howard, chief strategic officer, and Wesley Sims, SVP, sales
HIGH POINT — As part of an organizational change in leadership, Riverside Furniture has promoted three team members to new executive level roles at the company.
Elicia Oliver has been promoted to chief operating officer, a role formerly held by Beth Brown, who also held the role of chief financial officer. The company said Brown will continue to lead finance while transitioning all operational functions to Oliver.
Oliver has been with the company since November 2021 as vice president of e-commerce sales and operations. Before this, she was director of sales operations and also a sales, inventory and operations planning analyst at Klaussner and previously was a SIOP director, manager of inventory and financing and operations analyst at Home Meridian International.
In her new position, the company said, she “is focused on building collaborative, efficient teams, developing top talent and continuing Riverside’s tradition of putting customers first — while investing in technology and training to help the organization adapt and thrive in a challenging landscape.”
“I’ve seen firsthand how connected every part of a business really is,” Oliver said. “My goal is to create an environment where departments work together seamlessly, where employees are empowered to grow and where our commitment to the customer remains at the center of everything we do.”
Dana Howard has been named chief strategic officer, a new position. She has been with the company since January 2022 as vice president of strategic planning. Before this, she was vice president of supply chain operations at Centric Brands and also vice president of transactional operations at Global Brands Group. She also held customer service and order management positions at Li & Fung.
The company said in her new position, she “will lead long-term growth initiatives, organizational development and strategic partnerships that enhance Riverside’s competitive edge.”
“I’ve always believed strategy should be a team sport,” Howard said. “This new chapter gives us the chance to align every part of our business toward one clear vision — and I’m excited to help shape that future alongside this great team.”
Wesley Sims, who has been vice president of sales at Riverside since November 2022, has been promoted to senior vice president of sales, a new position. He has more than 25 years of industry experience and was previously vice president of sales at Samuel Lawrence Furniture. He also previously was an independent sales representative for brands including Hickory Hill, Legacy Classic and HTL Leather.
The company said his focus “remains on driving growth, fostering new and existing relationships and reimagining how the company engages with its customers.”
“What excites me most about the future is the momentum we’ve built at Riverside — there’s a real energy around our product development, our retail partnerships and our commitment to service,” Sims said. “I know firsthand the challenges our reps and customers face, and I’m committed to helping them succeed at every level.”
These promotions are in addition to the recent promotion of Harrison “H” Kelly to president, as previously reported at Home News Now.
The company said these promotions occur during a new period of growth for Riverside, “driven by strategic initiatives in product development, creative talent and category expansion, alongside major advancements in technology and systems to meet evolving customer needs. In parallel, Riverside has prioritized strategic team building and continues investing in its future — including a beautiful, modern showroom and upgraded work facilities, bringing the company closer to customers, designers and industry events.”
All report to Fred Henjes, chief executive officer.
“Over the past five years, we’ve focused on building the strongest possible team with a long-term vision in mind,” Henjes said. “We created a world-class showroom and office environment to attract top talent, added a new distribution center to support growth and assembled a leadership team ready to take Riverside into the future. Despite a challenging environment, we’ve experienced five consecutive years of growth — and we’re confident that momentum will continue.”
Additionally the company said that the following individuals will continue in these respective roles:
+ Beth Brown, chief financial officer, and Glenn Felterman, senior vice president of compliance. “Each bring over three decades of experience with Riverside and remain integral to the company’s financial and operational oversight.”
+ The company added that Ron Hales, vice president of supply chain, “brings extensive industry expertise and has led purchasing, logistics and inventory strategy from Riverside’s High Point location since 2022.”
+ The company said that David Broadway, vice president of distribution, “oversees the company’s Gibsonville, North Carolina, distribution center, where he has focused on optimizing warehouse operations and fulfillment performance since joining in 2023.”
“This reorganization reflects our belief in smart growth, cross-functional alignment and our deep commitment to both our customers and our people,” Henjes added. “We’re proud to announce a team that’s not only experienced and visionary — but also deeply rooted in Riverside’s values.”
