by SAN DIEGO — Martin Furniture has named industry veteran Kurt Berlin as vice president of its new mass merchandising division.
The company said the move is “a strategic expansion for the 40+ year-old furniture brand, positioning the company to grow its presence in club and mass retail channels while maintaining the quality, design integrity and operational rigor that define the Martin name.”
Berlin comes to the company from Whalen Furniture, where he worked for nearly seven years as vice president, design and marketing. Before Whalen he was director of furniture design at Office Star Products for just over seven years.
Earlier in his career, he was senior R&D furniture designer at True Innovations and before this was a senior furniture designer at Bush Furniture.
“His background spans global manufacturing partnerships, 3D visualization platforms, and integrated digital marketing systems,” the company said. “Known for translating innovation into retail-ready programs, Berlin has built scalable product platforms designed for high-volume environments.”
In his new position, he will oversee product development, channel alignment, and retailer partnerships within the new segment. The company also noted that the division “will focus on structured product roadmaps and retail-specific inventory strategies as Martin continues expanding its multi-channel platform.”
“For more than four decades, Martin Furniture has been built on trusted partnerships, thoughtful design, and long-term thinking,” said Nico Gaviria, chief executive officer. “Expanding into Mass is a deliberate step in the evolution of our platform. We’ve invested in strengthening our infrastructure and supply chain capabilities, and this division allows us to leverage that foundation to scale responsibly. Kurt brings the design expertise, manufacturing depth, and retail fluency required to build this channel from concept through execution at shelf.”
