by Ignite moniker aims to reflect excitement among event participants
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Furniture First’s annual education conference has a new name: Ignite. The updated moniker is intended to reflect the excitement of the participants in the event.
Darby Hawkins, event coordinator and board assistant at Furniture First, shared the motivation for the change saying “We have members who say our conference is the highlight of their Furniture First experience every year. The board felt that calling it ‘Symposium’ was outdated and didn’t reflect the energy and enthusiasm that many members have for the event and their takeaways.”
The three-day event will be held June 1-3, 2026 at the Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center in Arlington Texas, the same venue that hosted the national buying group’s 2024 conference. The agenda for the event will include two featured speakers:
+ Daniel Silverstein is a director and equity research analyst at UBS. Silverstein will share his insights on the macroeconomic factors that will shape the retail environment given the evolving economic, geopolitical, and technology backdrop of the U.S.
+ Nicole Bergen is the founder and chief strategist at Elevate Marketing Research. Bergen’s presentation will leverage the research Elevate has done in the home furnishings sector and dive into what today’s furniture shoppers think, feel, and do – from first inspiration to final purchase.
Rounding out the agenda are plenty of networking sessions and the ever popular “Best Idea” competition where members share an idea that made a difference to their business to compete for a cash prize.
Immediately prior to Ignite, Furniture First will hold its second annual charitable golf tournament benefitting Ante for Autism, Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and Helping Hands of Arlington. The tournament will take place on Sunday, May 31st at the Waterchase Golf Club in Fort Worth. The tournament will include the chance to win $10,000 with a hole in one on the second and fourteenth holes. Club Champion Level sponsors for the event include Bread Financial, Serta Simmons Bedding, and Tempur+Sealy. Several Furniture First’s Ignite sponsors are also participating with hole sponsorships.
“Last year our members and vendors had a great time at the golf tournament” said Mike Kordik, Director of Member Engagement at Furniture First. “We were able to raise $17,500 for both Ante for Autism, and Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital. This year we want to benefit the local community as well. That’s why we added Helping Hands to our beneficiaries.”
Furniture First, a national cooperative buying group serving full line independent retailers with sales over $2 million. Collectively, the group sells $3 billion at retail. Furniture First will be open for Market in their building at 336 South Main Street in High Point. For more information on Furniture First Membership, please visit www.JoinFurnitureFirst.com or call 800-411-3477.
