Gary Evans — Furniture Today,
Bolick reassumes post as president

CONOVER, N.C. — Upholstery manufacturing veteran Ken Church has left Southern Furniture here after four years to pursue other interests. Owner Jerome W. Bolick, the company’s chairman, has reassumed the posts of president and CEO.

In addition, Southern has hired another industry veteran, Mike Delgatti, as executive vice president of sales and marketing, a new position. A longtime Broyhill Furniture executive, Delgatti left to succeed Church as president of upholstery maker Clayton Marcus, but more recently had returned to Broyhill, where he was executive vice president of upholstery and occasional merchandising.

Church, whose resignation is effective immediately, said he fulfilled his original contract with the privately owned company, but remained with to launch and follow through on a custom order program for small stores and the design and decorator trade, while maintaining the company’s core business with major accounts. He also implemented just-in-time frame strategies at the company, as well as automated fabric pattern and cutting processes.

“Our goal as a team was to ready the company for the future by broadening its opportunities with a more diverse customer base. I wish the company well and look forward to my new opportunities,” said Church.

He was president of Clayton Marcus, a unit of La-Z-Boy, before joining Southern Furniture. Earlier, he held a number of management positions at former Clayton Marcus parent Ladd Furniture, including president of the upholstery group, before La-Z-Boy acquired Ladd in 1999. Before that, he held management positions with the upholstery division of Broyhill Furniture.

Delgatti started his furniture career in 1976 as a sales representative and later regional manager for Action Inds, now Lane. Later, he was national sales and merchandise manager for Brookwood Furniture and vice president of sales and marketing for DeVille Furniture.

During his 20 years at Broyhill, Delgatti held several senior positions including national accounts manager, merchandise manager, vice president and general manager and executive vice president.