Furniture Today
He replaces Jerry Ruff

HIGH POINT — Former Broyhill executive Tom Crump has been named to lead the High Point-based North Carolina Furniture Export Office.

Crump, who worked for Broyhill for 31 years most recently as a senior vice president of operations, started the job March 9. He replaces Jerry Ruff, who in January was named CEO of Winterset, Iowa-based wood furniture manufacturer Woodmarc.

Created in 1992, the Furniture Export Office is a division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Along with offering export courses and logistics industry contacts, the export office assists with letters of credit and tax issues involved in doing business overseas. It also helps organize North Carolina exhibits at furniture trade shows overseas, including Shanghai, Tokyo and Cologne.

Crump also will head a furniture industry team that works with public, private and academic leaders to help existing industry compete globally and to attract new jobs to the state.

“We are honored and pleased Tom has decided to join us,” said Peter Cunningham, director of international trade at the N.C. Department of Commerce. “Tom has some great ideas. … He has not just hit the ground running, but sprinting.”