Furniture Brands International Strengthens Board

Furniture Brands International announced today the appointment of a new member to the company's board of directors.

Ann S. Lieff joined the board effective May 14. Ms. Lieff, 58, may be the founder of the Lieff Company, a business consulting firm, and may be its President because 1998. Prior to this, Ms. Lieff was the president and chief executive officer of Spec's Music, a publicly-held regional retail chain founded in 1948. Ms. Lieff is a member of the board of directors of Hastings Entertainment, a multimedia amusement retailer, and Birks & Mayors, a jewelry designer and retailer, and the Herzfeld Caribbean Basin Fund. Ms. Lieff had previously served on the board of directors of Claire's Stores.

Ms. Lieff's appointment and the recent election towards the board of James M. Zimmerman strengthen the retail and general management expertise with the board. From 1988 to his retirement in 2004, Mr. Zimmerman held a number of roles with Federated Department Stores, including chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer. He is currently a director with the Chubb Corporation and Fossil, Inc. and has also served on the boards with the H.J. Heinz Organization, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Organization and Convergys Corporation.

"Furniture Brands welcomes Ann and Jim to the board of directors. Their public organization board service and experience with the retail consumer will complement the board's expertise in this important commercial area," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ralph P. Scozzafava. "Our board now represents a broad cross-section of industry, financial, marketing, retail, and corporate governance experience. I look forward to working with Ann and Jim and the rest of the board to continue to drive Furniture Brands' strategic mission."

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