Tuesday, May 25, 2010

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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Eco-friendly furniture

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It looks like normal wooden furniture but Dr Auliana Poon doesn’t use traditional materials for her Becoming Sustainable collection. Club chairs, tables, loungers, adore seats, sofas and a wide variety of furnishings, all created from recycled plastic milk bottles, had been on display on the Trade and Expense Conference at the Hyatt Trinidad, Port of Spain.

’Although it’s created from recycled material, you'd discover there is nothing crude about its appearance. We desired some thing chic, something fresh, something classy, although maintaining it environment-friendly. This really is furnishings with an attitude. It comes in white, teak, mahogany, black, green, pacific blue, sunset red, tangerine and lemon shades to fit any décor you are considering of,’ Poon shared.

Poon mentioned her furniture can be left outdoors, in rain or shine, all year lengthy as it's practically upkeep free. ’Recycled plastic material milk bottles are difficult and long lasting. They’re utilized for numerous outdoor purposes such as roofing. Due to this, our collection offers several benefits more than furnishings made of wood, rattan and even metal. There is no need for stripping, sanding, painting or varnishing. And it won’t rust or collect mould or mildew.’

Wherever did she get the concept? ’For more than a decade I have been working with governments and tourism agencies close to the world to help develop blueprints for sustainable tourism. At this point, sustainability is on the core of every thing I do, every programme and initiative developed or recommended by my consultancy firm Tourism Intelligence International. We know the wear and tear that tourism can inflict on environments, despite its advantages,’ she noted.

’Mother Nature can damage and cause considerable wear and tear on your outdoor furniture. So after many years of replacing furniture at Villa Becoming in Tobago, we mentioned we wanted to make a distinction. We wanted to discover a long-term answer to the issue so we went in search of the product that could meet our needs. Obviously, it would need to be made of a substance that could withstand the components. At the exact same time however, we insisted that this material would location little pressure on the planet’s diminishing resources. Additionally, the furnishings would need to be stylish and really comfortable,’ Poon mentioned.

’Being Sustainable is a new company venture that perfectly expresses the philosophy that Tourism Intelligence Worldwide has long promoted to its customers. This exciting collection of inexpensive, long lasting, low-maintenance yet stylic furnishings is really an example of practising what we preach,’ she added.

Some items from the collection can be discovered on the Hilton Trinidad about the Obama Terrace. But Poon is determined to take her eco-friendly suggestions to the next level. She wants to go beyond furniture and expand her item variety to consist of much more products for the hospitality industry. ’We are currently adding new lines of products - glassware, flatware,

towels and linen. All chosen with the exact same criteria in mind: stylish but hardwearing; helping to save money and Planet Earth at the same time.’

Furniture Brands International Contributes Stock to Pension Plan

ST. LOUIS, May 21, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Furnishings Brands International (FBN 7.13, +0.04, +0.56%) announced these days the company has created a contribution of 2.three million shares of its common stock towards the company's pension strategy ("the plan"). The shares were contributed in a private placement transaction and in consideration for the reduction in future funding obligations to the strategy. Furniture Brands will file a registration declaration for the shares contributed towards the strategy and has appointed an independent fiduciary, Evercore Trust Company, N.A., to be solely accountable for all investment decisions with respect to the shares. Following the contribution, the company has around 50.9 million shares of typical stock issued and outstanding.

The company's previous contributions to the plan in the year 2010 have totaled approximately $5 million. The majority with the 2010 strategy contributions are eligible for favorable tax-loss carryback therapy and the company anticipates an extra money tax refund of around $7 million throughout 2010.

"Proactively addressing our pension funding in the year 2010 produces tax benefits and preserves Furniture Brands' monetary flexibility as the company invests in the long term of our company," said Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Steven G. Rolls.

About Furnishings Manufacturers

Furnishings Manufacturers Worldwide (FBN seven.13, +0.04, +0.56%) is one with the world's leading designers, manufacturers, sourcers, and retailers of house furnishings. It markets through a wide range of retail channels, from mass merchant stores to single-brand and independent dealers to specialized interior designers. Furniture Manufacturers serves its customers through some with the greatest recognized and most respected brands in the furnishings business, including Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Laneventure, and Maitland-Smith.

The Furniture Manufacturers International logo is accessible at shopatzing.com

Cautionary Declaration Concerning Forward-Looking Claims

Matters discussed in this document and within our public disclosures, regardless of whether written or oral, relating to long term occasions or our future efficiency, including any discussion, express or implied, of our anticipated growth, operating outcomes, long term earnings per share, or plans and objectives, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Area 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are often identified through the words "will," "believe," "positioned," "estimate," "project," "target," "continue," "intend," "expect," "future," "anticipates," and comparable expressions that are not statements of historical fact. These statements aren't guarantees of long term efficiency and involve particular dangers, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Our actual results and timing of certain events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking claims consequently of certain factors, such as, but not restricted to, individuals set forth under "Risk Factors" in our Annual Record on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and within our other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors consist of, but aren't restricted to: dangers associated with the execution of our strategic strategy; modifications in economic conditions; reduction of market reveal because of competition; failure to forecast demand or anticipate or respond to changes in customer tastes and fashion trends; failure to accomplish projected mix of item sales; business failures of large customers; distribution realignments; manufacturing realignments and cost savings programs; elevated reliance on offshore (import) sourcing of various items; fluctuations within the cost, availability and quality of raw materials; item liability uncertainty; environmental regulations; future acquisitions; impairment of intangible assets; anti-takeover provisions which could result in a decreased valuation of our typical stock; loss of funding sources; and our ability to open and operate new retail shops successfully. It is routine for internal projections and expectations to alter as the 12 months or each quarter within the year progresses, and consequently it should be clearly understood that all forward-looking statements and also the internal projections and beliefs upon which we base our expectations included on this record or other periodic reports are created only as of the date made and might change. Although we may elect to update forward-looking claims at some point within the future, we don't undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements regardless of whether as a result of new information, future occasions or otherwise.

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Comfortable office furniture increases productivity

Whenever someone is comfy in any atmosphere, then the person can very easily concentrate on any kind of work. Nobody would like to function in an uncomfortable chair. Hence, the employers make sure how the employees get to work inside a comfy office as it is a key to some productive step. In an organization, the office furnishings therefore is chosen with a lot of study.

The first thing that's selected in the office may be the workplace chairs because these will make the individual comfy to function and provide the expected result. If the chairs aren't accurately selected, then they may make one?s back sore throughout the day. The workplace chairs such as leather chairs are the crucial to let the function flow smoothly. The company does not only choose the chairs when it comes to workplace furnishings. They also invest in great high quality office desks to ensure that they can utilize their office room in a much better manner. You may believe that these products are too costly. However, even if they're, you will realize that there are many advantages which you will not discover in cheap furniture. So, take time to find the superior high quality furniture for the workplace these days!

The very best place to find the top notch workplace furniture is online. You will run into an array of websites that deal with not just your office requirement but additionally with home office furnishings. You are able to follow the below given actions to choose the very best furnishings design available on the internet.

Very first important element to choose either office furniture or home workplace furniture is to be specific about what you should purchase. If you maintain looking at the attention-grabbing images with the furniture, you will not be efficient in selecting as per your office or employees? requirement. Within the shop, you'll discover workplace storage racks, office chairs, office bookshelves, workplace cabinets, office screens, workplace lockers and several much more. So, it's suitable to become specific in your keyword for specific requisite like office desks for example.

Later, you are able to also look for great bargains so which you do not exceed your budget although setting up your office. The best choice to discover the office furnishings or home office furniture of your choice and inside your budget would be to compare it on various sites for product features and maintenance features. With this, you will easily find out some special provides or cost-effective workplace products.

As soon as you come across an online store that meets your requirement, you should request for a quote. There may be a possibility of getting a good bargain in your selected item. Don?t hesitate to negotiate using the online vendor.

Regardless of whether you get an expensive quote or a reasonable 1, it's very a lot important to have an adequately equipped office so that the function done could be much more productive. So, carefully select the workplace furniture with other products that are functional and safe for the functioning atmosphere.

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National Office Furniture Announces $25,000 Gift of Inspiration Winner: University of Wisconsin Hospital

JASPER, Ind., Might 24, 2010 (Company WIRE) -- National Workplace Furnishings, a brand unit of Kimball International, Inc. (KBALB 6.54, -0.05, -0.76%) , has announced that the winner of its $25,000 Gift of Inspiration for Healthcare Environments is the University of Wisconsin Hospital, situated in Madison, Wisconsin. Particularly, the $25,000 was awarded to UW Hospital's Wellness and Healing Committee, which plans to use the resources for both new and on-going projects for example noise reduction, air quality, recovery gardens, family caregiver help, quiet spaces, living landscapes, music to medicine and updated mapping for awareness of walking paths and gardens to encourage outdoor activity.

Nationwide understands the current economy makes it more difficult than ever to raise the necessary resources to offer the very best in care and healthy environments for each patients and providers. Therefore, National introduced the $25,000 Gift of Inspiration to benefit health care organizations by supporting the requirements in areas such as technologies, the patient experience, staff morale, training and enrichment programs, or facility enhancements.

"True recovery comes in part from a comfort level or peace of mind knowing which you have the caring and support of UW Hospital to overcome the challenges you face. A soothing, conscious recovery atmosphere plays a essential part in recovery and a lifetime of well becoming," said Ardis Hutchins, Interior Architect, UW Hospital.

"This gift from Nationwide Office Furniture recognizes the importance of a recovery environment. We're grateful for their help and what it'll allow us to do for patients and families," stated Joel Wish, Wellness Psychologist, UW Hospital, Co-Chair, Wellness and Recovery Committee.

"Often times, what matters most cannot be discovered only in blood function and CT scans. In trying to realize how complex systems heal, we need to listen to the patient's unique story and their emotions to connect to their hope, meaning and objective. These are one of the most powerful healing mechanisms and wherever we will concentrate the Present of Inspiration donation," stated David Rakel, MD, Director, University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine.

"At National, our individuals have cultivated a culture of caring for our company partners, the atmosphere and our neighbors. So, we're pleased to provide the $25,000 Gift of Inspiration as our way to provide back towards the healthcare community for that extraordinary efforts made by healing professionals for example UW Hospital, that enrich the lives of so many individuals," said Kevin McCoy, Vice President, General Manager, Nationwide Office Furniture. "Congratulations to UW Hospital. We're proud to learn how the present will be put towards a plan which will inspire healing and healthier communities."

Nationwide received over 1,000 registrants from healthcare organizations nationwide for that $25,000 Gift of Inspiration. Health care organizations could automatically register to win merely by visiting National's web site; no buy was necessary or needed.

This is National Workplace Furniture's second Gift of Inspiration recipient. In October 2009, Southwest Middle School in Savannah, Georgia won the Gift of Inspiration for Education Environments, using the funds to start an after-school life mentoring program for at-risk students. National is presently running its third Gift of Inspiration, again for Education Environments, which ends on August 31, 2010.

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Lawyers remove pub owner’s furniture to settle son’s debt

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THE owner of a well-liked Beacon Bay pub is demanding to know why a law firm attached her furniture – ultimately leading to her to near shop – instead of sorting out affairs with her son.

Russian-born Tatjana Borzilov , who owned the now-defunct Tatjanka’s Pub and Grill in Beacon Bay, claims that the lawyers took her furnishings in error.

The incident happened in January this 12 months.

Now she wants the attorneys to reimburse her for the costs of the furniture that was removed – because she would have no place to set the products if they gave them back now how the premises have been leased to an additional tenant.

Borzilov yesterday told Crusaders that she was shocked to understand how the sheriff with the court received an instruction to confiscate the furniture from East London-based Yazbek Attorneys after her son Darius Jakovchuk experienced a dispute with his creditors.

Even though Jakovchuk occasionally assisted at the pub, Borzilov insisted that he had no claim within the ownership of the pub.

“I do not have anything to do with my son’s dealings. He is 31, and is a grown man who can appear after himself.

“This was my business and he’s got absolutely nothing there. This was a mistake.”

She mentioned she had approached Yazbek’s without having any success and that she didn’t want to involve attorneys simply because it would be costly to pay for them.

“I want money for my leather couches – which price R15000. Including other items (used), like chairs, tables and a pool table, that will be more than R20000 (in total).”

Borzilov also owns another pub and bottle store in Abbotsford.

She mentioned the closure of the Beacon Bay pub impacted her business.

“This was a place for young people. I utilized to create a monthly profit of about R35000. I started it four years ago and I invested R47000 on renovations. I painted it, constructed toilets, fixed roof leakages and upgraded it. I put in an air-conditioner last year – which cost close to R7000 – and also put in security gates. I invested a great deal of cash on this constructing.”

She mentioned she had paid R4000 a month to rent the home from her former landlord.

“When I had been having problems using the licence for that pub, I was thinking of beginning a coffee store and a take- away restaurant. But once they took the furnishings, I made the decision to close down because my son is in Cape Town and no-one is likely to assist running the pub.

“Taking my furniture was another ingredient that led towards the closure, but not the main cause. The pub was registered as a CC (near co-operation) by a previous business owner, who rented this property. I was within the process of applying for a brand new licence that could have used 3 or four months and I had been to pay for R500. But, when they took my furnishings, I thought I might too close down,” she said.

Speaking to the Crusaders, Jakovchuk admitted to having a pending court matter with an East London company, Bookwise, but was adamant that his mother had nothing to complete with it. He said Bookwise was searching more than his marketing organization books and that they wanted him to pay R6000.

“This has absolutely nothing to complete with my mother or her company. This is between me and Bookwise and we will have to sort it out,” he said.

The Crusaders have tried to get in touch with Yazbek’s for comment because Monday.

Yesterday, Louise Yazbek’s individual assistant Deborah van der Sandt confirmed how the matter among Bookwise and Jakovchuk was nevertheless pending.

She could not comment about the matter of the removal of Borzilov’s furniture. She also said that Louise Yazbek was off sick and will be the 1 greatest placed to comment on the issue.

Abil hopes furniture will give extra lift in full year

SA’s greatest mass-market lender, mentioned it expected stronger full-year profits after it posted a 2% fall in earnings for that six months towards the end of March.

Headline profits per reveal fell 2% to 113,7c. The group, which also owns the Ellerines furniture party, anticipated a more powerful second-half monetary overall performance based on the much better sales momentum in recent months, expectations of reduce poor financial debt costs and also the advantages of numerous price savings initiatives.

African Bank executive director Stephen Kahanowitz mentioned they were “a little disappointed” as Abil viewed itself as a low volatility company that was relatively defensive throughout downturns.

But the furnishings company acquired two many years ago was beginning to turn close to and it was hoped it would supply “additional lift” for the group for that long term, he said.

The profits of South African banks have been lower following last year’s recession crimped customer demand and hurt corporate profits, while higher levels of general indebtedness have caused rising poor debts.

A series of interest rate cuts has helped lift business confidence, but cut into lending margins. A material improvement in trading conditions was not anticipated in the brief term, Abil mentioned yesterday.

The dividend was held at 85c per reveal. African Bank’s headline earnings fell 5% to R713m from R747m, due primarily to nonperforming loans, funding expenses and poor debt costs.

Ellerines’ headline profits were marginally up, at R201m from R190m, after benefiting from reduce bad financial debt along with a further decline in operating expenses.

Abil’s short-term deposits and cash shot up to R5,1bn from R1,4bn, although the level of statutory assets increased 11% to R1,6bn from R1,4bn. The party elevated money reserves to support an expected enhancement in product sales in future, as nicely since the transfer of the remaining financial services business of Ellerines into African Financial institution. African Bank’s return on equity was 44,2%, although Ellerines’ was 10,1%.

There was a shift to lower-risk customers. This provides the group a better view on wherever its danger emanates, and the typical loan size and phrase are larger and the yield improves. Nevertheless, the bank intended to stay relevant to the much more risky markets upon which the party had been founded.

Ellerines’ poor debts fell 24% in the six months and the “de-risking” of its company will continue — the conversion of the books of 170 shops into the African Bank system took place at the weekend as component of the continuing procedure. Supply chain efficiency still had to be realised.

All of the Ellerines, Dial-a-Bed and Furniture City branches and most of the Geen & Richards and Beares stores happen to be converted towards the African Bank front- end credit origination platform.

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