by Dittmer to step down from role on June 30, Schmidt assumes post July 1
DUBUQUE, Iowa — Full-line furniture resource Flexsteel announced Monday that company President Derek Schmidt will take on the additional role of chief executive officer effective July 1, succeeding Jerald K. Dittmer, who is resigning June 30 and retiring from the company on Dec. 31.
Schmidt joined Flexsteel as chief financial officer and chief operating officer in April 2020 and was appointed secretary and treasurer in May 2020. In June 2022, with the hiring of a chief financial officer, he relinquished that position and his role as chief operating officer expanded to include added responsibilities such as manufacturing, sourcing and procurement, logistics and distribution, and product management and development.
In May 2023, he became chief financial officer on an interim basis while continuing his responsibilities as chief operating officer. In January this year, he was named president and relinquished his role as chief financial officer. Becoming president, he was charged with overseeing the company’s operations and growth strategy. He also was appointed as a member of the company’s board of directors.
Schmidt came to the company with more than 30 years of general management and financial leadership experience. He was previously chief financial officer of Cresent Electric Supply Co. and from 2011 to 2018 he held various executive roles with global office furniture manufacturer HNI Corp. Before that he held various financial leadership roles with Silgan Plastics Corp., MasterBrand Cabinets and General Mills.
Dittmer has been in the furniture industry for more than 30 years, having been chief financial officer at HNI Corp. from 1991 to 2008. From 2008 to 2017, he was executive vice president of HNI Co. and also was president of HNI subsidiary the HON Co., an office furniture manufacturer and designer serving independent dealers, wholesalers and national suppliers.
He joined the board of Flexsteel following being named president and chief executive officer in December 2018 and relinquished the title of president in January, when Schmidt was named to the role, while keeping his position as chief executive officer.
