FurnitureDealer.Net adds 3, including industry veterans Severson and Wray

Expands focus on suppliers with new division

HIGH POINT — Industry digital marketing and technology firm FurnitureDealer.Net has added three people to its team as it expands its focus on suppliers.

The hires include two industry veterans based in North Carolina, Emily Severson, who has returned to the company, and marketing specialist and journalist Kimberley Wray. Thomas Smith, who has both retail and social media marketing experience outside the industry, also recently joined. 

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“FurnitureDealer.Net has always focused on manufacturer relationships, so I don’t think it will come as a surprise to anyone that we are continuing to invest in this area,” Founder and CEO Andy Bernstein said. 

“It’s so important, especially now, that we’ve hired a team specifically dedicated to these relationships, and not just a team, but people with really deep industry experience, networks and skill sets that are incredibly important now.”

Bernstein told Home News Now the three are part of a new division for the company, known for its retailer websites and digital marketing services as well as supplier services. But he declined to discuss many details, noting the plans are in the earliest stages. 

In a release, though, he hinted at the scope, noting, “There has never been a more urgent need to improve connecting and communicating between suppliers and independent retailers to elevate the consumer experience.”

“Our focus has always been to support independent local furniture stores, and if COVID has taught our industry anything, it is the importance of digital. We know through our network of premium dealers that consumers are 500 more times more likely now to use the Internet for search, research and shopping. The growth has been explosive and exponential and it is imperative for our industry to up our game digitally, improve relationships and effectively communicate information between retailers, designers, manufacturers and consumers.

Severson has rejoined after three years at A.R.T. Furniture, where she most recently served as director of research and data analysis and project management. She began her industry career at FurnitureDealer.Net as a content strategist, and over the course of seven years, took on a number of roles as a member of the company’s leadership team. There, Bernstein noted, Severson focused on developing FurnitureDealer’s people and culture and manufacturer relationships, as well as operations and efficiencies.

At A.R.T., she gained further experience in sales operations and business operations, along with an intimate understanding of the needs of suppliers in today’s marketplace,” he said.

The company hired Wray, “because I think she is the best storyteller in our industry,” Bernstein said. 

“A consummate communicator and marketer with nearly three decades of experience positioning publications, companies, people and the industry’s most important trade show, she also co-founded and even named WithIt. She has continually worked to change the game in long-lasting ways and her network is extraordinary.”

Both Wray and Severson have been recognized by WithIt for their leadership and devotion to lifting others and passion for moving our industry forward, he added. 

Rounding out the team is Smith, whose most recent retail experience was as a team leader and social media director in Nestle’s Nespresso division. Smith has managed retail stores and restaurants across the country and also worked as a television and film actor as a stand-up comedian. He has a background in journalism, too. Bernstein has known Smith since their college days and said he “is a delight to work with and has a real talent for connecting with people.”

“This is important because we see great opportunity here to do a better job of communicating information from suppliers to our retailers to consumers,” he said.

“We really want to stand up for the local channel, and our mission is to develop deeper, more meaningful relationships that help everyone grow their businesses.

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