by Executive to remain in position until May 31, 2024
HIGH POINT — The Home Furnishings Association announced today that Chief Executive Officer Mark Schumacher has decided to step down from his role, effective May 31, 2024.
Schumacher has been with the HFA for the past five and a half years. He has been CEO since August 2020 and before that was executive vice president and vice president of membership development and marketing.
He was also previously chief development officer of Victory Junction and before that held executive roles with the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation and Make-a-Wish of Southern Florida.
“Since 2020, I have been blessed to work with HFA’s board and staff, guiding us through the Covid pandemic and the subsequent disruptions faced by association members and the home furnishings industry,” he said. “HFA became a strong advocate for the economic health and social impact of the home furnishings ecosystem. Now, I believe the time is right for a new leader to continue to inspire and steer this association.”
While at HFA, Schumacher led the organization through some of the industry’s must challenging times, including the Covid-19 shutdowns and subsequent supply chain disruptions. He also helped steer the retail industry through major regulatory challenges including the development of a federal tip-over standard aimed at helping reduce the tip-over of clothing storage units known to injure and kill children. The HFA was instrumental in helping educate retailers about the issue and Schumacher’s efforts helped distill the issue into easy-to-understand terms without sacrificing key aspects that its members needed to know and understand.
“The board thanks Mark for his contributions to the strength of the HFA and the home furnishings industry,” said board President Travis Garrish. “Mark’s leadership created HFA growth and financial stability during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic. On behalf of the entire board, we thank Mark for all he has done for the HFA and wish him well as he embarks upon the next chapter in his life.”
The HFA board of directors has formed a committee to determine the next steps in selecting the association’s next chief executive officer.
“The HFA board is confident that the necessary processes and procedures are in place to ensure a seamless transition for a new leader,” Garrish said.
