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IOPFDA Launches Committee to Address Needs of Mid-Market Furniture Dealers

The Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealers Association (IOPFDA), a division of ISSA, today introduces a new committee dedicated to developing programs to help mid-market dealers improve the operation, efficiency, and profitability of their furniture divisions.

The team of industry experts, including dealers, manufacturers, and sales representatives, seek to fill a void in training and education programs to help smaller dealers succeed in today’s challenging economic environment.

“Over the past year, I have spoken with many dealers in the mid-market family and observed a real need for manufacturers and service providers to tailor information on their products, processes, and best practices to this market,” said IOPFDA Executive Director Mike Tucker.

The committee will meet monthly beginning this month to discuss opportunities and dilemmas faced by mid-market dealers and hone its programming agenda, which will incorporate a variety of topics related to technology, government advocacy, business management issues, and pandemic strategies.

The new committee members include:

• Charles Forman, Executive Vice President, Independent Supplier Group
• D. Ewing, Chairman and CEO, COE Distributing
• Brad Armacost, President, Contract Furniture Professionals
• Tom Triplett, Vice President, Triplett Companies
• Alan Byrd, President, Complete Office Supply
• Ian Hicks, Vice President of Sales, Special T
• Mark Hill, President, PVI Office Furniture.

“The members of this committee are smart, resourceful, and understand what it takes to be successful in the mid-market,” said Tucker. “I’m confident our furniture members will find great value in the programs they develop and will benefit by engaging with questions or suggestions for the team.”

With two interactive divisions based on dealers’ primary offerings, the National Office Products Alliance (NOPA) and the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance (OFDA), IOPFDA provides independent office products and furniture dealers with the information, knowledge, and tools they need to help them to be successful in today’s ever-evolving business environment.

The new furniture committee is a natural outgrowth of IOPFDA’s evolution through the years. The OFDA division initially was dominated by aligned furniture dealers/manufacturers with a board heavy with leadership from Herman Miller, Haworth, and Steelcase, but has transitioned in recent decades to consist of nearly all mid-market furniture dealers.

“As larger manufacturers developed and preferred proprietary training for their dealers, OFDA’s focus has shifted to supporting our mid-market dealer members and we want to customize our educational offerings to their unique needs to provide the best support to help their businesses flourish,” said Tucker.