Stanley And Bassett Executives Recognized For Safety Leadership

Furniture World News Desk on 3/11/2013

Carlton Craig & Gene Barrow

Carlton Craig, product compliance manager for Stanley Furniture, and Gene Barrow, manager of product engineering for Bassett Furniture, have received Safety Leadership Awards from the American Home Furnishings Alliance.

The awards were presented at a furniture safety work group meeting March 6 at the AHFA headquarters here.

Both Craig and Barrow sit on AHFA’s Advisory Committee on Safety, which represents the furniture industry on safety issues and serves as an advocate before various governmental and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“Their contributions to this committee are enormous,” says Bill Perdue, AHFA’s vice president of regulatory affairs. “They are called on to help research emerging product safety issues – not when it is convenient for them, but whenever the need arises.”

Craig and Barrow also serve on the ASTM International Furniture Safety Committee chaired by Perdue. The ASTM committee maintains safety standards for furniture tip-over, bunk beds and horizontal glass for desks and tables.

Perdue described Craig and Barrow as “safety champions” in the home furnishings industry. “They have not only worked to ensure that our industry’s safety standards remain up-to-date, relevant and effective, but they frequently call for – and participate in – webinars and seminars to help educate their industry colleagues.”

Craig has been with Stanley Furniture since 1973, when he held a part-time position in the company’s moulding department while still in high school. He has held positions in drafting, engineering and product development and was named to his current position in 2009.
Barrow has been with Bassett since 1999.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance, based in High Point, N.C., represents more than 200 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, plus over 150 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide. AHFA is the home furnishings industry’s sole representative on Capitol Hill and elsewhere throughout the United States on legislative and regulatory matters that impact the industry.