IFDA To Present Webinars Featuring Jerry Epperson

Furniture World Magazine

Members of the International Furnishings and Design Assn. (IFDA) announced that its members will get an insider look at the industry April 6 when the Association’s Educational Foundation (IFDA/EF) presents the first in a planned series of free Webinars. Furniture industry guru Jerry Epperson, managing director of Mann, Armistead & Epperson in Richmond, VA, will tell IFDA members “How to Maintain/ Gain Business” in the current down economy. He will also share observations and predictions about the economy, such as: -The U.S. can expect modest domestic economic growth, beginning in Sept.; -China will lead the global recovery through new controls on exports and currency, and by lessening control over environmental and employment issues; -Better quality home furnishing should rebound before other furnishings. Scheduled for viewing from 2 – 3 p.m. on April 6, the Webinar will be made available later in the month for IFDA members who can view it on a home or office computer at their own convenience. Non-IFDA members can also view the Webinar by pre-registering on the IFDA/EF Website, www.ifdaef.org. The first Webinar will be free; subsequent Webinars will be available at a charge to non-members. It is presented as part of the Schoenthal IFDA Leadership Forum, named after New York publicist Harriet Schoenthal, a long-time member of IFDA and the IFDA-Educational Foundation. “The Educational Foundation provides unique educational opportunities to IFDA members, in addition to awarding yearly scholarships and grants,” said IFDA/EF Chair, Bonnie L. Peterson, FIFDA. “In this challenging economic climate, we have turned to highly regarded industry expert Jerry Epperson for his business acumen and insider advice.” Also known for his humor, Epperson is the editor of “The Furnishings Digest Newsletter,” published monthly by his investment banking and corporate advisory firm, which claims 35 years of proprietary furniture research. The Epperson Webinar will be followed by other timely presentations related to furnishings and design, Peterson said. IFDA/EF is the philanthropic arm of the association, which has l6 chapters across the U.S. and one in Japan. Many chapters will be staging a fund-raising “Walk for Design Education” this spring. IFDA/ EF offers more scholarship and grant monies than any other organization in the furnishings and design industry. For further information, click on www.ifdaef.org or www.ifdaef.org/designwalk.