Collier Named Vice President Of Marketing For La-Z-Boy Residential

Furniture World Magazine

La-Z-Boy has appointed J. Douglas Collier as vice president of marketing for its Residential Division. In this role, Collier will lead all marketing functions for the nation’s leading manufacturer of upholstered furniture, and act as a strategic partner in the design of programs and policies to meet the company’s goals for brand loyalty, brand preference and market penetration. He reports directly to Kurt L. Darrow, president of La-Z-Boy Residential. As vice president of marketing, Collier will oversee all activities related to maintaining and enhancing the La-Z-Boy brand, including market research, national and retail advertising, new product launches, dealer-related marketing communications (collateral materials, trade shows, promotions, etc.), e-marketing and public relations. Additionally, he is responsible for evaluating and deploying new marketing technologies to expand the scope and reach of the La-Z-Boy brand to the widest possible consumer audience. "Doug brings a wealth of experience in marketing and consumer brand management to La-Z-Boy, along with the strategic vision and strong leadership skills needed to drive our marketing efforts," said Darrow. "We are confident in his ability to continue to enhance the image of La-Z-Boy as a provider of stylish, comfortable, high-quality furniture among all of our target audiences." Collier joins La-Z-Boy with more than 12 years of management experience in marketing and product development. Most recently, he was senior vice president of marketing and product management for Iomega Corporation, a $1 billion manufacturer of computer peripherals based in Roy, Utah. Simultaneously, Collier led the Asian and European regions as president of Iomega International SA. Previously, Collier was general manager of fittings and director of marketing for e-business at NIBCO Inc., a privately held manufacturer of flow control products located in Elkhart, Ind. He also spent several years with Whirlpool Corporation in a number of positions in both Europe and the U.S., including product director and director of business development and market intelligence, and in various product management roles for GE Canada (CAMCO). Collier earned his bachelor of science degree at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, MB, and his master of business administration degree at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON, Canada. Headquartered in Monroe, Mich., La-Z-Boy is the nation’s largest single manufacturer of upholstered furniture and the world’s leading producer of reclining chairs. The company manufactures a full line of products for the living room and family room, including the company’s world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and leather upholstery, as well as stationary sofas, love seats and chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE, PCX: LZB), the nation’s largest furniture manufacturer.