Norwalk Furniture Sponsors Danica Patrick

Furniture World Magazine

Norwalk Furniture Corporation, a family-owned manufacturer and retailer of one of the industry’s most unique custom upholstered furniture programs, has signed on as a sponsor for Team Rahal race driver Danica Patrick. A unique sponsorship by furniture industry standards, the opportunity is a natural for a company that specializes in helping people, like Danica, express their unique personalities through home furnishings. “In many ways, Danica represents Norwalk’s goals,” Chairman Jim Gerken said. “We manufacture custom upholstery for consumers who wish to express their individual lifestyle and fulfill their own personal dreams. This relationship is a perfect fit, and we feel Danica will reach out especially to our female customers.” “This is very exciting for Norwalk,” added Bill Gerken, president of Norwalk – The Furniture Idea. “Danica’s lifestyle and tremendous determination to succeed in a difficult sport is an inspiration to anyone who desires to achieve their own dream.” Norwalk – The Furniture Idea is featuring Danica Patrick in an advertising campaign that demonstrates how the retailer takes people’s unique personalities and translates them into one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture. Patrick is the first woman in the 30-year history of the Toyota Atlantic Championship to earn a podium finish, and represents Norwalk in this important development racing series, considered the final rung before climbing to the top level of professional open wheel motorsports, the CART Champ Car World Series. Former Indianapolis 500 winner and CART three-time series Champion Bobby Rahal, and his co-owner, talk-show host, David Letterman head up Patrick’s entry in the Atlantic series. Rahal, owner of Patrick’s Atlantic car, also owns teams in the Champ Car series as well as the rival Indy Racing League (IRL). “We are pleased to join in this partnership with Norwalk for the 2003 season,” Rahal added. “The Gerkens are very dedicated and driven individuals—the kind of people we look forward to working with.” “The opportunity to partner with a world-class racing program like Team Rahal and a talented young driver like Danica is a wonderful opportunity,” stated Jim Gerken. “We recognized immediately that Danica is a unique individual in the world of motorsports and she is an excellent representative for Norwalk.” Norwalk’s agreement with Team Rahal allows the company to use a variety of promotional tie-ins with Team Rahal’s multiple race teams, although Patrick remains the main focus of their promotional activities. Both Jim and Bill Gerken, president of Norwalk, are enthusiastic race fans and supporters. The company’s retail arm, Norwalk-The Furniture Idea, an 81-store, franchise-owned venture operating in both the United States and Canada, sponsored a pair of IRL race cars for a portion of the 2002 season. Founded in 1902, Norwalk Furniture Corporation is based in Norwalk, Ohio, with an additional showroom at the High Point, North Carolina, Merchandise Mart.