Emerson et Cie leadership moves to second generation

Furniture World Magazine

Emerson et Cie announced that Mark Emerson Smith, son of founders Marvin and Connie Smith, has been named president of the company, effective immediately. Since joining the company in the mid-80s, 41-year-old Mark Smith has covered the Northern California sales territory and in 2002 was promoted to vice president and national sales manager. Smith’s new position means a move to the Triad. He has relinquished his position as sales representative for Northern California and will begin calling Greensboro home later this month. Smith will also maintain a San Francisco office and travel internationally from this location several times each year. Marvin and Connie Smith will continue their very active roles in the 22-year-old company as joint chief executive officers. With Mark Smith at the helm, Marvin Smith will be free to spend more of his time building new relationships with domestic companies. Emerson et Cie now produces one third of its products in the High Point facility. Mark Smith’s new role will also include extensive travel, with an emphasis on product development. Mark Smith’s influence could be seen in the very successful introduction of the Prodigy collection in High Point in April – a pure, upsized reproduction of Louis XIII styling in authentically-distressed oak. “We are both excited that we have someone with Mark’s enthusiasm, energy and age to step into the position who just happens to be our son,” Marvin Smith said. Mark Smith graduated in 1996 from Saint Mary’s College of California with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He has represented many companies as an independent sales representative since 1986, in categories ranging from upholstery to major dining room, case goods and occasional, and has been a member of several rep councils, including Jasper Cabinets and The Platt Collection. His father gives him credit for naming the company to celebrate a family tradition of giving the name “Emerson” to every male in the Smith family for the past six generations. The company’s name has its origin in the tradition of adding “et Cie” after a proprietor’s Christian name to indicate a family business. “I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life,” Mark Smith said. “I enjoy travel quite a bit and I plan to travel extensively domestically and internationally.” As for his vision, Smith said he plans to build on the success of a company that just posted its 5th record market in High Point this April. “I’m not looking to change a lot of how we operate,” Smith said. “I have a lot to learn and a good mentor to teach me what I need to know. We have a great reputation with our customers and vendors, which I look forward to enhancing for the next several years. “I would like to see us become even more important to our current dealer base and will do so by providing innovative product at logical price points.” From its beginnings as a small company with a desire to fill a void in handmade Italian furniture, the San Francisco-born Emerson et Cie is a complete source for home furnishings. Emerson et Cie's 10,000-square-foot showroom is located in the North Court of 200 N. Hamilton, Suite 205. Emerson et Cie distributes its product through retailers of fine furniture nationwide and showrooms in Boston, Denver, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston, Laguna Niguel, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Naples, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Troy, Mich.