The Gender Gap in America’s Furniture IndustryPresented by

Paula S. Fogarty

Paula’s Blog forMetropolis Magazine,

“The Gender Gap in the American Furniture Industry”

Monty Simpson and Bruce Mulder of Kendall College of Art & Design with their mostly female graduates.

Karen Knoch

Ph.D. Dissertation

“Ethics of Care Leadership Orientation Among Women in the Home Furnishings Industry”

1. Women have few mentors

2. Women lack confidence about their entry into the industry

What?

Harvard Business School

study demonstrates that

95% of home furnishings decisions

are made by women

S.C.A.D. and Kendall are graduating more females than males

Women in Home Furnishings ProductionSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Women in Furniture RetailSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Male CEO earnings. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Female CEO earnings. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mary Henkel, founder of Henkel Harris

Kay Lambeth, founder of Erwin-Lambeth

Florence Knoll Bassett

Aminy Audi, Stickley Furniture

Joan Karges Rogier, President of Karges Furniture (left)With daughter and husband

Rachel Kohler and father Herb (left) and Jim Druckman

Paula and Dad, Robert S. Fogarty

Robert Fogarty (left) circa 1968 Los Angeles with a comrade and future enemy

“The furniture industry represents two-hundred years of

tradition…unimpeded by progress”

Norman Hekler

INSIDERS ONLY:

The Bone Orchard of Outsiders:

Maganavox, Masco, Burlington, Litton, U.S. Plywood….

and the list continues to grow

Collapse of the Distribution Network

1998 – 2010 50% of Retail Stores Closed Forever

2012 80% of products are imported

Opportunities for Women in ALL Areas,Not Just the “Fluffy Stuff”

Human ResourcesFinance and Accounting

PurchasingEngineering

Strategic PlanningProcess Improvement

Quality ControlDesign

MarketingMerchandising

Sales

Suzanne Kasler, Mariette Himes Gomez, Alexa Hampton, and Thomas O’BrienFor Hickory Chair

Paula Scott Fogarty

Paula Scott Unlimited

paula@paulascott.net

616-745-1207