Kathy Wall Biography

Kathy Wall, home furnishings' industry veteran of over 25 years, offers marketing and advertising services to home furnishings companies, as well as other varied clients. The first 21 years of her career were spent at Lexington Furniture Industries (Dixie Furniture Company/Lexington Home Brands). As a member of the team responsible for the launch of the World of Bob Timberlake®, Weekend Retreat™, The Palmer Home Collection™, and Nautica Home™, among others, she is armed with an insiders knowledge of licensed product development and marketing strategy, and understands today’s consumers desires for unique styles. Each year Lexington products received millions of dollars of free editorial exposure in consumer decorating magazines with a peak value exceeding $20.5 million dollars in 1997 alone.

In 1998, Wall left Lexington as vice president of marketing, the first woman in the company’s nearly 100-year history to be promoted to that level. Joining Klaussner, the country’s largest privately held furniture manufacturer in September of that year as vice president of marketing, again a company first for women, she was challenged with developing a consumer marketing strategy where none existed before. A comprehensive research program was launched during which consumer and retailer perspectives on branding and consumer buying habits were studied. This research served as the basis for an integrated marketing plan to increase the brand awareness of Sealy Furniture™ and other Klaussner products. All collateral materials were reviewed and revamped, including new product photography taken in real homes and a new retail gallery format utilizing a consumer-friendly design center. Klaussner’s first-ever national advertising effort centered around The Essence of Style, a soft-cover custom book developed to inspire in consumers a desire for new upholstered furnishings with the entire program based on the research. In October 2000 The Essence of Style was given an Ozzie Award for best overall custom publication in the national publishing industry’s competition.

For six years Wall has served on the board of the non-profit Furniture Discovery Center museum and currently serves as Past Chairman of the Board. She has served as an ex-officio board member of the High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, is a member of WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today), has served as a guest columnist for Furniture Style magazine and BDO Seidman’s Furniture Insights, and speaks at industry functions. In January 2000, she spoke on the topic of marketing to women at WearDated’s annual conference, held in Sydney, Australia.

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