MISSISSIPPI STATE – A March 8-9 summit will provide those in the furniture manufacturing business with the tools needed to succeed.

Furniture and bedding sales rose nearly three percent from 2009 to 2010, and manufacturing has expanded for the past 18 consecutive months. It is becoming increasingly important for industry members to learn how to keep up with the rapid growth and demand.

The summit begins with a reception at 6 p.m. March 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Starkville. Registration will be at 8:30 a.m. on March 9 Mississippi State University’s Franklin Center.

“The summit will bring together industry leaders dedicated to sharing strategies and best practices for becoming more competitive in today’s global market,” said Bill Martin, director of MSU’s Franklin Furniture Institute. 

The summit is sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association and the Franklin Furniture Institute. Keynote speakers are Bill Simmons, managing principal with the government affairs firm Dutko Worldwide, and MSU head football coach Dan Mullen.

Other speakers include Howard Armistead, managing director of Mann, Armistead & Epperson; Donald Meurer, director of product sourcing and development for Flexsteel’s commercial seating division; Mary Jean Gates of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; and Wanda Jones, a workforce specialist at the Mississippi Development Authority.

The event costs $89 for American Home Furnishings Alliance members and $139 for nonmembers. Additional information is available on the events page at the AHFA website, http://www.ahfa.us or the Franklin Furniture Institute site, http://www.ffi.msstate.edu.

Contact: Bill Martin, (662) 325-2953