FIRA announces the new Vice-Chairman for the FIRA Council
The Furniture Industry Research Association is pleased to announce that Mark Richardson, Managing Director of Blum UK has become Vice Chairman of the FIRA council.
The FIRA Council serves to ensure that the work of the Association has relevance to the furniture industry as a whole, with funds spent in the most effective way possible to ensure long term success.
Mark replaces Bob Lee, former Managing Director of Eurotek, as Vice Chairman following Bob's retirement last year.
Mark has been a member of the FIRA Council for a number of years before becoming the Vice Chairman. Mark has been working for Blum for more than 25 years, taking over as Managing Director in November 2009. Prior to that, he was Blum's Operations Director with the added responsibilities of sales and distribution.
Mark studied mechanical engineering at Westminster University and after a "bit of dabbling in the financial services sector" joined Blum in 1985 as Sales Office Manager. Working with Blum all these years has given Mark a significant level of experience in the cabinet furniture industry - both domestic and contract.
Commenting on his new role as FIRA Council Vice Chairman - Mark said, "I am both pleased and honoured to take on this new role. The FIRA Association has an incredibly important role to play on behalf of the industry, particularly in these difficult times. I am looking forward to playing my part within the council"
FIRA's Chief Operating Officer, Jonny Westbrooke said, "We are very pleased to announce Mark Richardson as our Vice-Chair, I look forward to working with Mark in this role. Over the past year we have continued with our ability to attract outstanding Council members to direct the Association on behalf of the wider membership and the Industry in general. Over the past year we have welcomed Eric Catton from Amaryllis, Margaret Miller from Knightsbridge, Charles Vernon from Gloster and Sheila Draper from AMUSF to the FIRA Council.
