Don Coleman, who has served as president and chief executive officer of Hickory Springs Mfg. Co. since 1996, will retire at the end of December. His career at the Hickory, N.C.–based mattress and furniture industry supplier spans nearly four decades.
The company is working with an executive search firm to fill his position.
Coleman joined Hickory Springs in 1972 and was the company’s first national product manager. He served as general manager of the Highland Fabricators facility following its acquisition by Hickory Springs and was named vice president of the company’s Eastern Furniture Division when it was formed in 1992. Four years later, he succeeded Neil Underdown as president and CEO.
“Hickory Springs is grateful to Don for his years of outstanding leadership, loyalty and vision,” said Tom Pierce, chairman of Hickory Springs’ board of directors. “His commitment to developing innovative products, sound fiscal policy and creative partnerships and his understanding of the needs of our customers have had an immeasurable impact upon the ongoing excellence, growth and diversification of Hickory Springs over the years.”
“It has been a wonderful 39–plus years working with and for a company with the quality, standards and ethics we enjoy,” Coleman said. “We, as employees, can be proud to be a part of the organization we have today. Over the past year, we have placed talented and seasoned managers in expanded roles to strengthen and grow Hickory Springs in all markets. I look forward to stepping back and seeing the fruits of our planning propel the company into exciting opportunities.”
In addition to his long career at Hickory Springs, Coleman has been active in a range of other professional and civic activities. He serves on the boards of the Furniture Foundation, the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, the Catawba County Community Foundation and the Wells Fargo Western North Carolina Advisory Board. He also is conductor of the Hickory Choral Society, a community choir he helped found in 1978.
In 2010, the Lenoir–Rhyne University Business Council named him Business Leader of the Year. Former N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt awarded Coleman the state’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
