After leading the company through Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and an economic recession, Bush Industries' chief executive officer will be retiring this spring.
Jim Sherbert, Bush Industries chief executive officer since August 2005, will be stepping down and Jim Garde, Bush Industries Bush Business Furniture division president, will be the new company leader. Bush Industries is a global manufacturer of work and home furniture, which was founded in 1959.
Sherbert will continue to serve the company in a transitional role until his retirement, assisting with efforts like international affairs. During his tenure, Sherbert lead a successful financial turnaround through Chapter 11 reorganization. Then Sherbert guided Bush Industries through the recession as the company reinvented itself globally to drive international sales, in addition to growing its business with its traditional U.S. retail base.
Bush's Jamestown operation, which employs several hundred workers, primarily produces commercial grade office furniture. Sherbert has lead the company through a rebranding of its office division as BBF, short for Bush Business Furniture. The BBF division produces commercialgrade workplace furniture for small and midsized businesses, with an additional focus on the office-at-home professional.
Prior to joining Bush, Sherbert served as the chief executive office of Castle Rock Industries; president and chief operating officer of Southcorp Packaging USA and Advance Packaging. He began his career at Container Corporation of America, rising through the sales ranks to general manager. During his college years, he was a second-team All-American linebacker for Oregon State University.
''It's been an incredible, six-year journey that I've taken with Bush Industries and I'm very proud of what we've accomplished during that period and grateful to everyone at Bush who has contributed to advance the efforts of the company,'' Sherbert said. ''I have every confidence that Jim Garde will direct the company toward continued excellence and growth.''
Jim Garde was named president of the BBF Division in August 2011 when it became a distinct operating division of Bush Industries. Prior to this, Garde served as chief financial officer and executive vice president of Bush Industries since 2006. Through his vast executive-level financial and operations experience with Bush and companies such as Heidelberg Digital LLC and Heidelberg Web Systems Inc., Garde brings to his new role a proven track record of leading company operations and increasing profitability.
''We are grateful for Jim Sherbert's leadership over the past six years. He has done a tremendous job of navigating us as a company through one of the most challenging economic periods in history,'' Garde said. ''I accept my new role with the confidence that we have the people, products and position in the market to continue to thrive and excel in the industry.''
Bush Industries, Inc. is a manufacturer of case goods and ready-to-assemble furniture designed for office and home applications. The company operates two North American divisions - BBF and Bush Furniture - along with its Rohr division in Germany and its China operations. The company is headquartered in Jamestown, with manufacturing and distribution facilities located in Western New York, Pennsylvania, China and Germany. For more information, visit www.bushfurniture.com.