What We Do

About AHFA

As the only trade association serving the U.S. residential furniture industry, the American Home Furnishings Alliance is the premier authority on all health, safety, environmental, fashion and business information related to home furnishings.

Headquartered in the Furniture Capital of the World, High Point, North Carolina, AHFA represents more than 200 of the industry’s leading manufacturers and importers. Our members manage a sophisticated global supply chain that includes factories in 31 states and dozens of foreign countries, providing more than $11 billion in wholesale shipments of home furnishings products every year for U.S. households.

These companies produce both indoor and outdoor home furnishings, along with a variety of home accents. Although some of our member companies also produce products for business, commercial and institutional settings, their primary focus is on the residential market.

The mission of AHFA is to promote the growth and global leadership of its member companies by:
- Providing exceptional advocacy;
- Promoting effective product and safety standards;
- Presenting relevant education; and
- Serving as the preeminent media resource on industry news and trends.

We’re here to serve you!

AHFA exists only to be of service to the members. Please don’t hesitate to call on any of our staff members any time you have a question or a thought about how we might serve you better.

Andy Counts

Andy Counts is Chief Executive Officer of the American Home Furnishings Alliance. He oversees the High Point, N.C.-based staff and the daily operations of the Alliance. In addition, he serves as the industry’s representative on Capitol Hill and elsewhere throughout the United States on legislative and regulatory matters that impact the manufacturing, import and marketing of residential furniture. Prior to joining AHFA as vice president of environmental and technical affairs, Counts served as a project engineer with Malcolm Pirnie Inc. in Charlotte, N.C., a plant engineer with Merillat Industries, and a senior environmental engineer with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. He has a degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

336-884-5000 ext. 0115
acounts@ahfa.us

Patricia Bowling

Patricia Bowling is AHFA’s Vice President of Communications. Since 2000, she has overseen print and web-based communications for the Alliance, including the Furniture Executive membership newsletter, all emailed bulletins and alerts, and all press releases pertaining to association programs, events and legislative and regulatory activities. She graduated from Indiana University with degrees in journalism and religious studies.

336-881-1006
pbowling@ahfa.us

Jackie Hirschhaut

Jackie Hirschhaut is the Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing for AHFA, as well as Executive Director of the International Casual Furnishings Association, a subsidiary of AHFA dedicated to the outdoor furniture industry. She has administered AHFA’s public relations initiatives since 1998 and shortly thereafter assumed leadership of the marketing division. Currently, she also heads AHFA’s membership development and produces AHFA’s Annual Meeting and CEO Conference each November. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with degrees in journalism and marketing.

336-881-1016
hirschhaut@aol.com

Michael Padjen

Michael Padjen is AHFA’s Vice President of Membership and Associate Member Relations. In addition to expanding AHFA membership and supporting the membership base, he currently heads AHFA’s Solution Partners and Specialized Furniture Carriers divisions. Padjen is an accomplished home furnishings executive with experience leading global manufacturing and sales. He is a graduate of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City with a degree in industrial engineering.

336-881-1010
mpadjen@ahfa.us

Bill Perdue

Bill Perdue is AHFA’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. He serves as the industry’s primary liaison with ASTM, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and all other state and federal agencies that address environmental, health and safety issues, as well as all technical standards and regulations impacting furniture manufacturers and importers. A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in political science, Perdue has more than 30 years experience dealing with regulatory issues in the furniture industry.

336-881-1017
bperdue@ahfa.us

Nicholas Spino

Nicholas Spino is AHFA’s Website & Digital Communications Manager. He oversees AHFA’s website and internal database system while also managing AHFA’s various social media accounts. He is tasked with enhancing AHFA’s website content and refining AHFA’s social media presence to improve overall member engagement. He previously worked as Coordinator of Electronic Communications at High Point University, where he developed email campaigns and managed website content and social media for Offices of Family Engagement, Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement. He graduated from High Point University with a degree in communications.

336-881-1003
nspino@ahfa.us

Donna Garcia

Executive Assistant for Human Resources, Membership, Communications, Solution Partners and Specialized Furniture Carriers

336-881-1035
dgarcia@ahfa.us

Michele Morris

Executive Assistant for Public Relations and Marketing
Director of Operations for International Casual Furnishings Association

336-881-1001
mmorris@ahfa.us
mmorris@icfanet.org