Home Furnishings Industry Veteran Ron Downs Launches Senior Financial Consulting Company

HICKORY, NC, August 17, 2012 (Press-News.org) Respected home furnishings industry veteran Ron Downs has launched The Downs Group, providing senior financial consulting services to the furniture and home furnishings industry working with manufacturers, distributors and its suppliers. The Downs Group specializes in corporate finance and restructuring, financial planning, reporting and analysis, interim c-level management, internal audit and control framework, licensing agreements and requirements, mergers and acquisitions advisory, operations audits and analysis, planning and control systems and business development.

"I'm taking my experience and expertise to the next level. My unique combination of strong, hands-on expertise, combined with significant senior executive management and consulting experience in the furniture and home furnishings industry makes me a perfect fit for a broad range of consulting assignments for any size business. I swiftly analyze the current situation and provide value-added, cost-effective, timely and quality solutions," Downs says.

The Downs Group brings five key factors to each assignment: confidentiality, experience, expertise, results and follow-up. "The Downs Group is the cornerstone, driving superior results and functioning as a trusted advisor at any stage of the business life cycle," Downs says.

The Downs Group provides senior financial consulting services to business, banking, factoring, investment, legal and private equity entities. Downs has more than 35 years of strong, operations-oriented senior financial executive and consulting experience in the home furnishings industry at the corporate, group and business unit levels working with more than 75 public and privately held companies, ranging in size from start-ups to $1 billion facing critical issues, including industry consolidation, technology changes, governmental regulations, distribution channel changes, sales and margin erosion, asset re-deployment and global strategic alliances. Downs has excellent long-standing working relationships with many attorneys, auditors, bankers, brokers, c-level executives, factors, private equity groups and extensive furniture and home furnishings industry contacts.

Prior to launching The Downs Group, Downs was treasurer and chief financial officer at Taylor King Furniture, Inc., helping achieve record-high profitability levels through many aggressive actions, including the implementation of excellent business planning and control systems, cost reduction programs and product pricing improvements and superior asset and risk management strategies.

Before Taylor King Furniture, Inc., Downs had a successful senior management consulting company, providing financial and operational advisory services to over 50 companies, including many major furniture and home furnishings industry manufacturers, distributors and suppliers. Previously, Downs held senior financial and planning executive management positions with Ayers Furniture Industries, Alexvale Furniture, Inc., Hickory-Fry Furniture, Inc., Congoleum Corporation and operational finance positions with Hammary and Stanley Furniture. Downs has served multiple terms on the Finance Division Board of Directors of the American Home Furnishings Alliance and its predecessor associations. The Downs Group is a current member of the American Home Furnishings Alliance Suppliers Division. Downs is also a member of APICS-The Association for Operations Management, Financial Executives International, Institute of Management Accountants and Turnaround Management Association.

For more information, contact Ron Downs at (828) 446-6336 or visit http://www.thedownsgroupllc.com. All discussions are strictly confidential.