Russell Towner of Lee Industries on lead times and the future of furniture

Russell Towner, the president of Lee Indstries, is a lifer in the furniture business, with almost three decades spent at companies like Henredon, Baker and Theodor Alexander. Now he’s at the helm of one of North Carolina’s most venerable brands at a peculiar time. A COVID-inspired boom in home spending has filled Lee’s order book, but the pandemic—and a shock foam shortage—has made it harder than ever to meet demand. On this episode of the podcast, Towner talks with host Dennis Scully about why the furniture business is so dependent on two chemicals, what the concept of spressetura means to Lee, and what things will look like in the design business when the pandemic is a thing of the past.This episode of the show is sponsored by Serena & Lily and Artistic TileLINKSLee IndustriesLead TimesDennis ScullyBusiness of Home