J. clyde hooker, JR.
Clyde Hooker, Jr. (b, 1920) joined Hooker Furniture in 1946 following graduation from Virginia Military Institute and four years in the U.S. Air Force, where he served in the European Theatre and was discharged as Captain. He became sales manager in 1956, was elected president in 1960, and named chief executive officer in 1966.
As CEO of Hooker, Mr. Hooker has guided the company to becoming one of America's most successful manufacturing concerns, with sales increasing from $4 million dollars to more than $164 million. The company has become a leader in developing successful niches such as wall units, bookcases, home office, and home entertainment centers. Under his guidance, Hooker Furniture was always an industry profit leader.
Clyde Hooker contributed generously to our industry, community, and family. He served as chairman of the Dallas Market Center Advisory Board, and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Atlanta Merchandise Mart. He was Director Emeritus of the American Furniture Manufacturers Association and a substantial contributor of time and money to the Home Furnishings Council and the High Point University Furniture Program.
Among the many awards Mr. Hooker received: The Pillar of the Industry Award from IHFRA in 1977; the James T. Ryan Award from AFMA in 1985, and a Distinguished Service Award from the VMI Foundation in 1993. As one colleague put it, "Clyde Hooker has the respect and admiration of his nearly two thousand employees and everyone else who knows him."