john bassett vaughan
John Vaughan (b.1930 d.2012) chairman of the board of Vaughan Furniture Company and chairman/CEO of Webb Furniture Enterprises, is the son of Senator Taylor G. Vaughan, Sr., founder of Vaughan Furniture Company, and grandson of J.D. Bassett, Sr., founder of Bassett Furniture. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Furniture Manufacturing and Management from North Carolina State University, and serving as a U.S. Army officer in the Korean conflict, he joined Vaughan Furniture in 1954. The company then had $2 million annually in sales.
John Vaughan established the first quality control department which led to increased sales and profit. The motto, "If it's not right, it's wrong," still guides production. He became involved with product design and sales as well as the factories. He and his brother, George, directed the company through construction and acquisitions that brought his company to $147 million in sales in 1999, making it one of the top 30 residential furniture manufacturers in the U.S. and one of the most respected for its quality and stability.
As a board member of the SFMA, he assisted with its merger with NAFM, forming the American Furniture Manufacturers Association. He served as FMA president in 1988-89 and chairman 1989-91 during a severe economic downturn. He has been a strong supporter of the International Home Furnishings Marketing Association, has served on the Advisory Board of the N.C. State School of Engineering and as a board member of both The Furniture Foundation and the American Furniture Hall of Fame. John Vaughan has taken leadership roles in every area of his life.