MARTINSVILLE, VA - Hooker Furniture (Nasdaq:HOFT) has named Matt Cowan to the position of Vice President--Special Accounts.

Since 1990, Cowan has been a sales representative for Hooker in Northern Texas and Oklahoma. He has been a professional sales representative in the furniture industry since 1983, beginning with Riverside and then Universal before joining Hooker.

"The development of key accounts is an important part of our business today and will be a vital part of our growth going forward," said Alan Cole, president of Hooker Furniture. "Matt is ideal for this role in a number of ways, including his keen understanding of Hooker's business culture as well as his exceptional ability to size up the needs of customers and then align the right programs and products to accomplish their objectives and maximize the relationship," Cole said.

Added Cowan, "Having been a representative all these years, I believe I can bring a thorough understanding of the dealers' perspective and an understanding of their unique challenges, whether they are a department store, family-owned business or another business model."

Cowan will work closely with the merchandising team in developing proprietary product for key national and regional dealers.

Cowan, who reports to Ray Harm, senior vice president-sales, will be based in Dallas.

Ranked among the nation's top 10 largest publicly traded furniture sources based on 2010 shipments to U.S. retailers, Hooker Furniture Corporation is an 88-year old residential wood, metal and upholstered furniture resource. Major wood furniture product categories include home entertainment, home office, accent, dining, and bedroom furniture in the upper-medium price points sold under the Hooker Furniture brand, and sold at moderate price points under the Envision Lifestyle Collections by Hooker Furniture brand. Youth bedroom furniture is sold under the Opus Designs by Hooker Furniture brand. Hooker's residential upholstered seating companies include Hickory, N.C.-based Bradington-Young LLC, a specialist in upscale motion and stationary leather furniture, and Bedford, Va.-based Sam Moore Furniture LLC, a specialist in upscale fabric occasional chairs with an emphasis on cover-to-frame customization. Please visit our websites at www.hookerfurniture.com, www.envisionfurniture.com, www.bradington-young.com, www.sammoore.com and www.opusdesigns.com

Source: Hooker Furniture