Industry icon and Wood Industry Market Leader Tony Bour announces retirement

HARRISBURG, S.D. – After a career spanning 50 years in the kitchen cabinet industry, Tony Bour, CEO of Showplace Wood Products and Wood Industry Market Leader, is set to retire January 13, 2017. Showplace President and COO Paul Sova will take Bour’s place as CEO.

"Tony has been a strong and capable leader, a valued colleague and personal friend,” said Sova. “He has been a consistent and valuable influence through both good and challenging times. The employee-owners of Showplace are grateful for his innumerable contributions to the company and his distinguished tenure as CEO over the last seventeen years," Sova adds.

Established in 1999, Showplace Wood Products primarily distributes its customized cabinetry through more than 600 independent kitchen and bath dealerships across the U.S.

Showplace is the third cabinet manufacturing company founded by Bour. He previously founded StarMark Cabinetry (Sioux Falls, S.D.) in 1979 and Decora Cabinetry (currently in Jasper, IN) in 1976.  All three are viable, nationally recognized brands today.  Within the cabinet industry, Bour served two terms as the president of the national trade association -- the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA).

Under Bour’s leadership, Showplace was named “South Dakota Business of the Year” in 2002, and “South Dakota Outstanding Philanthropic Business” in 2007.

Employee-owned since 2006, the company grew from a standing-start to achieve nearly $1 billion in total sales since its beginning. The company currently has 560 employee-owners.

“While I’m proud of the companies I’ve started, I’m most proud of having created an opportunity for every employee to benefit from the success of the company through our ESOP,” said Tony.

Speaking of the company’s future prospects with Sova at the helm, Bour said, “There’s nothing new about Paul’s leadership within the company; he’s played a crucial role in the company’s success since our inception. I couldn’t be more comfortable that Showplace is in great hands.”

Bour has served as a director on the boards of Raven Industries and U.S. Bank South Dakota, both publicly traded companies. He has also served on the board and as board chairman for Sioux Valley Hospital (now Sanford Hospital).

Showplace Wood Products’ CFO Emery Lee also announced his retirement, effective January 13, 2017.  Brent Aday, company controller for the past 10 years, will take his place.

More information about Tony Bour and Showplace Wood Products can be found here.

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Robert Dalheim

Robert Dalheim is an editor at the Woodworking Network. Along with publishing online news articles, he writes feature stories for the FDMC print publication. He can be reached at [email protected].