ZEELAND, Mich. – Contract furniture giant MillerKnoll has appointed R.J. Stelter senior vice president and general manager of Geiger and DatesWeiser. Stelter will lead all areas and functions of the business, develop growth strategy, and maintain operational excellence to drive profitability for both brands.

Stelter has more than a decade of experience at MillerKnoll, most recently as vice president, Distribution Channels and Dealer Development for Americas Contract, where he led the company's dealer integration efforts and created new programs and avenues for dealer partnership. Prior to that role, Stelter served in a number of leadership positions for Herman Miller, including vice president of North American Contract Sales.

“Since first walking their factory floors, I’ve long been an admirer of Geiger and DatesWeiser’s craftsmanship and commitment to high-quality, modern design,” Stelter commented. 

A wholly owned subsidiary of MillerKnoll, Geiger specializes in "statement-making spaces that offer a premium level of polish and sophistication." Founded in Toronto in 1964 by John Geiger, and headquartered in Atlanta since 1979, Geiger was acquired by Herman Miller (now MillerKnoll) in 1999.

Founded in 1982 in Buffalo, New York by Jim Dates and Allan Weiser, DatesWeiser was acquired by Knoll (now MillerKnoll) in 2016. DatesWeiser, which specializes in standard and custom-made conference and meeting room solutions, joined operations with Geiger in 2021, following the acquisition that year of Knoll by Herman Miller, which resulted in MillerKnoll.

Headquartered in Zeeland, Michigan, MillerKnoll is considered the largest contract furnishings manufacturer in North America and is ranked #2 overall on the FDMC 300, a listing of the largest wood products manufacturers in North America based on sales. Along with DatesWeiser and Geiger, the MillerKnoll brand portfolio includes Herman Miller, Knoll, Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Design Within Reach, Edelman, HAY, Holly Hunt, Knoll Textiles, Maharam, Muuto, NaughtOne, and Spinneybeck|FilzFelt.