NORTON SHORES, MI - Contract furniture producer Flairwood Industries is under new management. Furniture industry executive Wayne Baxter has become the majority owner of the Muskegon-area firm and will take over as president.

The sale was finalized on March 13.

Flairwood manufactures cabinetry and storage solutions for the business, education and healthcare markets. Greg Lonnee and Terry Hill founded Flairwood in 1976, and in 1988 Paul Remondino purchased majority shares in the company. The three previous owners have agreed to stay on as employees or contract consultants, according to information from Rua Associates LLC, the mergers and acquisitions firm which handled the transaction.

In addition to Baxter, the new ownership team includes Baxter's wife Mary, and Joel and Joy Pyper,  Rua Associates said. Joel Pyper is also owner and president of Standard Lifters, a Grand Rapids-based tool and die component firm.

Wayne Baxter has been involved in the industry for a number of years, including leadership roles at Herman Miller, Attwood Corp. and Nuvar Manufacturing. Most recently, he led the development and expansion of Herman Miller's Thrive ergonomic and technology portfolio.