Honoring:
Peter Chick, President of Sound Floor Coverings, Inc.
Donald W. Kuhn, President of Coronet Industries, Inc.
Frank Mayfield, Carpet Consultant of F.M., Inc.
FCIF held its ninth annual banquet on January 29, 1989 at the Imperial Ballroom of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. We celebrated three honorees that year: Peter Chick, President of Sound Floor Coverings, Inc.; Donald W. Kuhn, President of Coronet Industries, Inc.; and Frank Mayfield, Carpet Consultant of F.M., Inc.
Born in Bronxville, New York, Peter Chick moved to Washington State in 1948 when his father, Dave Chick, left his position at Pabco Linoleum to establish Sound Floor Coverings. During his high school summers, Peter and his brother, Geoffrey, gained firsthand experience working in the company’s warehouse. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in Business, Chick began his career at the Bank of California in San Francisco, where he worked for five years, eventually serving as Operations Supervisor of the Menlo Park Branch. His involvement in the community during this time was marked by active participation in the Palo Alto Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Menlo Park Lions Club, and the Boy Scouts of America as an Explorer Leader.
Returning to the floor covering industry, Chick became a prominent figure in the Washington State Floor Covering Association, serving on the Board of Directors and as President for two years. His contributions also extended nationally, having been a director of the National Association of Floor Covering Distributors in the late 1970s and again from 1987 to 1989. Beyond his professional achievements, Chick was an enthusiastic adventurer, participating in the Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race as a crew member and celestial navigator. He also enjoyed skiing and golfing and was a member of the Washington Athletic Club. He and his wife, Merrily, were proud parents of three children.
A native of Central Illinois, Donald W. Kuhn graduated from Alton High School and later earned a BS in Business Administration from Milliken University in Decatur, Illinois, following service in the United States Army. His career began in 1956 at Armstrong World Industries, where he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest District Manager in 1960. By 1968, he was selected to lead the newly acquired Evans and Black Carpets, where his leadership as Vice President and Director of Marketing helped elevate the company to prominence within the industry.
From 1973 to 1978, Kuhn served as President of Walter Carpet Mills, California's largest carpet manufacturer at the time. Following its acquisition by WestPoint Pepperell, Kuhn became President of WestPoint Pepperell's Carpet and Rug Division, a role he held until joining Coronet in 1987. Known for his hands-on approach, Kuhn earned a reputation as a dedicated and capable executive. He chaired the Carpet and Rug Institute and was a board member of FCIF and the Floor Covering Credit Association. Kuhn and his wife, Marion, were active members of the First United Methodist Church in Dalton, Georgia and proud parents of three daughters.
Frank Mayfield, a South Carolina native, began his career in the floor covering industry in 1939, working as a carpet salesperson for a large furniture store. Quickly rising to the role of manager and buyer, his career trajectory was briefly interrupted by World War II. After his service, in 1947, Mayfield launched his own retail carpet and rug business, “Mayfield’s,” in Greenville, South Carolina, with an initial loan of $12,500. Under his leadership, the store flourished into a multi-million-dollar enterprise.
Mayfield’s commitment to professionalism extended beyond his own business. As a founding member and past president of the Retail Floorcovering Institute (now the American Floorcovering Association), he significantly contributed to the industry’s growth. His leadership and dedication were recognized through numerous prestigious awards, including the Carpet Institute Award for Retail Merit in 1954, the Annual Award for Outstanding Merchandising Achievement in 1975, and the Jack Beckwith Memorial Award in 1984. Even after selling his firm in 1986, Mayfield remained active as a consultant, educator, and writer, notably serving on the planning committee for the AFA’s Mayfield College of Professional Selling. He lived in Greenville with his wife, Alpha, near their daughter and two grandchildren.
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