October 6, 2010
The HON Company is joining forces with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and The Nashville Build to rebuild Lighthouse Christian School in Nashville, TN. A team from HON visited Nashville to install SmartLink™ education solutions and more to help the school recover from the damage sustained during the May flooding. In addition to installing classrooms and several offices worth of furniture they also provided the furnishings for the VIP tent. The episode will air on ABC this fall, check your local listings for details.
The makeover project, is a pre-school in Nashville that was a victim of the punishing May floods. HON, North America’s leader in workplace furniture solutions, is responding to a call from the show’s design team to provide its award-winning SmartLink™ classroom furniture systems, along with seating for students as well as for instructors and aides. The contribution of furnishings, which will also include administrative offices and complete the entire facility beyond the four classrooms due to be revealed in a broadcast this fall.
“When the call came for us to provide what was needed, we were empathetic and willing to commit,” said Shelley deSilva, HON vice president marketing. “We’re an Iowa-based company, and our own community knows firsthand the tragedy Mother Nature and floods of this proportion can inflict. HON has made it a corporate practice to extend a helping hand whenever possible, and our members also personally rally to volunteer when disasters like this occur.” Aside from its own experiences with flood-ravaged homes and businesses, deSilva said The HON Company also felt an affinity for the people of Nashville by way of regional roots. HON has two manufacturing facilities that are both within 200 miles of Nashville—one in Florence, AL, and the other in Cedartown, GA. Much of the furniture headed to the “Extreme Makeover” project is coming from these factories.
Excelling in the design and production of
office furniture for more than 60 years, HON introduced
SmartLink in 2008, its first foray into the education category. But the company had done its homework well, developing a collection that instantly earned one of the furniture industry’s most prestigious honors, a Best of NeoCon Silver Award. What it learned from extensive research among facility managers, interior designers, teachers, principals, administrators and students is that the type of furniture needed for today’s classroom must help to foster interaction,
offer sensible organization of teaching materials, work with today’s technologies, be durable and highly adaptable to a constantly evolving academic environment. And, what HON ultimately created based on this insightful input were mobile teacher stations, innovatively-shaped student desks, versatile modular storage, a unique wall rail system, white boards and other accessories.
Inspired by practicality and invested in understanding the needs of its customers, The HON
Company strives to establish meaningful connections resulting in product solutions and customer support that exceed market demands. As a leading designer and manufacturer of workplace furniture including chairs, storage, panel systems, tables and desks, HON’s commitment to serving its customers is rooted in reliable performance and a member culture that is
approachable, confident, smart and ready to serve. Headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, The HON Company has numerous manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the United States, and markets its products through a nationwide network of loyal dealers and retailers. The HON Company is an operating company of HNI Corporation (formerly HON INDUSTRIES).
