HIGH POINT, N.C., May 5, 2015 – High Point University will recognize the lifetime achievements of Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture, and his countless contributions to business and philanthropy with an honorary doctorate at the HPU Commencement ceremony on May 9.
Wanek started manufacturing furniture with only 35 employees in 1970. His company, Ashley Furniture Industries Inc., is now the largest furniture manufacturer in the world and the largest furniture retailer in the U.S., with its headquarters in Wisconsin.
“Ron Wanek exemplifies the promise of the American Dream,” says Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president. “His distinguished career in the furniture industry has been earned through hard work and determination coupled with his belief in free enterprise and service to humankind. It is for these reasons that High Point University will bestow upon him an honorary doctorate of business administration.”
At HPU, Wanek is a philanthropic investor and a mentor to students studying business, sales and home furnishings. The R.G. Wanek Center at HPU is named for him and his wife, Joyce.
“Todd (Wanek) has led Ashley’s sustained growth since he became CEO in 2002. We have a great working relationship,” says Ron Wanek. “Our admiration for Dr. Qubein and High Point University is well documented. Dr. Qubein inspires his students and others to embrace the free-market economy and find their place within it. We are honored to be associated with Dr. Qubein and this prestigious university.”
In 2012, Ashley Furniture opened in Advance, North Carolina, what is one of the world’s largest furniture manufacturing and distribution facilities that already employs more than 900 people. The company remains a major presence at the High Point Market.
Wanek has also served as a guest speaker on campus for students considering business or a furniture-related career in the future. He encourages them to bring innovation to the furniture industry and serve as its next generation of leaders. His son, Todd Wanek, who serves as president and chief executive officer of Ashley Furniture, also mentors members of HPU’s Sales Club.