The casual industry is full of strong women leaders, and Megan Pierson, the 2024 chair of the board of directors of the International Casual Furnishings Association and executive vice president of business development at Polywood, aims to bring these powerful leaders to the forefront of the industry.
Pierson attended her first ICFA meeting about a decade ago when she started her career with Polywood, and the evolution of her involvement is a perfect road map for those aspiring to leadership positions in the organization.
She immediately joined the marketing committee, leading it for two years while participating in meetings and educational conferences. She became chair of the social media committee and served on the board for six years.
“At Polywood, we believe the people make the difference,” she says. “Building a great team of people around you will challenge you to get the best outcomes possible. That management philosophy aligns completely with how the ICFA is run and serves me well in this new leadership position.”
Talking to Casual News Now about her new role on the ICFA board, she explains that after the huge growth that the industry experienced in 2020-2022 — and softer growth last year that left retailers with an overwhelming amount of inventory — 2024 has been a reset year for a lot of businesses. And along the way, the ICFA has been there to help the industry through common challenges.
“The ICFA provides an opportunity for members to come together and help each other through common issues they are facing,“ she says. “We have received amazing feedback on the Retailer Roundtables, which create a safe environment for retailers to speak freely on the issues or successes they are experiencing.”
As the chair of the board this year, Pierson says her overall goal is to grow membership, including empowering more women business owners.
“Two initiatives to help achieve that goal that we are launching are the Women’s Leadership Network, as well as a task force focused on increasing membership benefits,” she explains. “The task force focused on membership benefits is a new initiative that I expect will help us fine-tune the benefits we offer and improve how we promote those benefits to prospective new members.”
The Women’s Leadership Network invites all women in the industry to be involved. “We hosted our first WLN event in Atlanta at the July show and had a great turnout of amazing women in the industry,” Pierson adds. “Our next event will be held at Atlanta Casual Market on Monday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 a.m. in Building 1, Floor 10, Room 10-04.”
Pierson also has big ideas for the future and will focus on younger members joining the ICFA, as she considers younger members crucial to the ongoing vitality of the organization.
“I would love to see those starting in our profession join our program and become part of a multigenerational community of leaders” she says. “I believe their viewpoints and agility with new channels and technology will bring diversity and inclusivity, ultimately elevating our industry.”
The past four years have been unprecedented for manufacturers and retailers alike, and Pierson says the ICFA will continue to keep a pulse on the industry and provide the latest resources to its members, giving them an advantage in the marketplace.
