President, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, La-z-boy
Search every verified Melinda Whittington interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Melinda Whittington, president, CEO, and board chair of La-Z-Boy, appeared on two episodes of the podcast "The 20" in April 2026. She discussed the company's strategy of investing in both physical stores and digital experiences, describing it as an omnichannel approach. Whittington noted that while the industry was once focused on digital growth, La-Z-Boy's Joybird brand, originally an online business, now has physical stores, and the company's La-Z-Boy stores are improving their digital experience. She stated that the company plans to expand its store network from approximately 370 to 450 locations, citing data and analytics as the basis for that decision. Whittington also addressed the cyclical nature of the furniture industry, saying that while housing market challenges have affected the sector, she believes the industry will return to growth as the economy strengthens and housing improves. She emphasized that La-Z-Boy manages its finances prudently with a strong balance sheet and is careful about debt, while continuing to invest for the future. Additionally, she advocated for diversity of thought and demographic representation in business, noting that the majority of furniture purchase decisions are made by women.
“We know that what drives our industry is housing and that's been tough for a number of years. But we do believe that we'll see an industry that gets back to growth particularly as eventually when an economy gets stronger, housing gets stronger, mortgages get more reasonable or frankly just replacement cycles.”
“We manage our financials very prudently, very strong balance sheet. We're very careful about any debt or any commitments like that, knowing that these cycles can hit hard, but then at the same time, keep investing for the future because we believe in the future.”
“We manage our financials very prudently, very strong balance sheet. We're very careful about any debt or any commitments like that, knowing that these cycles can hit hard, but then at the same time, keep investing for the future because we believe in the future.”
“We're about 370 stores across our network and we've just recently called out we had been saying we would get to 400. We're going to go to 450. And the reality is we've got the data and the analytics to know where our consumers are.”
We sit down for twenty minutes of candid talk and insights from Melinda Whittington the La-Z-Boy CEO. She shares her leadership ...
Home News Now contributor Mark Schumacher interviews the top executive at the storied brand, which is perhaps the most recognized in the furniture industry. Whittington speaks about how the company has remained focused despite many challenges over the last several years. "While this is an industry that has been cyclical - and this has been a long cycle - we do believe in the growth of the industry," she says. And while housing is one of the areas of the economy that also has been challenged, "We also believe we will see an industry that gets back to growth as the economy gets stronger and hous…
Melinda Whittington, CEO of La-Z-Boy, joins CNBC's 'The Exchange' to discuss the state of the consumer, how La-Z-Boy has ...
Melinda Whittington, CEO of La-Z-Boy, on beating earnings expectations, strategies the company leveraged to drive growth, and ...
Melinda Whittington, La-Z-Boy president and CEO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the company's earnings report, the state of ...
Melinda Whittington, La-Z-Boy president and CEO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss La-Z-Boy's business now compared to a ...
La-Z-Boy Incorporated $LZB Q2 2023 Earnings Call.
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