Urethane Blog
The Story of Ashley Furniture
April 18, 2024
Ashley Furniture founder Ron Wanek first Wisconsin Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee in 50 years
- RACHEL MERGEN
- Apr 5, 2024
RACHEL MERGEN
All his life, Ashley Furniture Industries founder and chairman Ron Wanek wanted to work in manufacturing.
Now, he is on an exclusive list of those who have made a lasting impact on the sector in Wisconsin.
In February, the Arcadia businessman was inducted into the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce’s Manufacturing Hall of Fame. He was the first inductee added to the Hall of Fame since 1970.
“Wisconsin is a manufacturing state. It’s No. 2 in the United States as far as manufacturing jobs per capita,” Wanek said. “So what I’m saying is there’s a lot of manufacturers in Wisconsin, so I’m very honored.”
He said he did not expect to hear the Hall of Fame was set to expand.
“I was even more surprised when I found out I was the winner of it,” Wanek said.
Manufacturing family
Wanek was raised on a farm without indoor plumbing or electric lights near Lewiston, Minnesota.
“Manufacturing was always something that I wanted to do,” Wanek said.
A number of family members worked in manufacturing in Winona, Minnesota, he said. Eventually, he did too, starting with a job at Winona Industries in 1961.
Fast growth
He was able to learn and thrived at Winona Industries until he discovered an opportunity in 1970 to begin manufacturing occasional tables in Arcadia.
From there, he built Ashley Furniture Industries into the world’s largest manufacturer of home furnishings.
“That’s an impressive legacy for a company that only started 54 years ago,” Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce CEO Kurt Bauer said.
Bauer said Ashley Furniture has served as a huge employer and major economic engine in the western part of the state, helping other companies thrive through its supply chain.
The company has about 1,200 stores around the world, Wanek said.
Staying ahead
To stay strong, the company has made many changes through the years.
“We’ve had to constantly rebirth our organization,” Wanek said.
He said the company has implemented major changes to the way it operates 19 times. A big driver of those changes is the company’s mission to keep up with new technology.
Wanek said artificial intelligence and robotics currently are a focus for Ashley Furniture, along with making jobs easier for workers and remaining competitive.
Manufacturing in the US
Ashley Furniture also does all it can to keep its workforce in Wisconsin and the United States, Wanek said.
Philanthropy is also a priority for the Wanek family and Ashley Furniture, with over $45 million in donations since 2017 to science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs throughout the country.
Wanek said supporting diabetes and heart research programs has been a focus, along with planting trees throughout the country.
Wanek joins an impressive list of Hall of Fame inductees, including La Crosse native Reuben Trane, who founded Trane with his father, James.
Family-owned Ashley Furniture continues to grow far beyond its area home
Perfect fit for Hall of Fame
Bauer said Wanek matched the criteria for a rebooted Hall of Fame perfectly.
The Hall of Fame originally was started as the Industrial Hall of Fame in 1958 by the organization’s predecessor, the Wisconsin Manufacturers Association.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce — which was created when the Manufacturers Association and the Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce merged — wanted to bring back the Hall of Fame to honor Wisconsin as a manufacturing state, Bauer said.
“We just thought it made sense to honor the history of manufacturing and the fact that it continues in the state of Wisconsin,” he said.
The newly restarted Hall of Fame’s criteria, Bauer said, includes a person’s economic impact, leadership, civic engagement, community philanthropy and enduring legacy.
“Mr. Wanek was at the top of the list in every one of those categories,” Bauer said.
Sign Up for Email Updates
Everchem Updates Archive