hyman meyers
Hyman Meyers (b.1911 d. 2010), along with his brother, Sidney, and brother-in-law, Nathaniel Krumbein, pioneered the business strategies and philosophies that guided Heilig- Meyers in becoming one of the most successful publicly held retail furniture companies in the United States. Heilig-Meyers was founded in 1913 by Hyman's father, J. M. and his uncle, W. A. Heilig. In 1934, Hyman became manager of the Wilson, NC store. After receiving the Bronze Star Medal as an Air Force Captain during World War II, he returned to Heilig-Meyers in 1946 as the company's general manager. In 1951, Heilig-Meyers moved its headquarters to Richmond, VA, and in 1965, Mr. Meyers became president of the company.
Under Mr. Meyers' guidance, Heilig-Meyers became a public company in 1972, and in 1983, Heilig-Meyers' stock was listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. He served as chairman of the Board and chief executive officer until he retired from active employment with the company in 1984, but continued to serve as a member of the board of directors. When Mr. Meyers became president in 1965, sales were approximately $5.3 million with 14 stores. In 1993, sales were approximately $549.7 million with 425 stores.
Mr. Meyers was actively involved with various industry related organizations throughout his career. He served on the boards of the National Retail Furniture Association and the Southern Retail Furniture Association (now the North American Home Furnishings Association and the Southern Home Furnishings Association). He also served as president of NRFA, and in 1969, he received the prestigious John Willis, Jr. Award of Merit.