The Opportunity Coalition Speaker Series Featured Speaker: Jake Jabs President & CEO, American Furniture Warehouse
Thursday, December 11th, 2014 5 — 7pm MDT
The Innovation Pavilion Denver Tech Center 9200 E. Mineral Ave Centennial, Co 80112
About The Opportunity Coalition Speaker SERIES
The Opportunity Coalition Speaker Series features a different Guest Speaker every month and will provide attendees with the rare opportunity to glean wisdom and insights from Colorado’s most influential and accomplished… Show more business, academic, legal, and political leaders and entrepreneurs. For more information on The Opportunity Coalition, visit: www.OpportunityCoalition.com
We look forward to seeing you at these special Speaker Series and networking events. Together, we can build bridges between business, entrepreneurs, legal, political, and non-profits throughout Colorado to improve our State.
COST: $20 per Person per Event. Note: 50% of this cost will be contributed directly to Opportunity Coalition’s new Opportunity Scholarship Program, which has been created to assist Colorado’s citizens in all stages of career development and education with individual grants. For more information, to submit a candidate or organization for consideration, or to apply for this opportunity please click here. The recipients of these scholarships will be announced at each OC Event.
MORE About This Evening's Featured Guest SPEAKER
American Furniture Warehouse president and CEO, Jake Jabs, is not a run-of-the-mill businessman by any stretch of the imagination. The fourth of nine children, Jabs was born and raised in rural Montana, and his parents were immigrants from Russia and Poland. He credits his family for providing him a strong work ethic, a sense of family and a love of music. In fact, this long-time musician's entrepreneurial career began in guitar sales.
Later, after a brief stint selling home electronics in the early 1950s, Jabs' first serious venture into the furniture business came in 1968 when he opened Mediterranean Galleries, a high-end furniture store with locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Billings, Montana. The Mediterranean trend ran its course and the Galleries closed five years later. Shortly after that, Jabs came across an opportunity that would become his life.
American Furniture Warehouse was founded in 1975 when Jabs purchased the struggling, 90-year-old American Furniture Company. With just one location at 58th and Bannock in Denver, Colorado, Jabs brought in fresh marketing ideas and new business philosophies, including a name change to American Furniture Warehouse, which set the company on the path to success.
Under Jabs' leadership over the last three decades, American Furniture Warehouse is vastly different than the one-store operation he purchased in 1975. The company has expanded into a twelve-store operation that has experienced a remarkable growth trend over the years. As he has been since the beginning, Jabs is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and also leads the company's team of buyers - even taking multiple buying trips in the U.S. and overseas per year himself. Today, American Furniture Warehouse, which is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, is one of the top retail furniture companies in the U.S. With sales topping $392 million in 2013 and with nearly 2,000 employees throughout Colorado, American Furniture Warehouse is one of the largest privately held businesses in the state. The company has thirteen locations throughout Colorado and Arizona; Aurora, Englewood, Centennial, Lakewood, Thornton, Westminster, Colorado Springs, Firestone/Longmont, Fort Collins, Glenwood Springs, Pueblo, Grand Junction, and Gilbert, Az, with one soon to open in Glendale, AZ.
At today's American Furniture Warehouse, customers enjoy the largest selection of quality, stylish home furnishings and accessories at the lowest prices in the state. What's more, American Furniture Warehouse is known to have the largest selection of furniture under one roof in the United States. American Furniture Warehouse makes a priority of working efficiently and keeping costs low, so that those savings can be passed on to the more than one million customers the company serves each year.
In addition to its mission of providing customers with the best furniture at the lowest prices, American Furniture Warehouse is deeply committed to giving back to the community. Jabs traveled throughout more than 50 countries over the course of his career as a major furniture importer as well as in his early years in the Armed Services. Those experiences have prompted him toward a lifelong study of various forms of government and business. In yet another form of giving back to the community, he often speaks to high school and college students on topics such as the basics of business and the keys to success. Widely known as an innovator and a pioneer in the home furnishings industry, Jabs is frequently sought out for comment on pressing industry issues.
This self-taught businessman credits American Furniture Warehouse's success to "the basic American philosophies of hard work, long hours, self confidence, the courage to take risks, the desire to give value and service to every customer as well as the passion for community service." In addition, Jabs has built a business where "honesty is the best policy" is not just a catch phrase; rather it is a core operating principle.
With more opportunities to grow and give back to the community, American Furniture Warehouse will continue to make a positive impact for years to come.
ABOUT The Opportunity COALITION
The Opportunity Coalition ( www.opportunitycoalition.com ) is a Colorado nonprofit social welfare organization operating pursuant to Irc 501(c)(4) that is specifically designed and actively managed to promote and facilitate a business-friendly environment that encourages free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. Its intent is to create more opportunity, quality employment, and connections for Colorado's citizens.
The Opportunity Coalition is for business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, influencers, thought leaders, public servants, and concerned citizens. The Opportunity Coalition strives to provide its Members with the platform, resources, and benefits they need to succeed.
We encourage you to RSVP today!
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