To Market's President and CEO, Phil Wexler, is an Icon in the floor covering business. From his creation of Bentley Carpet Mills to present, Phil has managed to attract and inspire talented business professionals around the globe. His associates have a fierce loyalty to him, with some following Phil to each of his new business ventures. We asked Phil if he would mind sharing some of his history as well as his visions for the future of the industry and To Market. We will post excerpt of Phil's interview over the next several weeks.
Part 1
Your notoriety as an entrepreneur in the floor covering business is extensive and three fold; Founder and former President & CEO of Bentley Carpet Mills, Starnet, and now To Market. Which gives you the most satisfaction and why?
All three companies were started from scratch in different time periods. Bentley grew from a few employees in 1979 to over 800 during my tenure and almost $180 million in sales. It was great to build a brand name that was recognized worldwide as an innovator in texture, color, flexibility and service in the commercial carpet business that continues to be a leader in that industry today.
Starnet was started to bring an organization together with flooring contractors nationwide that could take advantage of their expertise in floor covering sales, service, installation and contacts by utilizing the collective strengths of each member company all banded together with a limited number of manufacturing vendors to increase market share and professionalism in the commercial flooring industry. Today, it is bigger than ever and continues growing.
To Market™ was created out of a vision to bring to the commercial marketplace “Alternative Materials for Interior Spaces,” all centered on environmentally friendly and well designed sustainable products manufactured from recycled materials. Creating products and specifications with an environmental story has been great fun and has opened up an entirely new category of sales in a previously untapped market.
Today, all three entities continue to thrive, which is very rewarding because thousands of people and their families earn their incomes and are touched by each company on a daily basis.
“However, what gives me the most satisfaction is when the University of Southern California, where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree, beats U.C.L.A., their cross town rival, in football or any other sport.”
