AmericasMart Atlanta has hired Mark Furlet as Senior Vice President/Leasing for Building One Home category permanent showrooms, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart parent company AMC, Inc.

Furlet joins AmericasMart from dual appointments at the Chicago Merchandise Mart, where he served as vice president in charge of all gift and home business, and at the L.A. Mart, where he held the position of vice president and general manager responsible for the L.A. Mart, the L.A. Mart Design Center and California Gift Show brands.  In his dual capacities, Furlet served on the Marts’ parent company Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI) leadership team, to which he was appointed in 2007. He managed both the Chicago and Los Angeles entities from the Chicago headquarters.

“Mark’s broad home furnishings category perspective gained through years of proven business leadership aligns well with our mission of continued domestic and international expansion,” notes Portman. “He joins a team highly engaged in the home furnishings sector and comes prepared to help advance our efforts to reach and serve new exhibitors seeking the unique benefits of AmericasMart’s global business base,” Portman adds.

Furlet will report to David Savula, AMC executive vice president in charge of all home, area rug and gift leasing. His home and gift industry service in Chicago and with the L.A. Mart followed a 20-year legal career, that preceded by eight years of retail management in Chicago, including four years with the former Marshall Field’s.