LOFA, the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association, has announced two new appointments to its board of directors. Steve Millington has been voted in as the new Chairman, and Alwyn Williams as the new Vice Chair.
The new leadership team is focused on the future of LOFA and recognises the need for change and innovation. Steve and Alwyn are committed to enhancing the organisation's benefits to its members and working towards future-proofing the association.
Steve Millington, Sales Director at Tom Chambers, brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having been involved in a range of industry projects and steering groups over the course of his career. With a comprehensive understanding of all types of retailers related to the sector, including e-commerce, Steve is ideally placed to help LOFA adapt to the changing needs of its members.
Steve's journey in the garden industry began at Ward Pots in 1984, where he worked for six years before moving to Sankey Pots. There, he quickly transitioned into National Accounts and Sales Management before joining Westland in 2002 as the Northern Sales Manager. After six years with Westland, Steve moved to CPL (Coal Products Ltd), where he developed their Garden & DIY sales in a £5m division from a standing start. In 2012, he was approached by Bosmere Products and offered the role of Sales Director. During his time at Bosmere, he served on the GIMA council and became president in 2014. In 2018, Steve joined Tom Chambers and became Sales Director in 2020. He has been a part of the LOFA council for the past four years and became Vice President alongside Pravin Patel in 2023.
Meanwhile, Alwyn Williams, the Head of Business Support at Zest, a leading outdoor garden furniture and timber products specialist, has been appointed as the Vice-Chair of LOFA. He has three decades of experience in the garden industry and has worked at Zest and its parent company, P&A Group, for thirty years. He started his career in production and then moved on to the commercial side of the business in 2002, where he oversaw all aspects of new product development, procurement, sales, and distribution. Later, in 2011, as the Head of Sales and Business Development, he played a vital role in transitioning Zest from using sales agents to developing a full-time national salesforce team. Alwyn's experience has helped Zest grow into a multi-million-pound company, and he has been a key part of the brand development team, which repositioned Zest as the go-to brand for outdoor leisure in 2022.
Steve and Alwyn both have vast knowledge of the outdoor leisure industry and are eager to get started in their new roles alongside their fellow members of the LOFA council, including Hannah Brown, Luke Hopkins, Andrew Hutchison, Julian Windsor, Chris Newman, Stephen Davies, Tim Pennell, and Ben Forte. The new appointments signal a positive and exciting change for LOFA, together, they will work towards the common goal of driving innovation, improving member benefits, and securing LOFA's position as a leading authority in the outdoor leisure industry.
