Esteemed Furniture Manufacturer Watson Announces CK McKenzie as President, Maintaining Company’s Culture and Values Across Generations
CK McKenzie succeeds Clif McKenzie as the second-generation President of Watson Furniture, assuring the company’s deeply held values and goals will continue to be the foundation on which future success is built. Clif McKenzie will stay on as CEO and bring his expertise to product and strategy and is excited to offer support as Watson evolves and grows under new leadership.
This change not only marks a significant investment in Watson’s future but reaffirms the company’s standing as a community-minded employer. CK McKenzie notes, “I believe in our purpose with a capital p.’ To create careers that are satisfying personally and professionally while building products that excite us and that are designed with integrity. The ability to build that is directly tied to (Watson) being a multigenerational company because we’re more committed to staying here – for both our employees and our customers.”
CK McKenzie brings a depth of experience to the role through his work within Watson’s product, scheduling, and manufacturing sectors as well as his leadership training from his service in the Marine Corps. Additionally, McKenzie’s exposure to Watson from his childhood on developed his nuanced understanding of the business’s history, culture, and the industry at-large positioning him as a capable leader committed to the company’s future success.
“This personally for me is very rewarding outside of my family ties,” CK McKenzie says when asked about his role. “It’s a job I love – one focused around helping others succeed and leveraging our strengths as a company to support every single person here, whether they work on our factory floor or in the admin office, so we can honor each other and our customers.”
About Watson:
For over 50 years, Watson has designed and built furniture for the forward-thinking office. Every Watson product represents a drive to explore and deliver the best solutions for the modern office landscape, that give individuals the tools to thrive in their environment, and that act as flexible building blocks for designers to craft inspiring, impactful spaces.
At Watson, everything is rooted in Soulful Design, a guiding philosophy that’s led to their current success and continues to be the set principles by which they operate. This practice means a product’s function is wholistically considered and balances the needs of end-users, installers, facilities teams, and clients to deliver the right designs. Each piece exhibits an understated, timeless, and is built respectfully with responsible materials that come together in a way that supports the hardworking people on the factory floor.