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| Apr 21, 2016 |
Duralee CEO-cofounder Leonard “Lenny” Silberman has died
Boh staff
By Staff

Leonard Silberman, cofounder and CEO of Duralee, passed away on April 16 at the age of 93. Silberman got his start in the industry as a fabric shipping clerk and salesman, later founding Duralee with his two partners, Sig Rosenberger and Marshall Kutz, in 1952. He was also a pioneer who opened the first major fabric showroom in Washington, D.C., and joined the D&D Building in New York as an early tenant.

Silberman grew the company from a small fabric house to a design leader. Today, Duralee represents seven fabric lines and four drapery hardware lines, in addition to manufacturing its own furniture in North Carolina.

The company recalled a leader known for his “feisty personality, keen business acumen and loyalty to his employees, vendors and customers.”

Silberman leaves behind three children, including Duralee’s senior vice president, Amy Silberman-Benjamin, two stepdaughters, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

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