About Hickory Standards
Hickory Standards is a new contract furniture manufacturer built on decades of manufacturing experience and a deep commitment to quality. Founded by industry veterans Jay Rubino and Eric Pfeiffer, who bring a combined 75 years of experience in contract manufacturing and furniture design, and business leadership, the company is setting a new benchmark for what dealers and specifiers can expect from a domestic upholstery partner.
The company’s manufacturing home is Hickory, North Carolina, a region long known as a center of American furniture production. Hickory Standards has assembled a team that includes former HBF Furniture employees, bringing proven manufacturing discipline and craftsmanship to every piece that leaves the factory floor.
Built specifically for the contract market, Hickory Standards focuses on upholstered products designed to perform in demanding commercial environments. The name reflects the company’s mission: a return to rigorous standards in materials, construction, and service, paired with the responsiveness and partnership today’s dealers and A&D community expect.
About the Founders
Jay Rubino brings 43 years of experience in contract furniture manufacturing, engineering, and operations. He began in product development at The David Edward Company before earning his degree in Wood Science and Technology from North Carolina State University. He went on to lead manufacturing and engineering operations at Pennsylvania House, Cabot Wrenn, and Hancock & Moore, before founding Ruskin Industries in 2000. He grew Ruskin into a leading engineering and manufacturing company before selling it to Herman Miller in 2008. Jay then led seating and table operations for Geiger International, and later served as Vice President of Engineering and Development for HNI’s soft seating and the HBF brand. After 12 years with HNI and a brief stint consulting, Jay is now applying that full career of manufacturing leadership to building Hickory Standards.
Eric Pfeiffer is a fourth-generation Californian who has spent nearly three decades designing and building furniture brands. He studied design at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the Rhode Island School of Design, then founded design and manufacturing company Bravo 20 in San Francisco in 1996, where four pieces were acquired by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art within the year. He later merged Bravo 20 into the New York-based furniture brand Offi, serving as vice president of design, before leaving in 2005 to found his own studio, Pfeiffer Lab. At Pfeiffer Lab, he developed product concepts and design strategy for a wide range of companies, including Google, Target, Steelcase, Design Within Reach, Crate and Barrel, Alcoa, OXO, and Room & Board, among others. He co-authored Bent Ply: The Art of Plywood Furniture, the seminal book on the history and manufacturing of bent ply furniture, reflecting a deep, hands-on understanding of how furniture is made. In 2016, he founded Corral, where he continues to serve as CEO and creative director, building a premier American design and manufacturing company, authentically rooted in craft, utility, and longevity.