ATLANTA–After more than three decades leading the AmericasMart Atlanta area rug franchise and its predecessors, Chas Sydney has retired as senior vice president of AMC, AmericasMart Atlanta’s parent entity. This coincides with the conclusion of the most recent Atlanta International Area Rug Market and Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.
Kevin Malkiewicz, AMC’s newest vice president, assumes all area rug center leasing and management responsibilities with Sydney’s departure.
“We were a very different company in 1980 when Chas first signed on,” said Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart Atlanta and AMC. “And we are a much better company today because of his incredible sales skills, his customer service commitment and his long, hard work over these last three decades. We would not be in the rug business today, let alone be the nation’s number-one area rug marketplace, if it were not for Chas Sydney.”
Mike Turnbull, senior vice president for strategic relations, AMC, will continue in his role as area rug industry liaison with chief responsibility for sustaining AmericasMart Atlanta’s alliance with the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA).
“When you truly love what you do, how hard you work or how long you work doesn’t matter,” Sydney said. “What matters is what you’ve accomplished, the differences you’ve made and what you leave. I want to thank AMC and the Portman family for giving me the opportunity to do my best for many years. It’s been a great run.”
Going forward, Sydney will work with AMC as a consultant, as well as spend time with his family and pursue personal projects and hobbies.
The area rug product center now has more than 350,000 square feet of space on floors three through six in AmericasMart Building One.