Prior to joining Berkline Benchcraft, Mr. Smith was a financial executive for MTD Products, Inc., a privately held consumer products company based in Ohio.

Berkline Benchcraft  announced that Steven M. Smith has joined the company as chief financial officer. He replaces Mark A. Roberts, a managing director of Alvarez & Marsal, LLC who assumed these duties in July 2006 and remains with the company in a senior advisory capacity.

The announcement of Mr. Smith as CFO marks the culmination of a reorganization of BBH's executive management team that began in July, when the company retained Alvarez & Marsal to assist in its operational reorganization.

"Steven brings many years of experience in consumer products, manufacturing, distribution, and retail," stated Bill Wittenberg, president and CEO of Berkline Benchcraft. "He also brings an international expertise at a time when our industry is undergoing accelerated change as more and more of our operations are being conducted in a global environment."

Prior to joining Berkline Benchcraft, Mr. Smith was a financial executive for MTD Products, Inc., a privately held consumer products company based in Ohio. Mr. Smith's responsibilities included chief financial responsibility for MTD's international business unit as well as the company's worldwide corporate and strategic development operations. In addition, he redesigned management reporting and provided leadership focused on key financial and operational measures.

Mr. Smith holds a B.S. degree from Valparaiso University and an M.B.A. in Finance and International Business from Baldwin-Wallace College. His professional credentials include the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Financial Manager (CFM) designations.

He joins Jeff Hale and Larry Smith, whose appointments as executive vice president and COO and senior vice president of sales and marketing, respectively, were announced earlier.

Together they form an executive management team that also includes, in addition to Mr. Wittenberg, Dal Eckard, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, and Dennis Carper, senior vice president of human resources.