ATLANTA—Chas Sydney has retired as senior vice president of AmericasMart, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., vice president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart Atlanta and its parent company, AMC., Inc.

Kevin Malkiewicz, vice president of AMC, will assume all Area Rug Center leasing and management responsibilities at Sydney’s departure. 

Going forward, Sydney will work with AMC as consultant on a variety of initiatives, according to Portman. " In his retirement, he will spend time with his family and pursue the projects and hobbies he now enjoys."

 â€œMalkiewicz has helped lead our area rug and home furnishings business for more than 12 years," noted Sydney.  "He is well prepared for this role and will undoubtedly reinforce AmericasMart’s commitment to the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA), the rug business at AMC and the continued unparalleled customer service to the area rug industry.”    

Mike Turnbull, AMC senior vice president for strategic relations, will continue in his role as area rug industry liaison with chief responsibility for sustaining the AmericasMart alliance with the  Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA).

Sydney has led rug and floor covering leasing at the Atlanta Mart for more than three decades. He was the chief architect of the development of the Atlanta Area Rug Center in the late 1980's.

"Sydney's retirement marks the completion of a successful 31-year tenure in which he led the area rug business through a succession of advances," noted Portman..

“We were a very different company in 1980 when Chas first signed on.  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,” Portman said. “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.” 

“When you truly love what you do, how hard you work or how long you work doesn’t matter,” said Sydney.  “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.”     

"Sydney leaves an area rug product center well positioned for continuing growth with more than more than 350,000 sq. ft of space on floors three through six in AmericasMart Building One," said Portman.  

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