Fieldcrest Cannon takes a look back with reunion

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/9/2001 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK — In a celebration virtually unprecedented in scope and intensity of feeling, about 150 veterans of Fieldcrest Inc. — later Fieldcrest Cannon, and, still later, Pillowtex Corp. — reunited during market week to commemorate a major mill once known as the 'aristocracy' of the industry and its now vanished culture.

Former designers, salespeople, clerks and ceos, now dispersed throughout the industry and across the country, partied at Ruth's Chris restaurant, hugging, high-fiving, swapping memories and catching up.

"Is this not the best party you've ever seen in your life?" asked a grinning Jim Fitzgibbons, former chairman and ceo.

"There's no other company in the industry that could do something as wonderful as this. It was a very special place and a very special group of people — such creativity, such excitement, so much fun," said David Tracy, the marketing mastermind who conjured up the concept of the towel wall, and later Royal Velvet, during his Fieldcrest tenure.