Fabric Legend Finneran Dies

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 8/7/2007 12:00:00 AM

Andover, Mass. —

Services were held last Wednesday for Tom Finneran, 67, who died July 27.

Finneran, a longtime decorative fabric industry executive, had been president of sales and marketing for American Century Home in Salisbury, N.C., for the past four years.

Earlier he was vp of sales for the former Joan Fabrics, and then Cone Mills; prior to that he was at Quaker Fabric as vp of sales. He earlier was with Beacon Mfg.

"What a tragedy — I loved him; he was a very, very dear guy. He's someone I'll really miss," said Elkin McCallum, former ceo of the now defunct Joan Fabrics. "He certainly loved the fabric business."

To Gil Tamares, longtime sales rep for Quaker and now vp of Regal Fabrics, "He was a salesman's manager, a real gentleman, and he was always there for his people. Everything I have in my career I owe to him. The industry lost a giant."

For Burt Kaplan, now a consultant to Diversitex and a longtime fabric industry consultant, "He was one of the last legends, a great guy, a man's man, and always thought of the customer. We lost a big personality. He loved the fabric business and the camaraderie of the industry."

Finneran is survived by his wife Maureen, six sons — Chip, who is with Merrimac Textiles; Sean, who is with England Furniture; Robert, Brendan, Edward, and Neil — and nine grandchildren.