Franchising USA

Furn i ture medic

When ron Pierce retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years as a cardiopulmonary technician, he was interested in maintaining that sense of fulfillment and joy in a new vocation. he found it as a Furniture medic franchise owner. Transitioning from repairing hearts and lungs to repairing furniture may not seem like a natural next step, but Pierce says his new career lets him use his problem-solving and free-thinking skills to help otherpeoplefindnewlifeinobjectstheyvalue and cherish.

“I have always been one to reap what I sow,” Pierce said. “Being fully responsible for my results brings a sense of accomplishment that you can’t get anywhere else.”

And Pierce knows about rewarding work. Not only did he work stateside as a medic in the cardiac cath lab and manager of a sleep disorders clinic for the Air Force, he had two deployments as a member of a critical care trauma team. His deployments supported Operations Northern Watch and Iraqi Freedom in 2002 and 2003. Pierce’s expertise was recognized by Air Force leadership, and he culminated his career as the advanced course curriculum developer forhiscardiopulmonarycareerfield.

At a friend’s suggestion, Pierce worked inmovingclaimswhenhefirstretiredfrom the military in December 2010. Seeingfirst-handthebumpsandbruises

Franchising USA

a family’s belongings sustained during relocation, he understood the enormous need in the furniture repair industry. Pair that demand with his lifelong hobby of building furniture and the fact that he also loves engine mechanics, and purchasing a Furniture Medic franchise was a match made in Heaven.

Or at least, for Pierce, a match made in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The North Texas town is home to Sheppard Air Force base and is just across the state line from Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Among Pierce’s many clients, he’s happy to count people serving in the military.

“I’m humbled every day to be able to interact a lot with Army and Air Force personnel,” he said. “Giving back to folks in the military is a really rewarding part of my business.”

Pierce normally limits his service area to a 75-mile radius, but has had special requests to travel 250 miles or more. A few of his many satisfying projects, include refinishingall175diningroomchairsfora retirement village, thrilling the elderly residents with their “new” chairs, and restoring an antique Partners Desk from the1800s.Atfourbyeightfeet,itwasavery large piece with built-in drawers in the top slab and three leather inlays that all required precision detail restoration. The owner, the president of an oil and gas company, remembered the piece from decades earlier and had originally wanted it in his home. But when he saw the restoreddesk,hewanteditinhisofficeforall to see.

Beyond his profession of bringing new life to cherished possessions, renovating cabinetry and rescuing new furniture from delivery mishaps, Pierce gives back personally. He supports a therapeutic horseback riding farm in his community, teaches Sunday School, and serves on the Education Policy Team of his state representative’soffice.Healsoenjoysgolf and camping with his wife and three teenage sons.

For more information visit: www.furnituremedic.com

ron Pierce Profile

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