FSMA Leadership

J. Emmet Root graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1955 and after a brief stint in the Air Force he moved to Omaha, NE to marry his wife of over 60 years.  The plan was to join his father Emmet R. Root as a sales rep in Nebraska and Iowa while his father would handle Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.  Unfortunately Emmet R. Root passed away suddenly.  Furniture Sales of Mid-America was founded in 1963 by the younger Emmet as a sales representation agency calling on stores from Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska where the company was then headquartered.

In the Late 1970’s Emmet started a furniture distributorship in addition to his wholesale representation of factories.  The distributorship was in business over a decade, and developed relationships with many smaller dealers in the territory.  FSMA was one of the first importers of Asian products in the 1970s, a practice that is now commonplace.  Emmet was Chairman and President of the International Wholesale Furniture Association.  

Emmet had many sales awards, and industry awards such as the International Home Furniture Representative Association (IHFRA) Legacy Award.  His proudest industry achievement besides having his son and grandson join the business was when he was awarded the first ever ICON of the Industry in 2018.  Emmet was such an inspiration to retailers, factories and other reps that IHFRA literally created a new ICON award to honor Emmet still working into his 80’s.

Mike Root, Emmet’s son, started as a CPA for an international accounting firm.  After a couple of years the furniture business was calling.  Mike started a Furniture Leasing Business at the age of 24 which later expanded into the Furniture Retail business.  He was honored by the Small Business Administration as their Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1988.  In 1991-1993 the retail stores led by Mike were honored by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce as one of Omaha’s fastest growing enterprises three years in a row.

In 1994, Mike made a career jump to join his father at Furniture Sales of Mid-America.  It was then that FSMA expanded from the original six state footprint into Colorado and Utah.  Eventually they developed dealers in Kansas, Missouri, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona as well.

Mike joined IHFRA’s Executive Committee in 2008, served various roles including President and Chairman through 2014.  Mike still serves as an Emeritus Director of IHFRA’s Board of Directors.  In 2017 Mike received the highest award to a sales representative when IHFRA recognized his business accomplishments as well as his dedication to helping other reps.  The Distinguished Service Award is awarded to a sales representative who embodies certain positive qualities and character on behalf of IHFRA to other sales representatives and the industry.  The recipient enhances the image of the home furnishings sales representative in the community and the industry.

Mike writes for the national trade paper Furniture Today in a column entitled From a Rep’s Perspective.  He has also written columns for Furniture World.  He also publishes a monthly newsletter called “Rootnotes” that is well subscribed by retailers and  industry personnel.   From all Mike’s writing, he has published a new book to be released in the fourth quarter of 2025 entitled “FROM A SALES REP’S PERSPECTIVE:  What 60 Years and Four Generations Working in the Furniture Industry Have Taught Me” which will be a must read for anyone wanting to understand how to sell furniture in today’s environment.

Mike’s son Jay joined the firm in 2009 making him the fourth generation in the furniture industry.  He started working primarily with ecommerce accounts.  When Emmet stepped aside at the age of 86, Jay took over servicing most of his accounts.  Jay received the coveted 40 Under 40 Award from Home Furnishings Business Magazine in 2017.  

While Emmet was working, Furniture Sales was one of the only active sales representation firms with three generation firms active in the business.  That family attitude carried over to the way the firm conducts business treating customers and factories alike as an extended family.  In today’s fast pace, AI driven impersonal world, it is refreshing to have a real person you can call on to help find products or solve a problem.  Furniture Sales of Mid-America is a throw back to the full service days of old.