GM Shawn Buffum promoted to top operational post
By Alan Wolf, YSN
BrandSource member Orville’s Home Appliances has promoted General Manager Shawn Buffum to COO.
Buffum, who joined the company in 2021, will now be responsible for day-to-day operations at the chain’s eight New York State stores and oversee more than 200 employees.
“We continue to add and promote key professionals who will further strengthen our strategic leadership and operational efficiency,” said Orville’s President Mickey Reali. “At Orville’s, we truly care about our customers and employees. I have tremendous confidence that Shawn will guide our company to new heights and bolster our high-performance, customer-focused culture. He is the perfect choice to lead operations.”
Buffum joined Orville’s from Live Nation Entertainment, where he served as a regional sales director. Prior to that he was a marketing and advertising executive at several media outlets including The Buffalo News, the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester and The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.
“I’m excited to take on this new role as chief operating officer and build on Orville’s legacy of serving the Western New York community,” Buffum said. “Since joining the team, I’ve focused on using technology to deliver a modern, customized and efficient shopping experience, both in-store and online, which supports customer satisfaction and employee engagement. I’ll continue that focus, always giving priority to the company’s values as a family-run business that puts customers first.”
Locally owned and operated since 1965, Orville’s is the largest independent home appliance retailer in Western New York and a ranking TWICE Top 50 Appliance Retailer, serving the Greater Buffalo and Rochester markets. Its eight showrooms average 11,000 square feet or more and each carries over 1,000 products, trucked from the company’s 110,000-square-foot warehouse. All merchandise is backed by the dealer’s low-price guarantee and most major brands are supported by its factory-trained and authorized service and installation department, which remains the largest in the region.
YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers.
