A SINGULAR VISION
Frank Pollaro founded the company on August 2, 1988. His vision was simple; to produce the finest handmade furniture in the world using the most unique and spectacular selections of wood. Supported in these early days by luminaries such as Charles Gwathmey, David Geffen, and Larry Ellison – the company has grown over three decades to serve some of the most discerning clients in the world.
Our patrons helped us shape the philosophy of the company by supporting our singular vision. As a result, we have built a legacy of doing things that no one else can. The capability that we nurture simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Each year we make fewer than 200 pieces of furniture, each touched by the irreplaceable skill of our master craftspeople.
Today, the Pollaro team hails from 28 different countries – an orchestra playing together to achieve the highest level of their art. All of our departments including design, engineering, drafting, furniture making, veneer work, carving, finishing, special finishes, gilding, metalworking, and upholstery are located under one roof at our workshop in Hillside, New Jersey.
Frank Pollaro founded the company on August 2, 1988. His vision was simple; to produce the finest handmade furniture in the world using the most unique and spectacular selections of wood.
Supported in these early days by luminaries such as Charles Gwathmey, David Geffen, and Larry Ellison – the company has grown over three decades to serve some of the most discerning clients in the world.
Our patrons helped us shape the philosophy of the company by supporting our singular vision. As a result, we have built a legacy of doing things that no one else can. The capability that we nurture simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Each year we make fewer than 200 pieces of furniture, each touched by the irreplaceable skill of our master craftspeople.
Today, the Pollaro team hails from 28 different countries – an orchestra playing together to achieve the highest level of their art. All of our departments including design, engineering, drafting, furniture making, veneer work, carving, finishing, special finishes, gilding, metalworking, and upholstery are located under one roof at our workshop in Hillside, New Jersey.
a passion for wood
“I have spent a lifetime being mesmerized by the natural tones of wood. Our collection is the result of a never-ending pursuit to find the finest examples that nature has to offer. We present our patrons with a once in a lifetime selection of colors, grains, and figure. Nothing makes me happier than to see a person have the same emotional connection to the wood that I have.”
Frank Pollaro
“You are a brilliant artist Frank, really without peer in
our current day and age.”
Larry Ellison
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Frank Pollaro – Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Frank was raised in New Jersey and founded Pollaro Custom Furniture in 1988. A master craftsman, Frank is responsible for the creative design direction and oversite of all craftsmen, wood selection, and production methods. He manages the daily operations and provides direction on Company strategy.
Frank is married to Jennifer Pollaro and they have two children; son Frank James and daughter Eleanora Valentina. Frank is an avid French wine collector, gardener, and pizzaiolo.
Joseph Atencio, Director – Joe was raised in Los Angeles, the son of a Disney animator, and joined Pollaro’s board in 2016. Joe earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. A retired CEO, he has spent over 20 years focused on high-end consumer products manufacturing. He provides oversite in the areas of project management, manufacturing efficiencies, finance, and brand strategy. Joe enjoys woodworking and stone masonry.
Dylan Stuart, Director – Dylan joined Pollaro’s board in 2021. He is a Senior Partner at global consultancy firm Lippincott with over 20 years of experience advising leading organizations on brand building. He is currently based in California and provides oversight on brand strategy, marketing and corporate development. Dylan has a passion for boats and the ocean.
Advisory Board
Steve Balog – Most of Steve’s career was in the investment business. He spent almost 20 years on Wall Street as a technology analyst and as director of equity research including at the number one ranked research firm. After Wall Street was a partner in a private investment partnership that delivered a strong performance for clients in a very difficult market environment. Since retiring from the investment business, he has invested in a series of small ventures – digital marketing agencies and online specialty retailing.
Mr Balog has a BS in Mechanical Engineering (Bucknell University) and an MBA (Wharton School of U of Penn). He and his wife of 39 years have 3 grown children.
Jan-Patrick – is a thought leader in the consumer space with extensive experience in luxury brand development. Jan-Patrick is the Founder & CEO of MUIRBURY & Co. The firm specializes in developing consumer brands where excellence in craft, superior product quality, best-in-class customer service, and the beauty of design are central to brand equity.
Jan-Patrick is also an independent director of TIMELESS WINE Co., the group company owning some of California’s finest wines including Silver Oak, Twomey, Ovid, and Timeless. He also serves on the board of directors of THORNWILLOW PRESS and the German American Chamber.
He served for over two decades on the global leadership team of MONTBLANC, a Richemont-owned luxury brand. Jan-Patrick is also the former CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of the WÜSTHOF Group, 200-year-old premium lifestyle brand that manufactures cutlery and cooking products for a global community of passionate food fans. He is also the former Chairman of the STEIFF Group, a diversified group of companies in the kid’s fashion & toys space.
He lived and worked in Europe, Asia, and the United States. He holds a BA in International Business from the IBS, Germany, and an MBA from Southern Illinois University. He is married to Nathalie, and they have three children.
Peter Saulnier – has broad and deep experience as an investment banker, business leader and investor. While on Wall Street, he completed over 70 major public and private equity and debt offerings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and recapitalizations, for both industrial and consumer businesses.
He left banking in 2000 to become CFO of Country Road Communications, where he increased EBITDA by seven times in five years through acquisitions and operating improvements. Peter was key in bringing in a new private equity investor, ABRY Partners, and completing a major recapitalization that set a record for leverage in the industry at the time.
Since 2006 Peter has been an advisor and investor in private businesses, most recently focused on impact investments in Seed to Series A stage companies involved in healthcare, supply chain improvement, clean environment and energy, and human capital development.
Peter has a BA in Political Economy from Williams College and an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth, where he was elected an Edward Tuck Scholar.
IN MEMORIAM
Stephen R. Beck – Steve was a director at Pollaro from 1996 through 2018. Much of our success over the past 25 years was a result of Steve’s guidance. Steve was raised in New Jersey and he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from Stanford. He joined Pollaro after retiring from an environmental services company he founded. He provided guidance in the areas of financial, management, and strategy. Steve lived a rich life with his wife Mary. He was a collector of fine wine and he enjoyed cooking, and gardening. He was an avid basketball referee. We keep his memory alive by following his business principles.
Made without equal
HANDMADE IN THE USA SINCE 1988