Floorcovering Industry Pioneer Mayfield Dies

Greenville, SC, Sept. 26, 2011 -- Bennie Frank Mayfield, the first person to be inducted into the American Floor Covering Industry Hall of Fame, died Aug. 30 at the age of 97.

Mayfield was in the professional home furnishings retail business his entire career. In 1946, he founded Mayfield's Rugs and Carpets Inc. in Greenville S.C.

He was a founder and past president of the Retail Floor Covering Institute as well as an advisor for the Retail Council for the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

He was a past recipient of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation Tribute and in 1986 he received the John Beckwith Memorial Award. In addition, he received the Carpet Institute Award for Outstanding Merchandising Achievement and the Carpet Institute Award for Retail Merit.