Trio Acquires Giftware Holdings
Staff -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 8/1/2003
San Diego — Milestone Partners, Philadelphia, teamed up with industry execs Woody La Forge and Chris Collins to acquire the operating assets of Giftware Holdings, a marketer of impulse gifts through the Figi, Michel, and JS Stannard brands. Milestone will operate the new organization under the Figi name, with Michel and JS Stannard continuing as core brands. La Forge, who has 30 years of experience with companies such as Lenox and Blyth, will be chief executive of Figi. Collins, a Russ Berrie and Colonial Candle veteran, will become senior vice president of sales and marketing. La Forge and Collins plan to expand the company's sales force, open additional showrooms, and introduce new product designs. Giftware Holdings was formed in 1998 by an investment firm that acquired Michel & Company and Figi Graphics. Milestone Partners is a private equity group that also has an investment in E&B Giftware.
