Ethan Allen Shareholders Add Activist to Board

Shareholders of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (Danbury, Conn.) have tentatively elected three new directors proposed by activist investor Douglas Bergeron, including Bergeron himself, the company announced. Not re-elected to the board was longtime Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari, along with the board’s Lead Independent Director and another board member.

“This marks a new chapter in Ethan Allen’s storied history,” Bergeron said in a separate news release. “Throughout this campaign, we asked shareholders to give us the mandate to restore accountability, revitalize the business and return Ethan Allen to profitable growth. Based on the preliminary results, shareholders have delivered that mandate.”

If the results are certified as final, they would likely mark the final chapter of Kathwari‘s tenure, Furniture Today reported, while also noting Bergeron has suggested a possible non-voting chairman emeritus and special advisor role for Kathwari, subject to his acceptance.

As reported on VMSD.com sister site Shop!, Bergeron kicked off the proxy battle in August when he likened the company to a “melting ice cube” shortly after Ethan Allen released its fourth quarter and full fiscal 2026 earnings. One of his main objections was that Kathwari had been in his roles for too long. (He was named president of the company in 1985 and chairman and CEO in 1988.)

The chain currently operates about 170 retail design centers and studios.