John Tipton was the president and founder of Appalachian University Systems. He had been supplying furniture to the college and university market for over 25 years. In 1992, John formed Appalachian U.S. after working for various companies in the collegiate market place. He began by supplying furniture to institutions in Alabama and its neighboring states. Appalachian now provides services to colleges and universities all across the United States. As the president and owner of Appalachian, he is responsible for establishing and implementing the company’s focus and strategic goals. In addition to working directly with schools, John has worked with many developers, architects, and designers in the college market. John passed away due to Lou Gehrig's disease on July 3, 2008.

Brian Tipton joined Appalachian U.S. in 1992 and is now Vice President of Operations. His early involvement included, but was not limited to, sales and installation. As one of its first employees, Brian has played a big part in the growth of the company in both sales and impeccable installation services. He also contributes to Appalachian by writing specifications for furniture lines, quality control and assurance, and continued customer care. In addition to these duties, Brian continues to personally call on clients and act as supervisor on installation crews throughout the year.

Dean Harvison is Regional Sales Manager and has worked with Appalachian U.S. since 1998. Before completing his degree at the University of Montevallo, he worked on Appalachian's furniture installation crews. Through his years as an installer, Dean became acquainted with the furniture industry and the company Appalachian. After graduating with a B.A. from Montevallo, he joined Appalachian's team as a full time employee. Dean's years at Appalachian have been concentrated primarily in the sales department, both making sales calls and managing sales representatives. He also takes time to work in product development, facilitate marketing strategies, and he works hand in hand with manufacturers. Dean also enjoys supervising installation crews throughout the year to maintain close relationships with his customers as well as his projects.

Euable during our presentations in the annual shows with her excellence in customer service and her knowledge of construction and design is an asset to our clients.