Marshall Furniture announced that Dick Mangione, the company’s founder and former President, passed away on January 16, 2026, at the age of 79 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Mangione leaves behind a legacy defined by innovation, mentorship and a genuine commitment to people. He transformed a modest operation into a premier name in custom architectural AV furniture, setting a standard for quality and design-build excellence that remains the company’s hallmark today.
Building a Legacy from the Ground Up
Mangione founded Marshall Furniture in 1986 after identifying a critical gap in the market while working at Luxor Furniture. He saw the emerging need for specialized housing for audiovisual equipment — a niche that would soon become essential to corporate and educational spaces worldwide.
What started as a small local operation building wooden carts for large monitors rapidly evolved. Through close collaboration with local dealers and clients, Mangione expanded the business across the Midwest and eventually onto the global stage. Under his leadership, Marshall Furniture transitioned from simple utility carts to sophisticated, design-build architectural furniture.
Even as the company grew, Mangione remained hands-on. He was involved in every department, from sales and finance to manufacturing and shipping. In the early years, he helped build the furniture himself — a craft he continued to enjoy as a hobby well into his retirement in 2017.
A Culture of Growth and “Sink or Swim” Mentorship
For over three decades, Mangione was the rock of Marshall Furniture. His management style was described as calm, effective and deeply supportive. He fostered a workplace culture that was ahead of its time, creating a relaxed environment that even welcomed dogs into the office.
He believed in growth from within, challenging his team to learn through experience. Michelle Wille, managing partner at Marshall Furniture, recalls her hiring in 1999 as a pivotal moment in her life.
In a LinkedIn post, she shared, “Dick was not only my boss but also like a second father to me. He led with a ‘sink or swim’ approach… Little was given; everything was earned. This method inevitably led to mistakes, but those were the best moments for learning. Dick would often say, ‘If you’re not learning from mistakes, you’re doing something wrong.'”
Wille notes that Mangione’s wisdom seemed limitless. He was a brilliant storyteller whose answers were often wrapped in witty, detailed narratives that kept the workplace filled with laughter and life lessons.
A Lasting Industry Impact
Mangione’s influence extended far beyond the products his company manufactured. He prioritized relationships, making countless friends across the AV industry. He built a company where work ethic and personal connection went hand in hand.
Image courtesy of Marshall Furniture.
“Dick’s legacy lives on through the company he built, the people he mentored, and the countless relationships he formed along the way,” the company shared on LinkedIn. “He was truly one of a kind, and on behalf of the Marshall team, we were honored to have worked for him.”
For those who have had the privilege of working under a transformative leader, Mangione’s passing serves as a reminder to value those relationships. As Wille poignantly advised, “If you have been as fortunate as I have to have an incredible boss, mentor, and someone who has shaped your life, make sure to find them and thank them.”
Mangione’s spirit remains embedded in every piece of furniture Marshall creates and in the team he helped shape.
