Furniture sales representative finds a good fit in Sparks

Chris Noel's last name means "Christmas" in French.

With the translation of his name he's basically "Chris Christmas" and a strong belief in the memory hook that humor provides, his business card reads "Merry Office Furnishings and a Happy New Chair!"

Noel is an independent factory representative, and his Sparks-based company, the Furniture Department, represents seven furniture lines, including VIA Seating, a seating manufacturer headquartered in Sparks.

His longstanding affiliation with VIA has been at the root of some of the most significant decisions in his life including his marriage.

Nineteen years ago, he was pushing a broom in a San Jose warehouse that contained what Noel describes as "a whole bunch of furniture."

"I had computer experience, and when the owner got some inventory software, he asked me to input all the furniture into the new program," Noel recalls. "I ended up becoming a junior project manager for a dealer. I was hired to teach all their project managers about the materials. I knew every piece and part of the furniture."

That introduction to the industry proved a stepping stone that eventually found him traveling 48 a weeks a year as a regional sales director for VIA.

He was making a good living for his family, but the travel took a toll. He saw an opportunity in northern Nevada to work an under-represented territory and get away from the high home prices in northern California.

He and his family moved to Reno, and when his youngest son Forest was born, Noel decided it was time to come off the road.

He'd met his wife Melissa through VIA; she was a VIA rep from Pittsburgh who came from Pennsylvania to Reno for a sales meeting. The couple, Noel says, fell in love at first sight, and Melissa moved to the West to be with Noel.

After leaving his life as a road warrior, Noel went to work for a commercial furniture dealership for three years. A year ago, Noel and Melissa started their own business.

"I saw an opportunity to be a pioneering rep in northern Nevada," he says. "All the furniture reps come from northern California, and their ability to serve this market takes a real dedication. Very few had that. I saw an opportunity to represent quality products to the locals."

While the area was not considered a viable market, compared to the Bay Area, it was significant to Noel. He already knew VIA and feels it's one of the highest quality products on the market, making his job that much easier.

Talking about office chairs their ingredients, the quality of foam used by manufacturers evokes a passion in Noel that's catching. He's a firm believer in the support and comfort people should feel in their work environment, and while some of the chairs may seem costly, he considers it an important, one-time investment.

"We sit at our desks 8-10 hours a day, and it's one of the worst things we can do to our bodies. If you have an ergonomically correct chair, you can improve your posture and the way you use your muscles,' he says. "I have a passion for making people comfortable in their work environment."

Noel's own work environment is about as perfect as they come; he works from a home office, and it's offering him the kind of rewards he dreamed about when he was on the road.

"The quality of life with my family now is amazing. (My wife and I) are actually participating in raising our children ... Whoever helped me get this career path, well, it was a gift. Had to be some kind of higher power," he says.

While he does sometimes miss a few things about life in California, like the nearby bass fishing, the ocean air, and constant temperatures, Noel has never looked back at his choice to move.

"Nevada has a freedom like no other state," he says, "and the people I work with are all wonderful. Northern Nevada as some of the highest quality individuals I've ever met."

The chair-man

Who: Chris Noel, independent factory representative, the Furniture Department

Family: Wife, Melissa. Son Hunter is 12, daughter Amber is 8 and son Forest is 4

He says: "Buy a cheaper desk ... spend the money on your chair. It's the only part of your office that touches your body all day."