Leading furniture store owner receives UF’s highest alumni achievement
Keith Koenig, President of City Furniture and Warrington alumnus, received the University of Florida’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in December 2017 at the undergraduate commencement ceremony.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest award an alumnus can receive from the university. It signifies a graduate’s contributions to his or her chosen field or outstanding service to the university. The distinction is reserved for those who have achieved true excellence.
Koenig (BSBA ’73, MBA ’75) founded City Furniture in 1994 with his late brother, Kevin, out of Waterbed City, the chain of waterbed stores Kevin started in 1971. Over the last 40 years, City Furniture has grown into South Florida’s leading furniture retailer with 27 showrooms under the City Furniture and Ashley Furniture HomeStores brands across south and central Florida.
Koenig’s company employs over 1,300 associates who all seek to deliver on the company’s purpose, “To enrich people’s lives and make the world a better place.” City Furniture is also dedicated to sustainability, as it is consistently recognized as one of the top 50 Greenest Fleets in America, ranking #24 in 2017.
Koenig’s focus on quality and service allowed his company to earn thousands of customers across Florida, continuing to grow its revenue year after year. Other significant milestones include the innovation of Same Day Delivery 7 days a week in 2002, being named the #1 furniture retailer in Florida, and introducing free shipping, a first among furniture retailers.
In addition to his business success, Koenig is a tireless community leader. He is a board member of the Miami branch of the Federal Reserve Bank, Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, Broward Workshop and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Koenig is a Gator through and through, dedicating his volunteer leadership across UF, including the Warrington College of Business Advisory Council, serving as a Life Member of the UF Alumni Association and a past chair of the UF Foundation Board, in addition to serving on the Presidential Search Committee that recruited current UF President Kent Fuchs.
He has also been prominently recognized for his contributions and successes, including received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the UF MBA Outstanding Alumnus Award, the Furniture Retailer of the Year Award and was made a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope John Paul II.
Koenig’s passion, though, goes beyond his business. He represents the best of the Gator Nation, as Warrington College of Business Dean John Kraft described him, Koenig is an “exceptional business executive, dedicated civic leader, generous philanthropist and devoted family man.”
