Donny Mecke

Business Development Services, LLC

The Success of Your Business is Our Business

Donny Mecke

Donny Mecke formed BDS, LLC in 2006 to work with a select number of businesses in the Southeast.

Mecke retired in July of 2005 from Standard Furniture in Bay Minette, AL where he served as Executive Vice President for 19 years. While at Standard, Mecke served on the executive committee (governing body of Standard) and helped steer the company’s growth from $20 million to $270 million in annual revenues.

Prior to his retirement from Standard, Mecke was the corporate vision strategist in charge of corporate planning and policy deployment and established himself as a Sensi (Japanese: leader-teacher) in the Toyota Management System. From 1989 to 2005, Donny also directed all sales and marketing functions. During his tenure at Standard, Mecke was responisible product development, production scheduling and inventory control for over 10 years.

Donny also served as President of Home Brands, Inc. (HBI), a Standard owned company established in 2002. HBI was initially established in partnership with Kathy Ireland World Wide to co-develop the Kathy Ireland Home brand. In 2002 and 2003, HBI’s primary role focused on business development through new corporate brand partnerships and brand infrastructure. Currently, eleven companies manufacture Kathy Ireland Home products with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billon.

Mecke served on the Board of Directors for the Home Furnishings International Association (HFIA); served as the President of the International Furniture Suppliers Association (IFSA); was on the Board of the World Market Center in Las Vegas; and was a board member for the San Francisco Furniture Mart. Mecke was named 2005 Man of the Year by the IFSA. He is also the recipient of Standard’s W.M. Hodgson Award of Excellence, the highest honor the company gives. In 2004, Furniture Today Magazine recognized Donny as one of the top fifteen marketing executives in the Furniture Industry.

Through Business Development Services, Inc. Donny has consulted with various companies throughout the Southeast, assisting them with business development and organizational issues. Don is a member of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA) and a SCORE Small Business Counselor.

Prior to his long career with Standard, Mecke served in management and executive positions with AT&T and BellSouth. Along with two partners, Mecke also started and owned a successful telecommunications & data networking company in Montgomery, Alabama (Network Consultants, Inc.). While working for Standard, Mecke also established a successful auto racing company (Diamond Motorsports, Inc.) that competed in three professional racing divisions.

Donny is a magna cum laude business graduate of the University of Alabama. He has a lovely wife, Kay and 11 year old daughter, Audrey. In his spare time, Mecke enjoys the guitar, motorcycling and fishing.