Gene Krueger Fine Furniture: Driven Entrepreneur and Craftsman

from Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine, December 2020

Welcome to Our Team, Sheila Turner-Hilliard!

Business Profile by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos courtesy of Gene Krueger

It’s 7am and the craftsman’s shop doors are open. The smell of newly lacquered wood permeates the air. Lights on, and a new day begins at the carpentry shop of Gene Krueger Fine Furniture.

For over 50 years, Gene has been building furniture, but the dreams of a craftsman’s studio, outfitted with all the tools to build exquisite pieces of furniture, was a winding road. Gene’s father, a master craftsman in his own right, gave his sons the knowledge of how to use tools and the character to never fear failure. But becoming a furniture craftsman was only part of a journey of innovation, creativity and growth for one of the county’s leading entrepreneurs and influencers.

As a graduate of St. Joseph’s College, Gene’s first calling was as a biology and math teacher as well as track and cross-country coach. In 1964, with his family in mind, Gene decided to pursue a different career and landed a job with Sperry Univac, one of the first mainframe computer companies. He quickly mastered computer languages and designed software at the genesis of the Information Age.

Because programming computers was a new industry, it required long and grueling hours similar to the start-up tech businesses of today. Even with the amount of time spent on programming, Gene noticed that many of the IT departments they were working with still faced problems with their computer systems. “I saw those unmet needs as an opportunity,” said Gene, “so I decided to go out on my own and become a consultant and software designer for Philadelphia-area companies.” His entrepreneurial drive was ignited, and Krueger Associates, Inc. was born.

Over the years, Gene acquired mainframe computers to manage his clients’ data, and he housed them in the Lawrence Park Industrial Center. As his business grew, so did his staff. Phone centers, data entry and, shortly after, warehousing and shipping facilities were added. The company name also changed to reflect its expansion: National Fulfillment Services (NFS) reliably served hundreds of national clients and employed thousands of people from our community.

A growing business needs furniture, and Gene was up for the task! His passion for craftsmanship would be evident as he built furniture to outfit the call centers, conference rooms and executive desks. His love for his family and friends motivated him to also use his spare time to create many custom furniture pieces for their enjoyment.

In 2014, Gene retired from NFS, to pursue his dream of creating furniture as a full-time pursuit. In just its first few years, Gene Krueger Fine Furniture started turning out heirloom-quality tables, cabinets, desks, chests and bookcases. In the years since, Gene has built amazing pieces that grace many homes in our community and beyond, with the satisfaction that they will last for generations.

Now more than ever, our homes have become our sanctuaries. Gene understands the need for quality pieces that are both beautiful and functional. He recently launched a new line of multi-purpose lap desks.

For Gene, business is personal. Customers collaborate on the design, select the hardwoods, style and finishes, to make one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces. “I want my clients to enjoy the natural beauty, functionality and craftsmanship of fine wood pieces that will last a lifetime and add to the style and comfort of their home,” Gene explained.

He says, “In our fast-paced technological society, we are rapidly losing the skills to make things ourselves. It is important that each new generation learn the basic skills to be self-sufficient and experience the joy of creating that made our country the greatest in the world.”