Amatulli Named New ORRA President
The Oriental Rug Retailers of America, Inc. (ORRA) announced that Rich Amatulli has assumed the position of president for 2012-2013.
Richard Amatulli
Amatulli has spent his entire career in the rug business as an importer, wholesaler and retailer. Indeed, having bought his first Turkish Rugs in 1968 while stationed in Izmir Turkey with NATO Amatulli’s love affair with rugs has lasted 44 years. His expertise is widely known and has committed to the education of wholesale trade members to consumers nationwide.
Amatulli joined ORRA in the late 1970 and ORIA in the mid 1970 where he worked on both marketing, education and advertising committees for both. Rich has been largely responsible for the modern Turkish Rug Renaissance and noted to be the first to introduce in 1974 Turkey’s Bashmakchi rugs and in 1978 Turkish Ushaks. While actively engaged in the Oriental rug trade he maintained his military responsibilities as a special adviser on the Mideast retiring as a LT Colonel in 1995. He is graduate of West Point in 1966 with a engineering degree and University of Illinois masters degree in Mideast Affairs and Geography, having taught Earth and Space Science and Middle East and Developing Nations at West Point from 1974-77.
Amatulli’s career includes wholesale and retail operations in NYC, New Jersey ORICA (a co-founder), and Connecticut with three retail stores in both fine furniture and oriental rugs. Moving operation south in 2007 to the Carolinas’ he’s briefly had operations from Greenville to Asheville while maintaining and servicing clients in the Northeast. He likewise attended as an exhibitor or buyer every year since its inception the Atlanta Market and the first ORRA trade shows in conjunction with the annual conventions.
He brings expertise and a new vision to ORRA hoping to adapt new technology in an attempt to advance and broaden our organizations importance to the trades and consumers alike. Education and ethics will be his focus as 2012 unfolds. The Atlanta market has “given us cause to be excited about the future”, he said, noting the number of successful and pleased buyers and vendors at this January’s market.
