A Professional Baseball Player Reinvents His Career as a Furniture Supplier

The way we work has changed dramatically. As we innovate the world of media and technology, we are also reinventing our work environment. Furnishing the workplace of the future requires partnering with an innovator, and Comcast NBCUniversal found just that in furniture supplier A. Pomerantz & Co., owned by former Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Garry Maddox.   

After retiring from baseball in 1986 with a prized collection of eight Gold Glove Awards (1975-1982), Garry Maddox traded the field for the classroom to pursue a passion for business and learning. By 1995, he assumed majority ownership of A. Pomerantz & Co., a furniture company with roots that traced back to 1888. Maddox, an African American and a Vietnam Army veteran, brings the same skills that made him a champion baseball player to the business world.

“You have to always be learning, and that includes learning how to take advantage of opportunities in front of you,” said Maddox, who partners with leading furniture company Steelcase as an authorized distributor.

His mission — and the mantra of A. Pomerantz & Co. — is to help companies attract customers and retain talented people through a workplace environment that energizes and inspires them.

“There have been drastic changes to the workforce and the way we work in recent years. You can’t be afraid of change, but you also have to think about the impact change will have on people. For instance, you need to think about what an introvert might need in an open workspace to be productive,” Maddox shared. “We need to offer solutions for everyone.”

Maddox’s commitment and focus extend beyond business to the world of philanthropy, where he applies the same innovative business practices on which he’s built his career to help school children. Through his Compete 360 organization, Maddox brings the principles of design thinking to kids and helps them solve complex problems in their schools. “The opportunity to learn is everything,” Maddox said, “and access is the key.”

Because of Maddox’s leadership, A. Pomerantz & Co.’s impact on Comcast NBCUniversal is visible at Comcast headquarters in Philadelphia, the Comcast Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, and our Universal Studios lot in Hollywood, California. Equally visible is our company’s impact on his business, which has expanded operations to meet demand.

Garry Maddox, former Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder and owner of A. Pomerantz & Co., throwing out the first pitch.