ZEELAND, Mich. — Less than a year after announcing plans to wind down operations, Howard Miller is returning under new West Michigan ownership and leadership, reviving the nearly 100-year-old clock and furniture maker with a renewed focus on its core product categories.
The Zeeland-based company said Thursday that it will relaunch under the direction of longtime company executive Jim O’Keefe, who will serve as president and is part of the new ownership group.
Howard Miller had announced in July 2025 that it would close manufacturing operations after citing a weak housing market, inflation, rising interest rates and tariffs that disrupted supply chains and increased costs. The closure led to layoffs in Michigan and North Carolina and the liquidation of manufacturing assets earlier this year.
The company says it is focused on rebuilding around its most established categories, including wall storage, mantel, tabletop and floor clocks.
“We felt a responsibility to build on an established tradition of quality workmanship and iconic design,” O’Keefe said in a statement. “Howard Miller has always had a deep connection with the people who bring these clocks into their homes. Our goal is to honor that legacy while building a company that carries it forward in a meaningful way.”
The new ownership group includes West Michigan business leaders J.C. Huizenga, founder and chairman of Huizenga Group; Phil Poel, executive vice president of global supply chain for Traeger Grills; and Bill McKendry, founder and CEO of BrandHaven.
“Howard Miller is a rare kind of brand, one with deep cultural roots and a legacy of craftsmanship that still resonates today,” Huizenga said. “We see an opportunity to not just preserve what Howard Miller has been, but to reintroduce what it can be for the next generation.”
Members of the Miller family will remain involved as advisers.
“We are incredibly proud of what Howard Miller has represented for a century,” said former CEO Buzz Miller. “To see a group step forward that not only understands the business but genuinely values the legacy and what it means to this community gives us great confidence in what comes next.”
The relaunched company will initially operate with a Zeeland-based team focused on design, operations and marketing, supported by a national sales force. New product introductions are expected by the end of 2026.
The revival comes after a turbulent year for the longtime manufacturer. Howard Miller, founded in 1926 by Howard C. Miller, became known internationally for handcrafted clocks and later expanded into curio cabinets and home furnishings. Last year, the company confirmed the closure of facilities in High Point and Lexington, N.C., as part of the broader shutdown.
A related business, Howard Miller Memorial, also recently entered a new phase under separate ownership. The memorial products division — which includes urns, clock urns, keepsakes and memorial medallions — was acquired by longtime Howard Miller executives Andrew Christmann and Eric Greenberg through the newly formed Howard Miller Memorial LLC.
The new owners of that division said they plan to continue manufacturing a significant portion of the memorial products in the United States while focusing on product availability, digital growth and customer support.
