The U.S. Embassy has selected Romina Furniture as its September 2015 Entrepreneur of the Month.
Our Entrepreneur of the Month Program highlights individuals and companies that exemplify the best attributes of entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur sees the potential in a new idea and then takes a bold, often risky step, using only his or her ability, drive and courage to turn that idea into reality. Through our Entrepreneur of the Month program, the Embassy showcases individuals who seize the unique opportunities that Romania and the world have to offer across a wide range of industries and regions.
In 2002, Florentina and Dumitru Toader founded Romina as a children’s furniture company. The Toaders noted an unfulfilled U.S. market niche: high-quality, eco-friendly furniture for children. Romina offers custom-made, “Made in Romania” products with strong environmental integrity. As a result, Romina has a loyal customer base; around the world there are over 10,000 children sleeping in customized Romina beds, mostly in the U.S. Building relationships and providing a high quality product has been Romina’s secret to success.
Romina’s foothold in the American marketplace demonstrates the importance of free trade between the U.S. and the EU. This mid-sized, family-owned firm has been able to thrive thanks to the close trading partnership between our two continents. In 2014, Romina exported 90 percent of its finished products to the United States. The Embassy takes this opportunity to note that the company would benefit from more efficient customs procedures, simpler paperwork and internet transactions and faster shipping should we conclude the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, an EU-U.S. free trade agreement currently in negotiations.
We applaud Romina Furniture for its initiative and for keeping true to their roots in Romania. As Romania continues to grow and develop, it will continue to benefit from entrepreneurs who build new companies, adapt and reform old ones, and lead the country into the future.
Nominations for “Entrepreneur of the Month” can be sent to RomanianEntrepreneur@state.gov. More information about the program can be found at: http://romania.usembassy.gov/entrepreneur-of-the-month.html.
