Ron Pierce had a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force as a cardiopulmonary technician before retiring in 2010. Looking for new fulfillment, he became a Furniture Medic franchise owner, allowing him to use problem-solving skills to help people restore valued furniture. Pierce's military experience included deployments providing medical support and he developed training curriculum before retiring. Seeing furniture damage from moving, he recognized demand in the repair industry and pursued a franchise using his hobby of woodworking. Based in Wichita Falls, Texas near military bases, Pierce enjoys serving military clients and giving back to the community in various ways through his new career in furniture restoration.

1. Furni ture Medic
When Ron Pierce
retired from the U.S. Air
Force after 20 years
as a Cardiopulmonary
Technician, he was
interested in maintaining
that sense of fulfillment
and joy in a new vocation.
He found it as a Furniture
Medic franchise owner.
Transitioning from repairing hearts and
lungs to repairing furniture may not seem
like a natural next step, but Pierce says
his new career lets him use his problem-solving
and free-thinking skills to help
other people find new life in objects they
value and cherish.
Franchising USA
“I have always been one to reap what
I sow,” Pierce said. “Being fully
responsible for my results brings a sense
of accomplishment that you can’t get
anywhere else.”
And Pierce knows about rewarding work.
Not only did he work stateside as a medic
in the cardiac cath lab and manager of a
sleep disorders clinic for the Air Force,
he had two deployments as a member of a
critical care trauma team. His deployments
supported Operations Northern Watch and
Iraqi Freedom in 2002 and 2003. Pierce’s
expertise was recognized by Air Force
leadership, and he culminated his career as
the advanced course curriculum developer
for his cardiopulmonary career field.
At a friend’s suggestion, Pierce worked
in moving claims when he first retired
from the military in December 2010.
Seeing first-hand the bumps and bruises
a family’s belongings sustained during
relocation, he understood the enormous
need in the furniture repair industry. Pair
that demand with his lifelong hobby of
building furniture and the fact that he also
loves engine mechanics, and purchasing
a Furniture Medic franchise was a match
made in Heaven.
Or at least, for Pierce, a match made in
Wichita Falls, Texas.
The North Texas town is home to
Sheppard Air Force base and is just across
the state line from Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
Among Pierce’s many clients, he’s happy
to count people serving in the military.
“I’m humbled every day to be able to
interact a lot with Army and Air Force
personnel,” he said. “Giving back to folks
in the military is a really rewarding part of
my business.”
Pierce normally limits his service area
to a 75-mile radius, but has had special
requests to travel 250 miles or more. A few
of his many satisfying projects, include
refinishing all 175 dining room chairs for
a retirement village, thrilling the elderly
residents with their “new” chairs, and
restoring an antique Partners Desk from
the 1800s. At four by eight feet, it was a
very large piece with built-in drawers in
the top slab and three leather inlays that
all required precision detail restoration.
The owner, the president of an oil and
gas company, remembered the piece from
decades earlier and had originally wanted
it in his home. But when he saw the
restored desk, he wanted it in his office for
all to see.
Beyond his profession of bringing new
life to cherished possessions, renovating
cabinetry and rescuing new furniture
from delivery mishaps, Pierce gives back
personally. He supports a therapeutic
horseback riding farm in his community,
teaches Sunday School, and serves on
the Education Policy Team of his state
representative’s office. He also enjoys
golf and camping with his wife and three
teenage sons.
For more information visit:
www.furnituremedic.com
Ron Pierce Profile
Veterans in Franchising