LEAH THOMPSON/SCANDIA STUDIO
By QUINN PROPST
Ward Media Staff Reporter
In a business world where succession is often an afterthought or a source of tension, Watson Furniture in Poulsbo, Washington, is setting a rare example of intentional leadership transition. After more than three decades at the helm, Clif McKenzie knew it wasn’t enough to simply step aside—he had to create a plan that honored the company’s values, secured its future, and empowered the next generation. That plan was a phased exit strategy Clif coined “5-4-3-2-1,” a deliberate countdown to retirement that gave his successor, his son CK McKenzie, the time and space to lead with confidence, clarity, and continuity.
Their story is not just about passing the baton between generations—it’s about redefining what responsible leadership transition can look like, especially within a family-owned business. With a foundation rooted in shared values and mutual respect, the McKenzies have prioritized the people at the heart of Watson Furniture and the community it serves. In this candid Q&A, Clif and CK reflect on their paths to leadership, the company’s evolution, and the vision guiding Watson’s next chapter.
Please tell our readers a little bit about yourselves.
Clif: I’m a local kid. Born and raised in Bremerton. Attended East Bremerton High School (Go Knights!) while there was still an East Bremerton High School. I was extraordinarily fortunate to have the parents and siblings I had. But also fortunate to be raised in a hard-working middle-class community. Both family and community shaped the leader I try to be. They also shaped the expectations I have of people (people, including myself, have a tendency to raise or lower themselves to the expectations of those surrounding them). Went to Seattle U, dropped out for a couple of years (worked at the Safeway on Callow Ave.), and then went back to the University of Washington, receiving a degree in accounting. I became a CPA and worked for a larger CPA firm until I stumbled across an opportunity that has shaped the last 40 years of my life. I formed a business with Bill Haggerty and Daniel Warn that continues through today. And…somewhere in the development of our business portfolio, we purchased a company on Bainbridge that made commercial furniture. That was in 1990. Then, in 1991, my partners asked me to accept the role of President of Watson Furniture Systems (now Watson Furniture Group)
CK: I was born in Seattle and moved to Bainbridge when Clif and his business partners bought Watson in ’91 or so, which was about kindergarten for me. I went to high school all the way through at Bainbridge. Then I left and went to the Naval Academy, and went from there into the Marine Corps for about 10 years. I flew attack helicopters and deployed a couple of times. In 2019, I left the Marine Corps, and I got married to my wife, who was a Coast Guard pilot. She got out at the same time, and then we moved back here to the Northwest, and I started working on Watson.
I have a four and a half year old and a two and a half year old now as well, which is why I have no hobbies other than mowing and keeping them alive. I’m still in the Marine Corps Reserves, and so for a weekend every month or two, I fly off to New Orleans to scare myself flying helicopters still.
Please tell our readers about Watson Furniture.
We make furniture for the commercial (office) console (911) markets. Our solutions are uncommonly creative, blending a European design influence with an attention to functionality that has received numerous design awards (check it out…). We make it all right here in Poulsbo and have an environmental ethos that was recently recognized with BIFMA Level One certification.
Clif McKenzie
You’ve been at the helm of Watson Furniture since 1991. When you look back, what are you most proud of?
We have 5 Guiding Principles:
- Financial Stability
- Uncommonly Creative Product
- Build it Here…Right Here
- The Dignity of the Working Woman and Man
- Return this Place Better than we Found it
We’ve not strayed from those principles for 30+ years and I’m damn proud of that.
How did you know it was time to begin transitioning leadership to the next generation?
What makes your succession plan unique?
Ten years ago, I received a loud and clear message: heart attack. A few pieces of conduit later, and I’m doing fine, but I realized my responsibility to this company was for longer than my time on earth. I was 60 then, and channeling my inner accountant created a 5-4-3-2-1 transition strategy (at 65 I’d work 5 days a week, 66 four days a week, and so on). That strategy forced me to plan for transition now…right now. I don’t know if our strategy is unique, but it worked for me. Seems like transition in smaller companies often goes one of three ways:
- Sell the Company
- Transition to a family member but stay on to criticize, undermine, get in the way, hinder change, etc.
- Ignore the issue and leave a mess behind for the family to clean up
5-4-3-2-1 is essentially the second with my forced exit. The forced exit is my choice, but it’s hard. Is there a better, more responsible way? Not that I’ve come across.
What made CK the right choice to step into the role of President?
He was the last man standing. Look…he’s a Marine. In 2010, I attended his graduation from something called TBS (The Basic School…how’s that for simplicity). At that graduation, I learned about the 5 horizontal themes of Marine Corps Leadership (level 10 Servant Leadership). It was a powerful and somewhat magical experience for me. I was so proud of CK, but that pride paled in comparison to the immense gratitude I had for the institution of the Marine Corps. I knew then that, given the chance, I’d be honored to work with my son someday.
How has your leadership style evolved over the years, and how do you see it complementing CK’s style moving forward?
Hell, l don’t know. Has it evolved? Probably. But perhaps it’s simply that experience and perspective have simply softened the hurricane I once was (and some might say, still are).
What does Watson’s purpose mean to you personally?
I wrote the words, so I guess it should mean more than it probably does. In the end, they’re just an abbreviated version of our Guiding Principles and I’ve already written about them.
What advice would you give to other business leaders preparing to pass the torch — especially within a family?
Remember, it’s not just about you and your family, it’s about the men and women on your company’s front lines who have given you the chance to even think about a torch. You owe it to them to give it the thought it deserves.
CK McKenzie
You grew up around Watson. What are some early memories that shaped your connection to the company?
I grew up around Watson, but only tangentially so. I knew where the Quarters were in Clif’s office so that I could get a Dad’s Root Beer from the vending machine in the breakroom. I knew we built things, but I was so extremely uninterested in office furniture that I didn’t care to learn much more. I knew I wanted to be a Marine as early as I can remember and naively assumed that path would pull me away from any familial responsibility for Watson. Short of washing the truck fleet for a few bucks over the weekends in high school, I remained intentionally unaware of how anything worked at the factory. I imagine deep down I was scared that paying attention would somehow trap me in the small town, a la George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.
After serving in the Marine Corps, what brought you back to Watson, and how did that experience shape your approach to leadership?
I came back to Watson out of a deep sense of duty to my family—especially after Clif’s heart attack. I wanted to help shoulder the responsibility of running the company and ensure its future. My time in the Marine Corps gave me the space to grow into my own identity, outside the shadow of Watson and my father. It taught me how to lead diverse teams united by a shared mission, and instilled in me a leadership style grounded in humility, authenticity, competence, coupled with a strong bias for action. I was a helicopter Pilot, tasked with leading Marines in a vast array of jobs. They couldn’t do my job, and I couldn’t do theirs. That reality forces one to lead with a great deal of trust and helps illustrate the importance of surrounding yourself with competent people in whom you can place that trust.
How would you describe your leadership style, and how does it align with the values your father built into the company?
My leadership style is fairly straightforward: Show up, be humble, listen, and then remove as many obstacles as possible to allow your team to succeed.
What does Watson’s purpose mean to you personally?
I take immense pride in fostering career development. Assisting individuals in recognizing their skills and capabilities and guiding them on how to effectively work together to achieve remarkable outcomes is highly gratifying. The most rewarding aspect is witnessing the growth in their careers, eventually reaching a stage where they are mentoring others, enhancing processes, and achieving far more than they initially believed possible. They take that personal growth back home with them and spread our lessons on teamwork, work ethic, and responsibility into the community.
As the new President, what are your immediate priorities? What are your long-term goals for Watson?
I view my role here as one of a Steward, here to guide the company for this phase of its journey until it’s time for the next generation. To that end, my immediate priorities are really no different than my long-term goals, we will continue to grow the business in a manner that enables us to create more careers in Kitsap County and serve as a foundation in our community.
What have been the biggest lessons you’ve learned from your father as a business leader?
Lead with empathy, but don’t be paralyzed by it. When in doubt: take action. Patience is a virtue, but can all too easily become the excuse for inaction.
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