NEWSMAKERS
JAMES KLAWITER PROMOTED
TO VP, GENERAL MANAGER OF HUNTER DOUGLAS CUSTOM SHUTTER DIVISION
Jim Klawiter has been promoted to the position of Vice President
and General Manager of the Custom Shutter Division for Hunter Douglas,
Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Previously Business Unit Manager of the Custom Shutter Division
based in Gilbert, AZ, Klawiter was charged with establishing a custom
shutter program that would stand apart from other offerings and
be backed with superior service and support. “He assembled
a world-class staff of shutter experts in marketing, training, production
and sales who are unrivalled in the market,” said Bob Kopf,
President of the Hunter Douglas Custom Shutter Division, Horizontals
Blinds Division and Independent Fabricator Group.
Prior to joining Hunter Douglas in 1997, Klawiter held numerous
product development and marketing management positions at Springs
Window Fashions and Nanik.
JOHNSON NEW WESTGATE WINDOW
FASHIONS VP
Cheryl Johnson has joined Westgate, New York, NY, as vice president
of window fashions and business development.
Johnson has more than 25 years of experience in the home fashions
industry. For the past year, she served as vice president for wood
molding at Neilsen Bainbridge, a supplier of frames, framed art
and foam core. Prior to joining that firm, she worked for Croscill
Home and Waverly for nearly two decades. Johnson was director of
window for Croscill; her positions at Waverly included design director
for home fashions and director of planning and merchandising.
Johnson pointed out that Westgate is positioned to become a major
player in the window coverings category. “Having our own vertical
manufacturing operation in China gives us a competitive advantage,”
she explained. “Also, having the wealth of creative fabric
choices from our American Decorative Fabrics (ADF) division gives
us the resources we need to offer the market products that are truly
innovative and different.”
Johnson reports to Tom Coughlin, who joined the company earlier
this year as executive vice president and general manager for bedding
and window treatments. Westgate’s parent company, Home Furnishing
International, is making a substantial investment in building its
window fashions business.
UNIQUE WHOLESALE ADDS LANTIS,
HEARN TO SALES
Unique Wholesale Distributors Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, has added
to its sales force.
Brian Lantis is the new sales representative for North Carolina
and South Carolina. He comes to his new post from the Pacific Northwest.
He will be based out of Raleigh, NC.
Lantis has a varied background in the window coverings business.
He started with Hunter Douglas close to eight years ago and moved
into business for himself as an independent installer. It was after
these experiences he found a home with the Graber product line.
He spent the last two and a half years with Source Northwest covering
Oregon. There he helped develop a comprehensive builder program
for several of his clients.
Ronn Hearn is the new sales rep covering the Gulf Coast region including
Florida’s Panhandle, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Out of little Rock, AK, Hearn has 30 years of experience in the
window coverings industry with an extensive sales management background.
He has worked for Hunter Douglas, Lafayette and Vista giving him
knowledge of all product lines.
BEARDEN NEW SALES, MARKETING
MANAGER AT G & L
G & L Technologies, Cumming, GA, has announced the hiring of
Denise Bearden as its new Sales and Marketing Manager. She comes
to G & L with more than 16 years of experience in the window
fashions industry.
In her new post, Bearden will oversee the sales and marketing efforts,
largely surrounding the introduction of new equipment and sales
growth of existing systems.
She began her career in the window coverings industry as a district
sales manager for Hunter Douglas SE Fabrication Div. Prior to joining
G & L, Bearden was with Sunland Shutters as its Southeast marketing
representative.
PIC BUSINESS SYSTEMS EXPANDS
SALES, MARKETING TEAMS
PIC Business Systems, Inc., San Antonio, TX, recently expanded
its sales and marketing teams with the hiring of Todd Acker as Vice
President of Sales and Marketing and Ric Schommer as Midwest Region
Sales Manager. The new additions play a key role in positioning
the company for continued growth through new business development.
Acker has more than 14 years of sales and marketing experience in
the transportation industry, most recently as Director of Marketing
Research and Planning for Peterbilt Motors Co. At PIC Business Systems,
he will research new business opportunities consistent with the
company’s growth objectives and its supporting sales and marketing
campaigns.
Schommer has more than 14 years of operations and sales-based experience
in both the fabrics and window coverings industries, including his
previous assignment as Director of Sales for Warren Shade. In his
new role with PIC Business Solutions he will be responsible for
developing a wide customer base in various market segments across
the Midwest.
PIC Business Systems, Inc. is a leading developer of the Web-based
Enterprise Resource Planning software that integrates key business-related
disciplines and processes, including sales order processing, inventory
control, bills of material, product configuration, integrated accounting
and financial reporting and customer relationship management, into
a single system accessible over the Internet.
WAVERLY APPOINTS NOBERINI
DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, LICENSED PRODUCT
Waverly, New York, NY, has announced the appointment of Anthony
Noberini to design director, licensed product, Waverly Lifestyle
Group, a division of F. Schumacher & Co.
Noberini will be responsible for the design and development of licensed
products under the Waverly brand. In addition, he will collaborate
with current licensees to continue to bring new designs to existing
lines and categories.
Prior to joining F. Schumacher & Co., Noberini was senior designer
at High Country Linens designing for such retail chains as Federated,
LNT and JC Penney’s. Before that he worked at Bob Timberlake
Inc. responsible for development and design of licensed products
in the home furnishings category. Noberini also has a textile background
and worked as a bedding stylist for both The Bibb Co. and WestPoint
Home.
SOMFY ADDS TO SOUTHEAST
EXTERIOR DIVISION
Somfy Systems, Inc., Cranbury NJ, has added two new people to its
Southeast Exterior Products Division.
Jeff Friant is the division’s new manager. In his new position
he will work directly with awning and roll shutter customers. Friant
formerly worked for an engineering consulting firm that specialized
in the design of HVAC systems.
Jesse Demick has been hired as a field service representative. His
responsibilities will be to inform and educate awning and rolling
shutter dealers about the latest developments in Radio Technology
Somfy® (RTS). He also will provide technical assistance, literature
and point-of-sale materials on RTS controls.
|
