NEWS
MAKERS
NEW RENAISSANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM IN PLACE
Renaissance Window Fashions, Inc., Oxnard, CA, announces its new management
team following its acquisition of Excalibur USA. The team consists
of Kevin Baron, CEO; Eric Nielsen, CFO; John Eisenheimer, vice president
of sales and marketing; and William Warren, vice president of manufacturing.
Other key management placements are: Israel Guzman, production manager;
Cheryl Saldana, customer service manager; Karyn Vorhees, human resources
manager; and Ron Jackowitcz, material control manager.
Eisenheimer, formerly of 3 Day Blinds and NewellRubbermaid, brings
more than 15 years of sales, marketing and product development experience
to his new post. His most recent efforts have been in the manufacture,
sales and installation of wood and composite shutters.
Warren brings more than eight years of manufacturing and window coverings
experience from American Hardwood and NewellRubbermaid.
Saldana has two years of direct customer service experience in window
coverings.
Jackowitcz is a 20-year professional in purchasing and production
control.
DRAPER NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
Draper, Inc., Spiceland, IN, has announced John Pidgeon will assume
the title and duties of company president. He fills the position left
vacant by the death of Luther Pidgeon in July (see D&WC, September
2004, page 19).
Pidgeon first joined Draper in 1968, most recently filling dual roles
as the company’s marketing manager and contract market manager.
In announcing the move to Draper employees Pidgeon said, “I love
this company, and I intend to do everything in my power to help it
grow and prosper during my tenure as president.”
Draper export manager Chris Broome will replace Pidgeon as contract
market manager, while Mike Broome will continue as vice president
of manufacturing.
PRESTIGE WINDOW FASHIONS EXPANDS SALES FORCE
Prestige Window Fashions, Edison, NJ, announces the addition of three
new sales executives to its sales force.
David Weidberg joins as Southwest Regional Manager and is based in
the Dallas, TX, area. He has worked in the industry for a number of
years and will be responsible for the development of this new sales
region.
Chris Maitre is the account executive for New England including New
Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and eastern Massachusetts. He resides in
the greater Boston, MA, area and also has a background in the window
coverings industry.
Liz Heveran joins as account executive for Illinois, Wisconsin and
Iowa and lives in the Chicago, IL, area. She brings several years
of experience in the window coverings industry to her position.
SHUTTER SHACK’S SALZMAN TAPPED FOR BUSINESS
SEMINAR
Bruce Salzman, president and owner of Shutter Shack Ltd., Woodmere,
NY, was chosen recently by the WCBS (NY) radio’s Newsradio 88
program department to be a featured speaker at its Small Business
Seminar moderated by The Wall Street Journal’s Joe Connolly at
Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY.
Salzman’s topics of discussion were the development and promotion
of his e-commerce Web site ShutterShack.com. With the use of the Internet,
Salzman turned his local business into a nationwide company serving
such clients as Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
hospitals, hotels, Army bases, houses of worship, Las Vegas casinos,
sets for the HBO series “The Sopranos,” as well as thousands
of nationwide customers.
IN MEMORIAM: DON ECK JR.
Don E. Eck Jr., vice president of sales and marketing for Coastal
Aluminum Rolling Mills, Inc., Williamsport, PA, died September 13
of a heart attack. He was 48 years old.
Eck began his career in maintenance at Coastal’s coating division,
Chromagraphic Processing Co. in 1987, one year after the company was
founded. From the beginning, he was instrumental in the growth and
success of both Chromagraphic and its parent company, Coastal Aluminum
Rolling Mills, Inc., which was founded in 1990 to purchase and move
the assets of Kaiser Aluminum’s foil division to Williamsport.
Eck was promoted to sales manager of Coastal in 1991 and promoted
to vice president of sales and marketing for the entire organization
in 1994, a position he held until his death.
Eck is survived by his wife, Betsy, and four children Mahlon, Aubrey,
Loren and Tyler.
A memorial fund has been set up for his children titled Don E. Eck
Jr. Children’s Scholarship Fund. Memorial contributions may be
mailed in care of Coastal Aluminum, 2475 Trenton Ave., Williamsport,
PA 17701.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
In News Makers section of the November 2004 issue, Kevin Lavery of
Elmar Window Fashions® was incorrectly identified in a photograph
as Kevin Wilson. Lavery is the new Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Shutter
Specialist for Elmar whose primary objective is to develop the company’s
shutter business and support both new and existing retailers. We regret
the error. |
