Personnel News Articles

August 10, 2010—Bruce Dybvad, CEO of Interbrand Design Forum, has named Dave Nixon executive director, digital strategy. In this role Nixon will lead the growing digital practice for the retail design firm.

“The digital brand experience is a key component of the shopper’s journey. Retailers are increasing their attention on these touchpoints and should be focusing on aligning them with the in-store experience,” said Dybvad. “We’re excited to have Dave Nixon join Interbrand Design Forum to lead the digital practice. His broad perspective around digital strategy will be an asset to our clients as they consider new opportunities for their brands and he’ll be a leader in extending our expertise in the physical environment to the virtual environment.”

As the leader of the company's digital practice, Nixon will be responsible for helping to find and fix the client’s pain points through the development of strategies that allow them to leverage technology within their business models, and help them execute those strategies to generate revenue, become more efficient, and increase their brand value.



Nixon’s team will leverage the company’s strength in research, analytics, shopper sciences, and design to deliver an emotional connection with brands in a way creates measurable results for clients.

Nixon began his career as a designer focused on retail brand experiences. From there, he decided to learn more about technology solutions, and began working in web design and digital media development. Most recently he helped to found Ardor Consulting, a visionary company that combined his creativity with technology solutions and a belief in customer service with integrity.

“This is an exciting move for me because it links my design and consulting background with my digital expertise,” said Nixon. “By understanding the shopper’s moment of interaction with any digital touchpoint—whether it be in-store, mobile, social, or web—we determine what can be accomplished within that dynamic, and then ensure that the right information is available at the right time to deepen the customer experience and close the sale.”

About Interbrand Design Forum
Since 1978, Interbrand Design Forum has been creating retail brand experiences for companies around the world. Interbrand Design Forum’s business model integrates brand strategy, shopper sciences, retail design, digital, documentation, and rollout to provide clients with a comprehensive offering. The company has a network of 1,200 associates in almost 40 offices around the globe.

August 3, 2010—Steve Neumeyer has joined Southern Imperial as director of operations. He comes to the company with a diverse background in all areas of a manufacturing business as well as extensive retail industry experience. Neumeyer's experience has been with Kohler Company, Vinyl Plastics, Inc., and Wind Mill Slatwall Products. As director of operations for Southern Imperial he will be responsible for operations at the company's Rockford, Ill., facilities as well as managing director for the China facilities.

Stan Valiulis, president and CEO of Southern Imperial, states, “Steve has been in our retail industry for the past seven years and has served on our industry association's board (A.R.E.), as well as chaired the asociation's executive and convention committees. His understanding of our customers' desires and his customer-first focus, coupled with his background in all aspects of leading a company, lends itself well to our continuous improvement initiatives. In addition, his enthusiasm for business is exciting.”
 
About Southern Imperial
Southern Imperial Inc., based in Rockford, Ill., is a manufacturer of store fixture hardware and retail display solutions.

July 19, 2010—Moss Inc. announced the appointment of Mike Morrison as senior account executive and systems manager. Morrison will utilize his extensive experience in the exhibit and retail industries to provide Moss solutions to customers in the Southeast region of the U.S. Additionally, Morrison will work with the organization to provide direction and support for its growing Moss Max line of products.

Shelly Alex, vice president of sales and marketing for Moss, said, “Mike has the experience and know-how that make him a great fit for Moss. He fills a key role at Moss and will ensure the continued growth of the territory and Moss as an organization.”

Morrison will work from an Atlanta-based sales office and will service customers in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

About Moss
With operations in Chicago, Maine, New York, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas, Moss provides tensioned fabric structures, display hardware, and printed graphics to the event, exhibit, and retail Interiors markets.

July 12, 2010—Scott Berry, long-time store fixture entrepreneur and designer, has joined Reeve Store Equipment Co.

Berry began his career in the fashion industry, which led him to designing fixtures for a few different clothing lines. His natural gift for designing displays became a sideline job for him. Berry spent several years selling clothes to a wide variety of retailers while also designing the fixtures upon which they were merchandised, a side venture he called Rack it Right.  

After his retail clients started asking him to design other fixtures for them beyond the clothing lines he represented, he struck out on his own and began Rightline Industries Inc. in Glendora, Calif., in 1996, a store fixture manufacturer. Rightline concentrated on designing and building combination wood, metal, plastic, and graphics-oriented fixtures that are brand-specific. Berry has worked with Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Burton Snowboards, Ferrari/Maserati, Skechers, Quiksilver, Jacuzzi, Reef Sandals, and many others in designing, developing, and manufacturing their branded fixtures. Rightline enjoyed over a decade of success but did not survive the Great Recession. While at Rightline, Scott became aware of Reeve Store Equipment Co. and purchased some components and display hardware items from Reeve.

Robert Reeve Frackelton, vice president of Reeve, states, “Scott’s talents include actually designing and rendering fixtures, material sourcing, understanding the manufacturing process, and most importantly, working with many of the major brand marketers across the nation. Scott brings great skills and a fantastic client base to Reeve.”

Berry is excited about joining the Reeve Team. “My mission is to penetrate the brand market, a client base that has historically not been an area of strength for Reeve," he says. "Reeve has many satisfied and thrilled retailer customers, as well as woodworkers and fellow fixture manufacturer customers, but not much reach into the branded fixture market or point-of-purchase (POP) displays. I am going to capitalize on Reeve’s engineering, manufacturing, global sourcing, and distribution strengths to serve my core customers, turning them into Reeve’s core customers.”

July 9, 2010—KYDEX LLC, the U.S.-based manufacturer of proprietary KYDEX® thermoplastic sheet, announced the appointment of John Martino as Western Regional Sales Manager. Mike Karr, North America Business Manager for KYDEX, made the announcement.

Based in Sacramento, California, Martino will work closely with the Western Region’s manufacturer representative group, Pacific Polymer Group (PPG) in serving the needs of KYDEX customers.

“After an extensive search to find the right person, we are very pleased to have John Martino join the KYDEX sales team,” said Mike Karr. “His background in the polymer industry and familiarity of the West Coast combined with his national accounts management and distribution experience makes this a great fit for KYDEX. Even more, John is very excited about working with PPG to support their existing business and increase the KYDEX® thermoplastic sheet presence.”

Martino has more than 10 years of outside sales experience and national account management within the plastic distribution industry. During this time, he managed large multiple-location customers within the Northern California and Northern Nevada territories and throughout the United States. Prior to joining the KYDEX team, Martino managed existing and new accounts as National Account Manager/Key Account Manager at SABIC Polymershapes/GE Polymershapes. Martino also spent a number of years as an outside sales representative for GE Polymershapes, where he was responsible for the Northern California and Nevada sales territories.

About KYDEX
KYDEX, LLC, is a U.S.-based manufacturer of proprietary thermoplastic sheet products marketed worldwide under the trademark KYDEX®. The company’s headquarters, major manufacturing operation, customer service, and R&D facilities in Bloomsburg, Pa., are certified to the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system and the ISO 14001 environmental management system. Technical service, customer service, and sales representatives worldwide provide technical advice on designing and manufacturing components with KYDEX® sheet products.

June 29, 2010—KYDEX LLC, the manufacturer of KYDEX® thermoplastic sheet, announced that Quality Engineer Robert McCormick has earned the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Engineer (ASQ CQE) certification. In completing the requirements established by the ASQ certification board, McCormick has reached a significant level of professional recognition, indicating proficiency and knowledge in the principles of quality evaluation and control.

“As our first ASQ CQE, Bob McCormick has taken KYDEX quality to the next level,” remarked Jim Medalie, president of KYDEX. “Our customers have come to expect a high level of quality from KYDEX, and with Bob on board, we are more prepared than ever to maintain this level of quality. He works with our entire team to evaluate and develop standards and procedures so that we will continue to provide the highest quality to our customers.”

According to ASQ, “The Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) is a professional who understands the principles of product and service quality evaluation and control. This body of knowledge and applied technologies include, but are not limited to, development and operation of quality control systems, application and analysis of testing and inspection procedures, the ability to use metrology and statistical methods to diagnose and correct improper quality control practices, an understanding of human factors and motivation, facility with quality cost concepts and techniques, and the knowledge and ability to develop and administer management information systems and to audit quality systems for deficiency identification and correction.” Successful in a variety of roles, CQEs are typically found developing and implementing quality systems; planning, controlling and monitoring product and process quality; using reliability and risk management tools; and resolving quality issues through the application of a wide spectrum of quantitative analyses.

Preceded by a textbook containing more than 600 pages, the CQE exam is one of the most complex and comprehensive exams offered by ASQ. In order to sit for the CQE examination, a candidate must have at least eight years of training and on-the-job experience in one or more areas of quality, with a minimum of three years in a decision-making position. Even with this depth of experience, many CQE applicants fail the exam on both their first and second attempts. Thanks in part to his degree in Chemical Engineering, 30 years of experience and six months of careful preparation and studying, Robert McCormick passed the CQE exam on his first try.

Robert McCormick became a member of the KYDEX team in 2009 as a quality engineer. Prior to joining KYDEX, McCormick spent 10 years as a quality engineer at York Wallcoverings, where he was responsible for raw material specification development and testing on paper, film, inks and coating materials. In this position, he investigated product quality complaints, conducted testing to support new product development and handled environmental compliance including air permits, wastewater permits and residual waste management. During the first two decades of his career, McCormick worked in the Materials Development Laboratory of AMP Incorporated, eventually as Project Manager in the Global Technology Division where he focused on polymer materials and processing. McCormick is a co-inventor for the AMP “Method for Laminating Polyester Film” – U.S. patent number 5,110,387.

About KYDEX
KYDEX, LLC, is a U.S.-based manufacturer of proprietary thermoplastic sheet products marketed worldwide under the trademark KYDEX®. The company’s headquarters, major manufacturing operation, customer service, and R&D facilities in Bloomsburg, Pa., are certified to the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system and the ISO 14001 environmental management system. Technical service, customer service, and sales representatives worldwide provide technical advice on designing and manufacturing components with KYDEX® sheet products.

About the American Society for Quality (ASQ)
With more than 100,000 individual and organizational members, the ASQ (www.asq.org) is the world's leading authority on quality in education, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and service. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Milwaukee, the ASQ is a founding sponsor of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and since 1991 has also been the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Since the first certification examination was given in 1968, more than 163,000 individuals have become ASQ certified.

Stylmark Inc. announced the addition of Miriam “Mimi” Yacobucci to its sales team. Yacobucci will be responsible for leading Stylmark’s sales initiatives in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington. Yacobucci brings over 14 years of experience to the company, working directly with retailers and branded manufacturers in complex sourcing and distribution programs. She was recognized by Levi Strauss as one of their top suppliers. Yacobucci also has the unique experience of having owned and managed her own retail boutique store for two years.  
 
“Mimi is a results-driven leader who will continue to strengthen Stylmark’s brand and promote our commitment to quality and service,” said Kevin Hogan, Stylmark’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Her background in the retail industry nicely compliments our current market position and growth strategy. We feel extremely fortunate to have Mimi join our sales team,” added Hogan.  
 
About Stylmark
Stylmark Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of aluminum, steel, and lighting products for retail, hospitality, entertainment, and other commercial environments. Product lines include showcase frames, shelving, architectural trim, fitting rooms, and glass and glazing hardware. Stylmark offers an expansive anodized aluminum color palette as well as a wide variety of finishes for both aluminum and steel.

Presentations Plus of America Inc. is pleased to announce that Jeff Spizale has joined the organization as national director of sales and marketing. As a second-generation visual merchandiser and fixture designer, Spizale has worked closely with both retailers and national brands to build and enhance their brand presence at retail. Spizale has considerable experience with merchandising and marketing strategies, creating ROI models for fixture programs, building retail environments, in-store displays, P-O-P, and branded shop programs. In addition to his considerable experience, Spizale has the ability to quickly design and value engineer fixtures in a way that meet the clients’ image requirements and budget constraints. Through the years, Spizale has worked with a diverse group of retailers and brands.  

About Presentations Plus of America
Presentations Plus of America Inc. offers complete retail promotional branding services including the ZoN merchandising system, printing, graphics, fixtures, and decorative products. Presentations Plus of America Inc. is a 25-year-old privately-held company headquartered in Long Lake, Minn.

 

idX Corporation, a manufacturer of consumer environments, continues its expansion with the addition of Terri Boettigheimer to its team. Boettigheimer will be responsible for identifying new business opportunities in support of idX's fast-growing P.O.P., Brand Wrap and Store Environments segments.   

Boettigheimer brings to idX a wealth of industry-related experience through her 16-year career with a leading manufacturer of exhibit displays and retail kiosks. She is a proven leader in developing retail solutions that expand brand presence and increase retail sales.

"The addition of Terri to our team is part of idX's strategic mission to add solutions-driven professionals and continue to increase our value to the retail and brand markets," said idX Executive Vice President Bill Delaney.
 
Boettigheimer is a graduate of UT, Arlington, where she earned a B.A. in Marketing.  She lives in Plano, Texas, and will operate from her office there.

About idX Corporation
idX Corporation, based in St. Louis, Mo., is a manufacturer of consumer environments for the retail, hospitality, financial and point-of-purchase markets. To meet the needs of global customers, idX has eight facilities and offices worldwide housing more than 1,700,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space, and 700 dedicated idX employees. idX's portfolio includes retail, hospitality and finance: Clearwire, Guess?, Levi's, Ralph Lauren, Microsoft, Marriott Corp., Tommy Hilfiger, Express, Starbucks, CitiGroup, Calvin Klein, Charles Schwab, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, JCPenney, TJX, Hanes Brands, T-Mobile, Kroger, Chico's, and Michael Kors.

June 22, 2010—Stylmark, Inc. is pleased to announce that John Heimerl has become a LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Associate. The LEED® Green Associate credential was created specifically for professionals who wish to demonstrate green building expertise in non-technical fields of practice. Green Associate is the prerequisite toward obtaining a LEED AP status.

 “We are excited that John has achieved this LEED® Green Associate accreditation. It further demonstrates Stylmark’s commitment to utilize and protect environmental resources to the best of our abilities and supports our customers in environmentally responsible programs,” said Kevin Hogan, Stylmark’s vice president of sales and marketing.
 
“LEED® Green Associate certification demonstrates to Stylmark’s customers our understanding of the LEED system and dedication to environmental issues”, said John Heimerl, Stylmark’s senior chemist and LEED® Green Associate.
 
About LEED® Green Associate
LEED® Green Associate is a professional credential demonstrating green building expertise in non-technical fields of practice; LEED® Green Associate is one of three levels of credentialing administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). The fastest-growing GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) credential, LEED® Green Associate is the most accepted professional standard for non-technical personnel on green building projects.
 
About Stylmark
Stylmark Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of aluminum, steel and lighting products for retail, hospitality, entertainment and other commercial environments.  Product lines include showcase frames, shelving, architectural trim, fitting rooms and glass & glazing hardware.  Stylmark has the industry’s most expansive anodized aluminum color palette as well as a wide variety of finishes for both aluminum and steel.  For more information, visit http://www.stylmark.com or call 800-328-2495.

June 8, 2010—Chute Gerdeman Retail has expanded its team as the retail branding and design consultancy continues to build its client base. In addition to adding seven new team members to its Columbus, Ohio, headquarters, Chute Gerdeman is announcing four recent promotions.



Nicole Faccinto and Michael Munchoff join Chute Gerdeman’s environments team, Stephen Williams joins graphic production, Rodrick Pauley and Karen Simpkins join the marketing department, MarCee Gerdes joins the business development team, and JoAnn Sagraves joins human resources.

• Rodrick Pauley—Director, Marketing and Sales—is responsible for overseeing the Chute Gerdeman brand. He joins Chute Gerdeman with more than 15 years of experience leading experiential brand marketing teams, working with companies such as OhioHealth, The Longaberger Company, The Walt Disney Company and Universal Studios Hollywood.
• Nicole Faccinto—Senior Designer, Visual Strategy—is responsible for strategic visual planning, design and development, conceptual planning and implementation, and fixture design. Previous clients include Albertsons, Best Buy, Coco’s Restaurant and Bakery, D’Angelo, Goasis, Italianni’s (Mexico City), New Balance, Ologie, Revol Wireless, Starbucks, and Whole Foods.
• Michael Munchoff—Designer, Retail Environments—works with the directors of environments and design development to ensure the design maintains its integrity through implementation.
• JoAnn Sagraves joins Chute Gerdeman as Human Resources Manager. With more than 25 years of experience in human resources, Jo Ann comes to CG from Discover Card.
• MarCee Gerdes has joined Chute Gerdeman’s Business Development team.
• Karen Simpkins has been hired as Designer, Marketing Communications.
• Stephen Williams joins the graphic production team as Production Manager

Corey Dehus, Elaine Evans, Steve Johnson and George Waite have all been promoted.

• Corey Dehus has been promoted to Creative Director, Brand Communications.
• Elaine Evans has been promoted to Senior Designer, Brand Communications.
• Steve Johnson has been promoted to Senior Designer, Design Implementation
• George Waite has been promoted to Program Manager, Design Implementation

May 21, 2010 —ALU s.p.a. announced the appointment of Emanuele Corvo as the new managing director of Alu Inc. Corvo, who has more than 12 years of experience in the furnishing market, joined ALU Inc. from Kartell U.S. Inc., where he was managing director. He will be based at ALU's offices in New York and will oversee all marketing and sales activities in North and Latin America.

Abramo Manfrotto, CEO, commented, "We are very pleased to welcome Emanuele as the new managing director for ALU Inc. His Italian origins mixed with over 10 years as a professional in North America make him a perfect candidate for our U.S. operation. He has covered different roles, from operations to sales and general management.”

Commenting on his appointment, Corvo said, “It’s exciting for me to be joining ALU and I look forward to becoming a key driver for its future growth.”

About ALU
ALU, headquartered in Italy, manufactures and distributes high-end point-of-sale fixtures and merchandising systems. Owned by the Manfrotto family, the company's offerings fall into four categories: standard products, personalized standard products, fully customized design systems, and retail implementation services. The standard range offers a wide variety of readily available systems for communication, visual merchandising and display. Clients include numerous department stores and fashion boutiques including Sears, Hudson Bay, Debenhams, H&M, Zara, GAP, and Benetton as well as store-in-store systems for Nokia shops in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In addition, it serves electronics and telecommunications companies such as Sony, as well as renowned banks and car manufacturers, including Philip Morris, BMW/Mini, and Chevrolet Europe. ALU products are distributed internationally through a network of owned and independent distributors, and the company has subsidiaries in Paris, Amsterdam, and New York, as well as a distributors in countries such as Spain, Australia, Russia, Turkey, Hong Kong, and more.

May 17, 2010 — Prime Retail Services Inc. announced that Susie Sellers Bruyere has joined the company as vice president of sales.

Sellers will use her 15 years of sales experience in the retail construction industry to direct the national sales program at Prime. Over the last 15 years in the retail construction industry, Bruyere has continued to surpass goals and be nationally recognized as a leader. As vice president, she will develop and expand Prime's national growth and presence, as well as be more involved in Prime's progressive approach to LEED and sustainability.

Bruyere believes that her diversity of experience and solution-driven attitude will further solidify Prime's connection to the retail community and help the company stay ahead of industry trends. She specializes in retail product and construction solutions, retail rollout/remodel implementation, construction process knowledge, building and expanding executive relationships, sustainability trends and initiatives, and customer service.

About Prime Retail Services Inc.
Prime Retail Services Inc., based in Gainesville, Ga., is a provider of dedicated retail services to regional and national retailers. Services include the full-scope capabilities of wall to wall store remodels, merchandising, fixture installation, special projects, roll-outs, and project management services.

May 4, 2010 — Lee Carpenter, founder of Interbrand Design Forum, has appointed current President and COO Bruce Dybvad to CEO. Carpenter, who has served as CEO of Interbrand Design Forum since its founding in 1978, will now focus solely on his role as CEO of Interbrand North America, a position he s held since 2006.

Dybvad joined Interbrand Design Forum in 1980 and was named president in 1998. He added the additional role of president of Interbrand Cincinnati in 2006. A resident of Cincinnati, Dybvad has a B.S. in Design from the University of Cincinnati s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP). He is a member of the Retail Design Institute and sits on the editorial advisory board of VMSD. Dybvad is now also CEO of Interbrand's Cincinnati office.

"We will continue to concentrate on helping clients create and manage brand value," says Dybvad. "There's some pretty exciting synergy happening between the Dayton and Cincinnati offices as we bring together smart strategy and game-changing creative. Our common focus on Shopper Sciences is something savvy companies understand. We have the ability to deliver the power of their brands across all touchpoints. That's what it takes to drive choice at retail today."

In his position, Carpenter will continue to shape the strategy and growth of Interbrand across North America, which in addition to Interbrand Design Forum's offices in Dayton and Los Angeles, includes Interbrand offices in New York, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Toronto, and Mexico City.

Under Carpenter's leadership, Interbrand Design Forum has developed a business model that folds brand strategy and shopper insights into the creation of the optimized retail space.

In 2002, Design Forum became part of Interbrand, extending its reach to help brands globally develop sound strategies and ground-breaking new brand experiences at retail. In 2008, the company added Interbrand to its Design Forum name.

About Interbrand Design Forum
The company, founded in 1978, creates retail brand experiences for companies around the world using a business model that integrates analytics-based strategy. The firm is part of a network of 1,200 associates in almost 40 offices around the globe.

April 6, 2010 — DVUV, LLC announced today that it has hired Jack Garforth as Operations Manager. Garforth will have responsibility for the following areas of operations management: quality control, production, process improvement and vendor development for the company’s powder application business.

“We’re experiencing tremendous growth both in the number of customers we’re serving as well as the size and complexity of programs our customers are bringing us,” said DVUV’s President Michael F. Knoblauch. “Jack will be a critical resource as we prepare to add a second shift and lay the groundwork for our next phase of growth. I’m confident his well-honed leadership, organizational, and manufacturing abilities will provide significant benefits to our customers, partners, and employees.”

Garforth has over 20 years of operations and manufacturing experience including responsibility for a $180 million automotive coating facility during his tenure with LTV Steel. His primary focus has been improving productivity, quality, safety, and process efficiencies using practices such as kaizen, kanban, and lean manufacturing and growing staff through mentoring and innovative employee development programs. Garforth graduated from Ohio University with a degree in operations management and marketing.

About DVUV
DVUV, LLC, based in Cleveland, provides UV-cured powdercoated finishes for wood and other heat-sensitive substrates. The company is committed to creating new design possibilities and
offering more environmentally sustainable alternatives. All of DVUV’s finishes are  solvent-free and emit no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). DVUV provides turnkey production services in a range of industries from retail interiors to medical equipment and educational furniture, manufacturing finished parts to customers’ specifications.