Collins & Aikman Announces Strategic Sales & Marketing Appointments
6 September 2000
Collins & Aikman Announces Strategic Sales & Marketing Appointments
TROY, Mich.--Sept. 6, 2000--Collins & Aikman Corporation today announced several key Sales & Marketing appointments that will further enhance and support the Company's vision and mission to be known as a leading supplier of automotive interior systems to its global customers. In making today's announcements, Steven Jeske, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the North American Automotive Interior Systems Division, commented, "I'm confident that this realignment of our Sales & Marketing function will provide an additional competitive advantage for Collins & Aikman. We have placed an increased focus on Advanced Selling, growing our Tier One business, providing support for Commercial and Program Management to our current customers and enhancing our Product Management capabilities so that Collins & Aikman will be second to none in the marketplace."The appointments are:
| -- | Richard W. Lynch is named Vice President of a new business unit for Collins & Aikman, the Tier One Business Unit. In this capacity, Lynch will be responsible for supporting Collins & Aikman's Tier One customers. Additionally, he will be responsible for developing and implementing business strategies to reinforce the Company's commitment to this emerging segment. Prior to this appointment, Lynch was Vice President for the Company's GM Business Unit where he was responsible for managing short- and long-term business activities for the customer. Lynch, who holds a bachelor's of arts degree in economics from SUNY University in Cortland, NY, brings more than 20 years experience in providing interior and acoustic systems solutions for Collins & Aikman's global customers. |
| -- | Robert H. Harper is named Director of Commercial and Program Management for the DaimlerChrysler Business Unit. As Director, Harper will be responsible for strengthening Collins & Aikman's relationship with this key customer and will be the point-of-contact in further building this strategic business for the Company. Prior to this appointment, Harper was Business Development Manager for North American Automotive Interior Systems. He has held a series of manufacturing, operations, production planning and sales and marketing assignments throughout his 10 years with Collins & Aikman. Harper holds a bachelor's of arts degree from The Citadel, Charleston, S.C. |
| -- | Mark S. Allen is named Director of Product Management for the Plastics group. Allen will be responsible for increasing the Company's focus on product management for Plastics, and will interact with the recently announced Global Product Development Division and Advanced Selling function to develop new product strategies for all Collins & Aikman's global customers. Allen has held various positions in manufacturing, purchasing, and operations and brings more than 20 years of experience to this new assignment. He holds a bachelor's of industrial arts degree from Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio. |
| -- | Gene Bauer is named Director of Product Management for the Company's Carpet and Acoustic Products. As a member of the new Product Management group, Bauer will be responsible for developing integrated carpet and acoustic packages for Collins & Aikman's customers. Bauer holds a bachelor's degree in administration from Northwood Institute, Midland, Mich., and brings more than 28 years of automotive experience to this new activity. |
Additionally, the following individuals were promoted within the Sales & Marketing organization:
-- Mark Davis, Advanced Sales Manager, Acoustic and Plastics,
DaimlerChrysler Business Unit,
-- Abbie Long, who recently joined C&A from Chatham (CMI
Industries), Advanced Sales Manager, Surface Products,
International Business Unit and will be located in our
California office,
-- Sam Kuehl, Duncan Carswell and Scott Petrowski, Tier One
Business Unit Account Executives for JCI,
Magna/Delphi/Textron, Lear/Visteon, respectively.
-- Greg Majeske, who will be relocating from Collins & Aikman's
Farmville, N.C. facility, Sales Engineer, Surface Products for
the Tier One Business Unit,
-- Paul Sharp will assume additional responsibilities as Director
Market Planning and Hilton Purdee is named Director Product
Management, Fabrics. Both of these individuals will be located
at Collins & Aikman's Roxboro, N.C. facility.
Also commenting on today's announcement, Chairman and CEO Thomas E. Evans noted, "Today's announcement supports our business model, overall corporate vision and mission to focus our efforts on developing innovative products and processes for our customers, strengthening our management team and reducing our operating costs. At Collins & Aikman, we take pride in our strong heritage of providing innovative products. Given Jeske's leadership and enthusiasm, I'm confident that the Sales & Marketing and Advanced Selling teams will enhance our leadership position in the marketplace."
Collins & Aikman Corporation , is the global leader of floor and acoustic systems and a leading supplier of automotive fabric, interior trim, and convertible top systems. The Company's operations span the globe with 63 facilities and nearly 16,000 employees in 12 countries who are committed to achieving total excellence. Collins & Aikman's high-quality products combine industry-leading design and styling capabilities, superior manufacturing capabilities and the industry's most effective NVH "quiet" technologies. For more information about Collins & Aikman, visit the Company's web site at www.collinsaikman.com.