Kincaid revamps divisions
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, March 31, 2002
HUDSON, N.C. — Kincaid Furniture has promoted Bob Lemons to senior vice president of sales as part of a sweeping change in the case goods and upholstery company's sales, merchandising and procurement divisions.
In sales, Cole Mehlman and Max Dyer have been promoted to the new positions of vice president of the Western and Eastern regions, respectively.
Under development for three months, the restructuring also fills voids created by the recent resignations of former sales and marketing vice presidents Bill Carpenter and Jack DeBonis.
Company President Steve Kincaid said the changes provide more focus on customers and sales initiatives. He said the company, a division of La-Z-Boy, has grown rapidly, although he declined to give sales figures. Kincaid has expanded into upholstery, added licensed collections, and built its store and gallery program. There are currently 176 galleries and 12 dedicated stores, and the company hopes to bring the store total to 18 by year's end.
"All of the changes are designed to shift a lot of decision- making ability to the field and, through that empowerment, enable our managers to better serve our customers," Kincaid said.
For example, the sales team will have regional vice presidents for the first time, moving away from the previous vertical structure. Lemons and Dyer will work out of the corporate office here, while Mehlman will manage his team from a Western office.
Mehlman and Dyer report to Lemons, formerly vice president of sales. Lemons joined Kincaid in 1990 as a sales manager after holding sales management positions with Broyhill and Pulaski. Steve Kincaid said Lemons has long been a key decision-maker in sales and merchandising.
"He has a well-rounded level of experience with all sizes and types of customers," Kincaid said. "He understands our products, our customers and our philosophies, and as such is uniquely qualified to lead the sales efforts of our company."
Mehlman was district sales manager for the Rocky Mountain states, winning Kincaid's Leo Kahn Salesman of the Year Award in 1997. Dyer was vice president of upholstery, and previously had been director of sales. He will continue his involvement in upholstery during the transition to his new post.
In supply chain management, Kincaid created two new positions, promoting 16-year company veteran Marvin Oliver from director of purchasing to vice president of purchasing, and naming Chad Turney vice president of import operations. Turney, who had been director of imports for Kincaid's Alexvale subsidiary, will manage imports for both companies and for some other La-Z-Boy subsidiaries.
Turney oversees a team of managers who live in Kincaid's source countries and manage production, quality and logistical issues.
Oliver said Kincaid's solid- wood niche restricts the pool of potential sources.
"We have to be very selective, manage the relationship very closely, capture whatever value we can, pass it on to consumers, and integrate offshore operations into what we run domestically," he said.
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