Drexel Heritage appoints two, promotes three VPs
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, June 28, 2004
High Point — Drexel Heritage has created a new position to support its retailers, naming a 15-year retailing veteran and interior designer to the post.
The manufacturer and importer also has promoted two employees and broadened the responsibilities of a third, and recruited a new director of credit.
Kim Green, most recently manager of Drexel Heritage's Salt Lake City store, has joined the company as vice president of retail support. She will work with storeowners, managers and sales teams, helping with product training, visual presentation of the three Drexel Heritage brands, and management of special events and promotions.
Green also will be part of the wood and upholstery product development teams.
Jeff Young, Drexel Heritage president and CEO, said, "Kim's impressive retail experience and interior design background will elevate the credibility of our store program even further. Given our strong commitment to the store program, she fills an obviously important role on our management team."
Meanwhile, Blain Wrench, a 15-year company veteran, has been promoted to senior vice president of store development from vice president of store development.
"Blain has done an outstanding job repositioning our store program and recruiting some of the best retail partners in the business," Young said. "Because of the groundwork he has laid in the past year, we are fortunate to be opening a new Drexel Heritage store every 30 days."
Monica Edwards, previously director of marketing, has been named vice president of marketing. She joined the company two years ago, and will be responsible for all areas of marketing, including national advertising, retail marketing and direct consumer marketing.
"Monica has demonstrated that she is a savvy marketing executive who understands how to communicate effectively to our targeted consumer. She quickly learned our business and led the charge in re-creating the look and message for Drexel Heritage," Young said.
With Edwards' promotion and the addition of Green, Drexel Heritage has four female vice presidents.
"We are very fortunate to have all of these talented women on our management team," Young said. "They are a tremendous asset to us and will insure that our company continues to stay in tune with the female consumer."
In another move, Melanie Dunn, formerly vice president of visual merchandising, has been named vice president of merchandising and has been given additional responsibilities in the case goods and upholstery product divisions.
Charles Tate Jr. has joined Drexel Heritage as director of credit. For the past three years, Tate was director of credit at Pennsylvania House and previously was a regional credit manager for Ladd. He reports to Tracy Little, vice president of retail financial services. Tate replaces Dean Berrier, who left the company to pursue other opportunities.
