Palliser brings northeast U.S. sales force in house
Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, September 15, 2003
Winnipeg, Manitoba — Palliser has reorganized its sales force in the northeastern United States, bringing it in house for the first time.
All of Palliser's sales representatives in Canada work exclusively for the case goods and leather upholstery maker, as do about 85% of its U.S. reps.
The new Northeast reps are:
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Jeff Abrams, who will be responsible for New England. A third-generation furniture family member, he worked over 20 years in the family's store and has been a rep for seven years.
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Scott Carlson will cover eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The 20-year industry veteran worked in a factory before getting into sales.
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Michael Martin will handle northern New Jersey, Long Island and metro New York. He has been with Palliser in various capacities for two years and before that worked at Calvin Klein and DKNY.
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Lenny Tucci will be responsible for upstate New York. A 26-year industry veteran, he ran his family's furniture store in Syracuse, N.Y., for 19 years before becoming a factory rep.
All report to Al Newman, regional sales manager for the eastern United States, who is based in High Point.
The Northeast had been serviced by an outside agency.
"We've restructured and put in our own reps," said Roger Friesen, Palliser's senior vice president of merchandising and customer relations. "We've always preferred it that way."
In another sales force move, Steve Kreig is joining his wife, Cindy Kreig, as a Palliser rep in Southern Florida. His 19 years in furniture retailing include 15 years as a manager for City Furniture, the last two at its largest-volume store in Tamarac, Fla.
