GB names new president

GB/Gardner Bender (Milwaukee, Wis.): Ed Staple has been named company president. He joined Gardner Bender in July 2002 as vice president of sales and marketing. Before that he was executive vice president of sales and marketing for Textron Fastening Systems.

Jefferson Electric (Franklin, Wis.): George Mergel has been named vice president -sales and marketing. In addition to leading, directing and managing the daily sales operations and future growth of the company, Mergel will be responsible for identifying and nurturing new domestic and international markets for Jefferson Electric products.

/images/archive/FCC Michael Powell.jpg Steve Henry recently joined the company as Central regional sales manager, with his office located in the Chicago area. Most recently with Cooper Wiring Devices, he will be responsible for marketing, product information and application assistance to authorized Jefferson representatives and distributors, as well as direct assistance to selected OEMs.

Howard Industries (Laurel, Miss.): The company has expanded its sales management team with the addition of Scott Stephens as national accounts manager. Stephens' primary responsibility will be the development of specification for Howard Ballast Products at the national account level. Scott joins Howard Industries with an extensive career of sales management experience in the lighting industry, including assignments with Allanson Transformer, Advance Transformer, Valmont Electric, GE Lighting and Lithonia Lighting.

Lutron Electronics (Lehigh Valley, Pa.): John E. Longenderfer has assumed the role of chief executive officer, and Michael W. Pessina has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer. In his role as CEO, Longenderfer will manage the company's continued growth. Most recently he was president and chief operating officer. Pessina will ensure that the company's business units engineer and launch their products on time. He will oversee manufacturing and guide sales efforts to ensure that the company's sales force achieves its goals.

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (Washington, D.C.) Members have elected as chairman of the NAW board of directors Andre B. Lacy, chairman and CEO of LDI Ltd., Indianopolis. Lacy succeeds W. Grady Rosier of McLane Co., Temple, Texas. Rosier will serve on the NAW Board as immediate past chairman. One of Lacy's top priorities as chairman for the coming year is working with NAW and its Wholesaler-Distributor Political Action Committee in support of a pro-business agenda in the U.S. Congress.

The following industry leaders were also elected NAW officers for 2003: Chairman-Elect: William A. Parsley, president, Carswell Distributing Co., Winston Salem, N.C.; First Vice Chairman: Sydney "Tucker" Jones III, president, Hudson Valley Paper Co., Albany, N.Y.; Second Vice Chairman: Robert Reynolds, chairman, president and CEO, Graybar Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo.; Secretary, Raymon A. York, CEO, Ewing Irrigation Products, Phoenix; Chairman, Subcommittee on Budget and Finance/Treasurer: Alan B. Vidinsky, Chairman, Valin Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif.; President and Chief Executive Officer: Dirk Van Dongen, president, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, Washington, D.C.

Completing the 2003 NAW board of directors are Chair of the NAW Association Executives Council (AEC) Inge Calderon, executive vice president of the American Supply Association; Chairman-Elect of the AEC John Garfinkel, executive director of the International Sanitary Supply Association; and Past Chairman of the AEC, Tim Holt, president, National School Supply and Equipment Association.