McNaughton-McKay (Madison Heights, MI): Greg Chun, VP of marketing, retired after 35 years with the company, according to his post on LinkedIn. He joined the business in 1986 and previously held the role of VP of information technologies. He also held roles in engineering and sales; was promoted to leadership roles for the company’s operations in various regions, including Michigan and Ohio; and lived and worked for the company’s S&D operation outside of Dusseldorf.
W.W. Grainger (Lake Forest, IL): The company announced the appointment of Dee Merriwether as chief financial officer (CFO) and Paige Robbins as senior vice president and president of the company’s Grainger Business Unit, comprised of Grainger businesses in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Currently senior vice president and president, North American Sales and Services, Merriwether joined Grainger in 2013 as head of North America Finance.
In 2017, she became head of U.S. Direct Sales and Pricing, leading the development and implementation of Grainger’s new pricing strategy, and reinvigorating the company’s relationships with large and medium customers throughout the United States. Prior to joining Grainger, Merriwether worked with Sears Holdings, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Eli Lilly.
Paige Robbins joined Grainger in 2010 and during her tenure led the Global Supply Chain, Branch Network, Customer Service Centers, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Merchandising and the Grainger Technology Group. The Grainger Business Unit will merge all commercial functions for the Grainger brand in North America into a single organization.
Robroy Enclosures (Verona, PA): Patrick Kane was hired as product line manager. He has more than 15 years in product management, strategy development, project management, new product development, marketing material development, training, and customer conflict resolution. His prior experience includes product line management with Eaton, Crouse-Hinds and Cooper Crouse-Hinds. Kane is a graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo. He has received additional training in Six Sigma, web marketing and project management.
Channel Marketing Group (Raleigh, NC): Gene Biben joined Channel Marketing Group after over 40 years with Philadelphia-based Biben Sales, one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s best-known manufacturer representatives. Biben, formerly president and CEO of Biben Sales (Joseph E. Biben C. and Biben Marketing Group), recently retired from the agency. A succession plan was put in place two years ago with Biben’s son-in-law, Bill Solomon, taking over the agency.
Biben was very active in the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA), serving as chairman and treasurer. He was also a member of the Philadelphia NECA chapter and the Electric Association of Philadelphia, as well as many manufacturers’ rep advisory councils.
When asked what he wanted to accomplish in his new role at CMG, Biben said, “I am excited to share my experiences and hopefully give back to an industry now in change that has allowed me to raise five daughters while meeting many of my best friends. Hopefully, my experiences will help others in these most critical times.”