BASF Hires Sales Specialist
BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals has appointed Travis Klosterboer as sales specialist for Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Klosterboer will help chemical distributors, golf course superintendents, nursery/greenhouse and lawn care operators and other turf professionals select science-based solutions to meet their turf and ornamental challenges.
“Travis knows plant protection,” said Toni Bucci, Ph.D., BASF Turf & Ornamentals business manager. “His experience working as an assistant superintendent combined with more than 13 years representing basic chemical manufacturers in the South, gives him a well-rounded perspective from which to counsel users on innovative pest management solutions from BASF.”
Since 2002, Klosterboer represented Bayer Environmental Science as its golf, sports field and ornamentals sales specialist in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. He managed South Texas and Louisiana sales for Aventis Chipco Professional Products and represented Syngenta Turf & Ornamentals for eight years as its golf, lawn care and ornamentals market specialist in Texas, Okalahoma and New Mexico. He spent the first two years of his career as an assistant superintendent at courses in Houston and Fort Worth.
Klosterboer earned his bachelor’s of science degree in Agronomy with a Turf Management emphasis from Texas A&M University. He received the College of Agriculture and Life Science Senior Merit Award and was recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Agronomy.
Cleary Welcomes New Sales Representative
Cleary Chemical announced that Brian McGuffin joined its sales team.
Mcuffin's territory is Northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He has over 20 years experience in the turf and ornamental markets. He has worked for many well respected companies in our industry including Chemlawn, Lebanon, and Argriliance.
Like most turf sales representatives, Brian started out as an assistant superintendent at Calumet Country Club in Elwood, Ill. He attended the Perdue University Turfgrass Course, as well as Penn State’s Turfgrass Management Program and University of Illinois Turfgrass Management Program.
Valent Expands Turf & Ornamental Leadership Team with National Business Manager
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Valent U.S.A. Corporation named a new executive to help drive its growing product portfolio in the professional turf and ornamental business and other non-crop segments.
Scott Todd has joined Valent as national business manager for Valent Professional Products, responsible for all sales, marketing and research development activities for the turf, ornamental and industrial vegetation management (IVM) markets.
In this role, Todd will represent such proven and widely used products as Safari Insecticide, Velocity Herbicide, BroadStar Herbicide, SureGuard Herbicide and Sumagic Plant Growth Regulator as well as lead the upcoming market introduction of several highly anticipated fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. He replaces recent retiree Wayne Winner, who held this role for 12 years.
“Scott brings Valent 21 years of experience in the turf, ornamental and consumer lawn and garden industry,” said Trevor Thorley, Valent president and chief operating officer. “His strong business leadership, focus on customers and industry experience will be key as we continue to develop and launch new, innovative products for the professional market.”
Todd said he looks forward to returning to the turf and ornamental markets where he has strong, established relationships.
"I spent the last five years in consumer lawn and garden, but really missed the relationships and people within the turf and ornamental markets,” Todd said. “And when looking for a great company in this market, Valent rose to the top. Valent is a dynamic company with a great team of associates, has a record of success, a clear vision of how they want to grow the business and an impressive record on corporate social responsibility.”
Strong present, stronger future
Todd’s hire is the most recent move in the company’s focus to strengthen its presence in the turf and ornamental market. Todd joins two additional new hires: Jill Calabro, a turf pathologist who will lead the technology focus for several products to help the company broaden its turf herbicide and fungicide portfolio, and Todd Mayhew, a field market development manager and key account specialist in the western United States. Additionally, Valent has hired several turf pathology interns to work with its growing pipeline of innovative fungicides – further demonstrating the company’s strong commitment to this market.
According to Thorley, this commitment to develop, launch and market innovative new products while improving service will be felt by Valent customers in this season and beyond.
Paul G. McDonough Joins Davey
Paul G. McDonough has joined The Davey Tree Expert Company as manager, product sales and marketing. He will focus on the sales and promotion of Davey’s patented fertilizer line.
McDonough has over 30 years of green industry experience. He had been with LESCO since 1995, where he held a variety of positions in national account sales. His most recent position was channel vice president. Prior to LESCO, McDonough held sales positions with Agriturf, Sandoz, Agro, Earthgro and WMI Urban Services dba Trugreen/Old Fox.
“We are very excited to have Paul join Davey. He will add depth to our technical resources and is well known nationally in the green industry,” said Karl J Warnke, Davey president & CEO. “The expanded market presence of our Arbor Green product is an important goal as part of our Building on the Best of Davey rebranding initiative. Paul’s expertise will help us achieve this.”
He is a founding board member and immediate past president of Project EverGreen, a national organization dedicated to the public relations and the branding of the green industry. He is also a member of the government affairs committee of Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and the immediate past chairman of the Ohio Professional Applicators for Responsible Regulation. In addition, he has served on a variety of industry committees and organizations in the New England area.
A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, McDonough holds a bachelor’s degree in history/education.
For additional information about the company, visit www.davey.com.
Target Adds Member to Sales Team
Warren Seifert is Target’s new representative for the northern California nursery and landscape markets.
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Seifert will call on accounts in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
He is a graduate of Cal Poly, Pomona where he earned a B.S. in Agricultural Biology. Additionally, he is a licensed Pest Control Advisor.
Prior to joining Target, he managed his own consulting firm in Gilroy, Calif. Seifert has also worked in management and sales for specialty agricultural firms in the Central Valley.
“We are pleased to add Warren to the Target team, and know he will be a valuable resource for our customers in northern California,” said Vice President and Western Regional Manager Casey Brierley.
Seifert can be reached by calling Target’s San Jose office at 800/767-0719 or via e-mail at warren.seifert@target-specialty.com.
AquaMaster Announces Director of Marketing Hire
AquaMaster announced that June Cleveringa has been hired as the company's director of marketing.
Cleveringa brings over twenty years of sales, management and marketing experience. Most recently, she held the position of Business Development Executive, at Coakley Tech in Milwaukee, Wis. Cleveringa has a great deal of marketing knowledge and experience and is sure to have a major impact in the ongoing development of the company. She can be reached at June@aquamasterfountains.com
Otterbine Barebo Hires Inside Sales and Service Manager
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Otterbine Barebo, a manufacturer of aerators and fountains in the pond and lake management industry, Otterbine Barebo, a manufacturer of aerators and fountains in the pond and lake management industry, welcomes Robert Heimbach as the new inside sales & service manager.
Arriving at Otterbine with more than 22 years of experience in field service management and sales, Heimbach will be responsible for inside sales and service support of Otterbine’s 300+ distribution network throughout the world.
Prior to joining Otterbine, Heimbach was the Regional Service Director with Paxar America Inc., a global leader in providing identification and tracking solutions to the retail and apparel industries. During his time at Paxar, Heimbach was directly involved in developing and implementing sales lead incentive programs for field service personnel, 3rd party service agreements, and numerous cost saving measures that increased efficiencies and revenues for both Paxar, and their affiliated partners.
“With the remarkable growth that Otterbine has experienced over the years we’ve combined our inside sales and service departments allowing us to pool our technical knowledge at the inside sales level, in order to better support our distribution channels,” said Carla V. Ott, president of Otterbine. “With Robert’s accomplishments and leadership experience in field service management we will be able to employ dynamic service and sales programs worldwide to encourage future growth while continuing to serve our distributors and customers at the highest levels.”
Heimbach resides in Perkiomenville, Pa., with his wife and three children and will be working from Otterbine’s main office in Emmaus, Pa.
Paul Vrabel Named Director of Energy Efficient Products Group at Sea Gull Lighting Products
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Sea Gull Lighting Products, (www.SeaGullLighting.com), a manufacturer of Energy Star-qualified, decorative and functional lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, named Paul Vrabel as director of its energy-efficient products group.
Vrabel is responsible for the sales, marketing, and development of the company’s energy efficient products category, including the more than 800 ENERGY STAR qualified models. Additionally, Vrabel will serve the organization as the lead liaison to utility companies and government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Sea Gull Lighting business partners to develop the next wave of energy-efficient lighting products. He will also work directly with distributors, retailers and building professionals to continually educate and reinforce the cost savings and environmentally-friendly benefits associated with the company’s “green” lighting products.
“Paul has a remarkable background for this position,” said Ace Rosenstein, Sea Gull Lighting’s vice president of marketing and corporate development. “He is internationally recognized as an expert in energy-efficient lighting having spent nearly 10 years supporting the ENERGY STAR Residential Lighting Fixture Program extensively within the United States; in addition he has supported energy-efficient lighting programs in Canada, Brazil, Philippines and Mexico.”
Prior to joining Sea Gull Lighting, Vrabel worked for ICF International, a global professional services firm that partners with government and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology solutions in energy, environment, transportation, social programs, defense and homeland security.
During this time, he held several senior-level positions at ICF related to the sale, promotion and development of energy-efficient lighting products. This included nearly 10 years assisting the EPA in the strategic planning, marketing, technical development and management of the ENERGY STAR Residential Lighting Fixture program as well as manager of the ICF International Lighting Team in the U.S. and international markets. His responsibilities ranged from the development and implementation of strategic marketing plans that promoted energy-efficient lighting benefits to the development and presentation of technical and sales training seminars for showrooms, distributors, trade associations and numerous other building professionals.
Vrabel holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in architectural engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and attended the civil engineering and architecture program at Leeds University in Leeds, England. He has also published numerous articles on energy-efficient lighting marketing strategies within leading industry publications and holds certifications from the Project Management Institute and the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions.
Kevin Wetzonis Promoted to Enhancement Manager at Ruppert
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Ruppert Nurseries announced the promotion of Kevin Wetzonis to Enhancement Manager in its Maryland Landscape Management Branch.
Wetzonis a New Market, Md., resident, began with the company in 2003 as a Crewman. In 2003, he was promoted to Assistant Field manager and then in 2004 to Field Manager. In his new role, he is responsible for producing all of the branch’s enhancement work, purchasing, selling a portion of that work and ensuring customer satisfaction.
“Kevin has demonstrated the energy, attitude and desire that are needed for this position," said Doug Halsey, Maryland Landscape Management Branch Manager. "Although there is a huge learning curve that comes with this transition, Kevin’s organized and thorough approach to everything he does will make him successful."
Generation Brands Appoints Steve Harriott as President of Encompass Lighting Group
Generation Brands, a decorative lighting manufacturer, announced the appointment of Steve Harriott as President of its Encompass Lighting Group. Harriott previously served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
The new role will expand Harriott’s leadership responsibilities to include oversight of all aspects of the company’s brands, which include Tech Lighting, LBL Lighting, 2 thousand degrees, T~trak, tiella, and the newly introduced Wilmette Lighting Company and Element recessed downlights.
Prior to joining Encompass Lighting Group in 2004, Harriott served as Vice President and General Manager for the E. & J. Gallo Winery responsible for Asia, Canada and Latin America. Harriott helped to build Gallo’s prominence globally through consumer brand building and sales initiatives.
After being a part of Tech Lighting and then Encompass Lighting over the last seven years, former President Joe Higgins has accepted a unique opportunity to serve at Misericordia Heart of Mercy, a Chicago-based special needs home serving 550 children and adults with mild to profound developmental disabilities.
Additionally, Higgins will remain with the company for the remainder of 2007 as a consultant to aid the management transition and to support the new product development process as the company continues as an industry leader in product innovation. ELG launched two new brands in 2007.