Home Textiles Today articles from June 2003

Home Textiles Today archives from June 2003

Brazil looks north for trade growth.(U.S. business)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... BLUMENAU, BRAZIL -- It's the economy, idiota. Brazil's home textiles manufacturers are wrestling with a weak real--nearly three to one US dollar--and hoping that the Brazilian government's efforts to rein in interest rates and control...

Dick Fish says so long to Wal-Mart.(domestics vp retires)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... BENTONVILLE, AR -- Dick Fish, Wal-Mart's vp, gmm, domestics, has retired from the company, a spokesperson said last week. Wal-Mart said that a search is underway to replace him. Fish reported to Lois Mikita, gram. When Fish first...

Retailers keep an eye on fatter inventories.
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Mushrooming inventories have retailers walking a tightrope as they simultaneously guard against heavy markdown exposure while moving to take advantage of sharp buys at wholesale. Whether stung by the slowdown in sales or by...

Strouds creditors want answers.
June 2, 2003... LOS ANGELES -- In their second meeting since Strouds filed bankruptcy nearly two weeks ago, members of the retailer's creditors' committee hired an attorney and a forensic accountant, even as the 47-store chain continued its liquidation. ...

Kmart names Barclay VP. (Retail briefs).(Ed Barclay)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Kmart Management Corp. has named Ed Barclay vp of asset protection, reporting to Julian Day, president and ceo. Barclay will be responsible for all aspects of asset management for Kmart's store base, distribution centers and headquarters, as...

Family dollar appoints Gehl. (Retail briefs).(Keith Gehl named svp)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Keith Gehl has been named svp, real estate and store construction, at Family Dollar. Gehl joins the company from Food Lion, LLC, a supermarket chain, where he was evp of business strategy and store development.

IMRA convention in September. (Retail briefs).
June 2, 2003... The International Mass Retail Association has announced several industry leaders to headline presentations at its annual convention, including David Perdue, ceo, Dollar General, and Coleman Peterson, evp, People division, Wal-Mart. The...

Joe Boxer wakes things up at Kmart.(bedding ensembles)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... TROY, MI -- The latest in snooze will be hitting Kmart stores nationwide early this month, as Joe Boxer releases six new bedding ensembles packaged in "Snooze Kits." In colorful and funky styles, the patterns include Daizy Plaid, a bright...

Hudson's Bay adds Waverly decor.
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Hudson's Bay Company is launching a new home merchandising program across its three retail divisions with Waverly, beginning this spring and continuing through the remainder of the year. The program will be seen in Zellers, Home...

Massive makeover for KY Value City store.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... COLUMBUS -- If the positive results continue, a newly expanded and updated store may become the standard moving forward for Value City Department Stores. Wider aisles, along with new fixtures, carpets and lighting, are but a few of the...

Pine Cone Hill debuts colorful lines.(bedding)
June 2, 2003... PITTSFIELD, MA -- Colors rule over the latest collection from bedding manufacturer Pine Cone Hill, with bright, cheerful hues mixed in with playful details like pantaloons, dance ruffles and ticking. "It was such a long winter; bright...

Dollar General profits surge in Q1.
June 2, 2003... GOODLETTSVILLE, TN -- First-quarter profits at Dollar General Corp. raced ahead by 31.4 percent, to $60.3 million from $45.9 million last year. Helped by bargain-hunting shoppers, sales climbed by 12.9 percent, to $1.6 billion from $1.4...

Restoration Hardware gets boost.(losses narrowed)
June 2, 2003... CORTE MADERA, CA -- With a new merchandising strategy apparently kicking in, sales and margins both came in unexpectedly Strong at Restoration Hardware Inc., enabling the upscale specialty retailer to narrow its first-quarter loss by almost a...

Member fees help BJ's post profit.(BJ's Wholesale Club Inc.)
June 2, 2003... NATICK, MA -- Losing money in its core retailing operation, and profitable only because of membership fees, BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. reported that first-quarter profits were slashed by more than half, to $11.3 million from $23.1 million a year...

McNeil heads Hollander fashion bedding unit. (New prez).(Sandy McNeil promoted to president at Hollander Home Fashions)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Hollander Home Fashions last week announced the promotion of Sandy McNeil to president of the company's fashion bedding division. She reports to ceo Leo Hollander. McNeil was formerly senior vp of fashion bedding. She assumed...

New show in Lisbon.
June 2, 2003... LISBON, PORTUGAL -- FIL, the International Fair of Lisbon, will hold the first annual IN'NOVA show here from Sept. 19 to 21. The new trade show will be for both Portugese and international exhibitors and buyers of tableware, kitchenware,...

Casali named svp at Dan River.(Lou Casali)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Lou Casali has been promoted to senior vp, sales and marketing for Dan River's department and specialty store adult bedding segments, Tom Muscalino, president of the home fashions division, announced last week. Casali had been...

FSC home taps Bonini prez, gm.(FSC Home Interiors Group appoints Daniel Bonini)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Daniel Bonini has been named president and general manager of FSC Home Interiors Group, a division of F. Schumacher & Co. He reports to Gerald Puschel, president and ceo. "We are extremely pleased that Dan is joining us to run...

Cotton Inc. taps new fashion mktg director.(Kathryn Novakovie)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Kathryn Novakovie has been promoted to the new position of director, fashion marketing at Cotton Inc. Her responsibilities include overseeing all fashion marketing activities including trend, color, fabric and style forecasting...

Elrene promotes two execs to vp, sales.(Maureen Ciaccio, Larry Wernick)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Table linen and kitchen textiles supplier Elrene has promoted Maureen Ciaccio to vp of sales for the western region and Larry Wernick to vp of sales for the eastern region. For the past year, Ciaccio was regional sales manager....

JCPenney honors home merchants with President's Award.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... PLANO, TX -- Eight home division merchants were awarded the Chairman's Award recognizing managerial excellence at JCPenney. Greg Franko, vp, dmm, window coverings and luggage, and Steve Jebbia, vp, dmm, bed and bath, headed the list of home...

Cotton Inc. forecasts palettes, trends.
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Revival, a color palette at once very warm but comforting, is the most fashion forward of six color palettes introduced by Cotton Inc. as part of its Home Fabrics Color and Trend Forecasting 2005 edition. At the same time, said...

Home Comfort inks licenses for July debuts.
June 2, 2003... ATLANTA -- Accent and area rug newcomer Home Comfort this summer will launch rug collections featuring licensed artists' designs. Home Comfort is the sister company of Home Fires, both of which are owned by Cresc Corp., led by Edward Chu....

Calendar.(textile industry events)(Calendar)
June 2, 2003... JUNE 10-12 Annual Licensing and Merchandising Conference and Exposition Javits Center New York (800) 331-5706 www.licensingshow.com 16-18 NeoCon World's Trade Fair Merchandise Mart Chicago (312) 527-7074 www.merchandisernart.com/neocon...

Safer ... and sorrier. (Opinion Today).(colors in textiles)(Column)
June 2, 2003... They didn't mean any insult when they said it. We use a lot of color here. It's not like you in America. I heard it almost everywhere we went during last week's Texfair do Brasil, the annual home textiles fair for the Brazilian industry....

Rewriting the retail book. (Opinion Today).(WalMart brings suppliers to United States)(Column)
June 2, 2003... Attention. ATTENTION. ATTENTION! Loyal readers, welcome to the latest advanced retailing 101 session for 2003. Your instructor... the godzilla from Bentonville, AR. Subject... establishing a new profit center. In a feature story...

Glass houses are good things.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ -- Hunter Douglas has awarded a total of $20,000 to a dozen second-year students at the New Jersey School of Architecture at the NJ Institute of Technology in a design competition dubbed "A Glass House: From the Penthouse...

Starts down, rest of market sturdy. (Business Today).(housing market)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Staying the course despite a soft economy and a weak employment outlook, the broad U.S. housing market turned in a sturdy performance during April, with two of the three market segments--existing and new home sales--both making...

Cone strikes deal to extend credit. (Business Today).(Cone Mills Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... GREENSBORO, NC -- Winning some breathing space from its lenders, Cone Mills Corp., said it has cut a deal extending its credit facility and senior note obligations through March 15, 2004. Under the terms of the deal, the outstanding balance...

S&P downgrades Penney to junk bond. (Business Today).(Standard & Poor's; J.C. Penney)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Citing a weak first quarter and continued downward pressure on profits, Standard & Poor's, one of the big three corporate credit rating agencies, knocked J.C. Penney down a notch to "junk bond" status. S&P took the retailer's...

May Co. placed on credit watch by S&P. (Business Today).(May Department Stores Co.; Standard & Poor's)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Concerned about sliding profits, a soft economy and weak consumer spending, Standard & Poor's rating agency is contemplating a downgrade of May Department Stores Co. and said it has placed the retailer on CreditWatch with "negative...

As war fears fade, optimism returns. (Business Today).
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Now that the war with Iraq has settled, Americans are betting that business conditions and the job outlook will improve over the next six months, and consumer confidence climbed in May to its highest level in six months, The...

Lowe's pushes profits in quarter. (Business Today).(Lowe's Companies Inc.)
June 2, 2003... WILKESBORO, NC -- Picking up traction and winning share from its larger rival in the home improvement segment, Lowe's Companies Inc. pushed first-quarter sales up at a double-digit pace and drove profits higher by almost 22 percent. ...

Home Depot rebounds in Q1. (Business Today).(records gains in sales and profits)
June 2, 2003... ATLANTA -- Bounding back from earlier weakness, The Home Depot Inc. climbed back on track during the first quarter, recording gains in sales and profits, reversing declines during the fourth quarter of last year. Helped by improving sales...

Weather doesn't dampen sales. (Business Today).(same-store retail sales)
June 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Despite unseasonably cold and damp weather that cramped sales of seasonal apparel in many parts of the country, same-store retail sales, helped by the Memorial Day weekend, moved up by 1.5 percent from year-ago levels during the...

Costco boosts sales, profits in Q3. (Business Today).(Costco Wholesale Corp.)
June 2, 2003... ISSAQUAH, WA -- With sales climbing higher at a double-digit pace, and margins shooting up at an unusually rapid pace, especially for a no-frills warehouse club, third-quarter profits at Costco Wholesale. Corp. raced ahead by 18.0 percent, to...

Sales up, profits down in Williams-Sonoma Q1. (Business Today).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- With stockpiles and costs both climbing higher, first-quarter profits at Williams-Sonoma Inc. fell by 12.8 percent, even though sales climbed higher at a double-digit pace, rising by 12.2 percent. Earnings came in far...

Gottschalks reports lower numbers in Q1. (Business Today).(Gottschalks Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... FRESNO, CA -- With sales trailing off, margins thinning out and costs still running high, West Coast retailer Gottschalks Inc. reported a widening first-quarter loss of $4.0 million, compared with a year-ago deficit of $2.7 million. ...

Wall street watch: summary for the week ended May 29, 2003. (Business Today).(stock prices of retailers and textile companies)(Illustration)
June 2, 2003... Summary for the week ended May 29, 2003 RETAILERS CLOSE % CHG % CHG. 5/29/03 THIS WEEK YEAR-TO-DATE Bed Bath & Beyond * (D) (H) 40.56 ...

Protesting her innocence, Martha protects MSO brands.(Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart launched a plea for her image and her brands last week even as she pleaded her innocence before a federal judge of criminal charges involving alleged securities fraud and cover up. It was a striking example of...

American fabric producer has an international flair.(American Decorative Fabrics)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- In eight years, American Decorative Fabrics has soared from its beginning as a converter to a major decorative fabric mill with revenues exceeding $70 million. In late 1995 the company started as a supplier to a few New York...

WestPoint mulls its future: sweeping changes await.(WestPoint Stevens bankruptcy filing)
June 9, 2003... WEST POINT, GA -- Eager to wipe the slate clean of debilitating debt of more than $2.1 billion--and at the same time gear up for further changes in top management, and possibly even strategic focus--WestPoint Stevens could very well be poised...

JCPenney finds product excitement ... everywhere.(product development)
June 9, 2003... PLANO, TX -- No supplier matrix can be static. Retailers who say a matrix is closed "are doomed to be product stale," maintained JCPenney's Peter McGrath. For those involved in developing product at retail, "you always have to be...

Self-checkouts increase. (Retail briefs).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The number of self-checkout lanes has climbed 47 percent, according to a study from IHL Consulting Group, and should surpass $1 billion in market value by 2005. "The depth and breadth of the installations continued to grow even in a tough...

NRF adds international division. (Retail briefs).(National Retail Federation)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Due to the increasing globalization in retail, the National Retail Federation is also going global, announcing its new International Retail Federation. A division of the NRF, the IRF will serve the needs of retailers based outside the U.S....

Company seeks to purchase Elder-Beerman. (Retail briefs).(EB Acquisition)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... After the recent announcement from Elder-Beerman that it had entered into exclusive discussions with a potential bidder, investment company EB Acquisition last week asked the company's board of directors why other firms were not allowed to bid...

Beco adds Larkin for business development.(Steven Larkin appointed vp at Beco Industries)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... MONTREAL -- Beco Industries has hired Steven Larkin as its new vp for U.S. business development. Larkin has over 20 years of retail experience in the home textiles industry, having held merchandising positions at Federated Department...

Home turns, turns, turns in every season at TJX.
June 9, 2003... FRAMINGHAM, MA -- The decorative side of the business is what drives TJX's home business, president and ceo Ted English said last week following the company's annual meeting. "We treat home unlike any other retailer," by concentrating on...

Wal-Mart drives int'l expansion.(global procurement)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... BENTONVILLE, AR -- As retailing giant Wal-Mart reported 2003 fiscal year net sales of $244.5 billion, a 12 percent increase, it continued making strides in internal product development and global procurement, which it brought in-house last...

Jenny & Jeff launches new designs.(Jenny and Jeff Designs Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... PROVIDENCE, RI -- Jenny and Jeff Designs is introducing new designs in each of the infant, juvenile, teen and adult segments during this week's Licensing 2003 International Show in New York. Jenny Faw, president of Jenny and Jeff Designs...

Bardwil to produce Dansk kitchen and table linens.(Bardwil Linens)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Building on the success of its Lenox program, Bardwil Linens has signed a licensing agreement to produce kitchen textiles and table linens for Lenox Inc.'s Dansk brand--the casual alternative to the more formal Lenox brand. ...

Kas Oriental debuts new roll runner program.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... SOMERSET, NJ -- Kas Oriental has launched a machine-made roll runner program. Offered in 90-foot rolls, the product will be available by the end of June and featured at the Atlanta Rug Market in July. The line will feature 14 traditional...

Il Fiore takes a walk on the wild side.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Il Fiore has expanded its license with wildlife artist Lynn Chase, known for her fine china and figurines. The company will introduce Monkey Garden, a collection of handpainted pillow designs that have been created to coordinate...

NTA urges China trade safeguards.(Karl Spilhaus of National Textiles Association )(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... BOSTON -- The president of the National Textiles Association has called on the Bush Administration to invoke trade safeguards with China following the creation of a procedural infrastructure to do so. The Committee for the Implementation of...

Super licenses to the rescue. (L!censing 2003 International).(Licensing 2003 International annual trade show )
June 9, 2003... Toys and apparel remain the headliner product categories for licensing, yet home textiles continue to grow in importance and relevance, too, finding a place on the marquee. Indeed, licensing has grown in popularity largely because of its...

A tough turnaround road gets even tougher; this special report contains information culled from interviews and from investor presentations made by company executives during April and May. (Special Report).(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... The halfway mark is looming in the five-year turnaround marathon that JCPenney embarked upon in 2001. The 101-year-old retailer has jumped some prodigious hurdles since then--centralizing a buying process that had been conducted on an...

In home, brands will make all the difference. (Special Report).(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... JCPenney is looking at its private and national brands to offset competition in commodity products for its home lines, especially home textiles. In addition, said Charlie Chinni, executive vp, home, fine jewelry, and family footwear, "we...

A rocky road leads Direct somewhere. (Special Report).(J.C. Penney Company Inc. marketing)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The mixed performance of JCPenney's direct business illuminates the tension between repairing the mistakes of the past and pursing the promise of the future. On the one hand, sales at Penney's Internet operation continue to grow at a...

It's all inside ... (repeat) ... It's all inside ... (Special Report).(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... JCPenney's marketing strategy is moving in lockstep with the company's merchandising focus on dominant categories and brands--home among them. The company has boosted its advertising expenditures by more than 30 percent since 2000, putting...

New systems will support the cause. (Special Report).(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... While JCPenney's five-year turnaround is about to hit the mid-point, the bulk of its back-end support and allocations systems initiatives are nearing completion. From day one, Penney's key support departments were given a tighter...

Duralee adds sales manager. (Swatches).(Duralee Fabrics hires Tom Paonessa)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... BAY SHORE, NY -- In moves that are part of its product expansion strategy, Duralee has added a regional sales manager, breaking up its southwest/central U.S. sales territory. Tom Paonessa, formerly southwest sales manager for Kravet, has...

Koch forms design studio. (Swatches).(Michael Koch Designs)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Michael Koch has formed Michael Koch Designs, a design studio first specializing in woven decorative fabrics, then printed fabrics. Koch, formerly executive vp, design for Wearbest SilTex Mills, left the company in December...

Students named in design award contest. (Fabrics Today).(Virginia Jackson Design Award contest)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... HIGH POINT, NC -- Rashmi Balashankar of Philadelphia University, Alexis Andette of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Vanessa Golestanch of Philadelphia were the first prize winners in the Virginia Jackson Design Award contest, which is...

Green departs in a final deal.(Holcombe T. Green Jr. leaves WestPoint Stevens Inc.)
June 9, 2003... WESTPOINT, GA -- In the first of what's likely to be a long string of changes that will ultimately reshape the nation's second-largest textiles producer, WestPoint said it has cut its ties to former chairman, ceo and majority owner Holcombe T....

WestPoint's fall a series of miscalculations.(WestPoint Stevens Inc.)
June 9, 2003... WESTPOINT, GA -- Choked by more than $2 billion in debt, and paying a high price for years of financial miscalculations, WestPoint Stevens Inc. last weekmade a long anticipated--many say long overdue--bankruptcy filing, a move that should allow...

Waiting for the other shoe. (Opinion Today).
June 9, 2003... This could be the year when the landscape changes utterly. The mill-dominant structure of the American home textiles industry has been consolidating in waves over the past 15 years. Formerly an acquisition-oriented series of mergers...

SARS and sourcing. (Opinion Today).(Severe acute respiratory syndrome and home textiles sources)(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... As the global home textiles and decorative fabrics sourcing scenario continues to change on a minute-by-minute basis, there's a whole bunch of stuff that probably will influence this business. High on the list is SARS. As China...

Post-war retail sales soft in un-sunny days. (Business Today).(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Sales remained soft for May, the first full month since the war ended. The unseasonable weather was a factor for some retailers, particularly ones with stores in the Northeast. Inventories remain a hot topic for retailers, some...

Markdowns hurt Delia's in Q1. (Business Today).(Delia's Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- With margins under heavy markdown pressure as it moved out leftover holiday goods, Delia's Inc., a specialty retailer that targets apparel and home fashions to teenage girls and young women, recorded a widening first-quarter loss...

Holiday sales boost May numbers. (Business Today).(Memorial Day sales)
June 9, 2003... NEW YORK -- Helped by Memorial Day sales events, same-store retail sales rose by 0.9 percent over year-ago levels during the fourth and final week of May, following an even bigger jump of 1.5 percent the week before. Given the strength of...

Manufacturing sector gains, shows recovery. (Business Today).
June 9, 2003... TEMPE, AZ -- While still subdued, the American manufacturing sector, a principal driver of the overall economy, showed signs of launching a recovery and gained strength substantially in May, recovering from declines during the prior four...

Wall Street watch: summary for the week ended June 5, 2003. (Business Today).(stock prices, various retailers, manufacturers)(Illustration)
June 9, 2003... Summary for the week ended June 5, 2003 RETAILERS CLOSE % CHG % CHG. 6/05/03 THIS WEEK YEAR-TO-DATE Bed Bath & Beyond * (D) (H) 43.80 ...

Editor's notes.(Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association show)(Editorial)
June 9, 2003... How was JPMA this year? That's a difficult question to answer in many ways. It was my first show, so I have no prior years to compare it with. And the comments I heard from manufacturers were mixed, at best. Expectations going in seemed...

American birth rates drop 1% in 2001. (By the Numbers).
June 9, 2003... High Point -- The newest reports on birth from the Department of Heath and Human Services show that there were 4,025,933 babies born in 2001, 1% fewer than the year before. The birth rate declined from 14.7 to 14.5 births per 1,000 population...

Bellissimo to license name, offer store galleries. (News Watch).(Wendy Bellissimo)
June 9, 2003... Canoga Park, Calif. -- Infant bedding designer Wendy Bellissimo will begin a new program wherein she will license her name for a complete line of juvenile products--everything from nursery decor and accessories to furniture, wallpaper and...

NCE to debut Hopscotch line at gift shows. (News Watch).(New Creative Enterprises)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Milford, Ohio -- Decorative accessories company New Creative Enterprises will debut a line of baby gifts and home decor items at the Dallas and Atlanta gift shows this summer. The company hopes the new line, dubbed Hopscotch, will appeal...

Baby Bjorn Active launched at JPMA. (News Watch).(Regal Lager introduces baby carrier)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Marietta, Ga. -- Regal Lager introduced a new Baby Bjorn carrier--the Baby Bjorn Active--at the Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Assn. show in Dallas last month, marking the first new model for the popular Baby Bjorn carriers. The Baby...

Neurosmith distributing Mamas & Papas. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Long Beach, Calif. -- Educational toy manufacturer Neurosmith has acquired the rights to distribute U.K.-based Mamas & Papas plush products in North America. The new Mamas & Papas line will include 30 items under the name Mamas & Papas by...

Saks acquires Club Libby Lu. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Birmingham, Ala. -- Saks Inc. has acquired pre-teen mall-based retailer Club Libby Lu for approximately $12 million paid to the company's three owners. Club Libby Lu consists of 11 mostly Midwestern stores that are each between 1,100 and...

Toys "R" Us promotes two senior executives. (People around the industry).(Richard L. Markee, Deborah Derby)
June 9, 2003... Paramus, N.J. -- Richard L. Markee has been named vice chairman of Toys "R" Us, Inc., and president of the company's U.S. Toy Stores. "Rick's superb track record of having founded Babies "R" Us, our company's most successful division, and...

Hasbro names Verrecchia new chief executive officer. (People around the industry).(Alfred J. Verrecchia)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Pawtucket, R.I. -- Hasbro has promoted Alfred J. Verrecchia to chief executive officer. Verrecchia served as the company's president and chief operating officer prior to his promotion. As CEO, Verrecchia now has overall responsibility...

GLM names new SVP, makes staff changes. (People around the industry).(George Little Management appoints Leslie Nathan-Street)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... White Plains, N.Y. -- George Little Management has named Leslie Nathan-Street to senior vice president. Nathan-Street, who reports to George F. Little II, the president of GLM, is responsible for sales, marketing and strategic planning for...

Applause launches international div., headed by Paparella. (People around the industry).(Michael Paparella)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Woodland Hills, Calif. -- Gift industry manufacturer Applause recently established Applause International and has named Michael Paparella director of international business and sales. Paparella's career has involved creating high-profile...

Clark & Lee making hand-painted cribs. (News Watch).(Clark & Lee Design)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Pasadena, Calif. -- Clark & Lee Design showed a new line of hand-painted furniture at the Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Assn. show in Dallas last month. The nine designs were created to coordinate with crib and twin size bedding from...