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ROAN NAMED
VICE PRESIDENT OF KARASTAN RUGS |
Steve Roan
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By Lissa Wyman
ATLANTA -- Steve Roan has been named vice president of Karastan Rugs, according to Jim Quist,. vice president of sales for Mohawk Home, a division of Mohawk Industries. Roan will report directly to Quist.
Roan's appointment is part of a major new sales and marketing shift for the venerable Karastan brand, according to Quist. Karastan Rugs will now become a part of the Mohawk Home division.
"Mohawk Home intends to be the market leader in all rug categories, from the mass market through the high end," Quist in an exclusive interview with Rugnews.com.
The new strategy is to expand Karastan's product offerings and price points in order to gain greater penetration in the broad middle segment of the market, specifically at retail price points from $499 to $999, Roan and Quist emphasized.
Bill Storey, Mohawk senior vice president, was previously in charge of both Karastan rugs and broadloom. He will continue to lead Karastan's broadloom sales and marketing efforts. He will report to Ken Durning.
The Karastan Rug sales organization will be separate from Karastan broadloom sales.
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Bill Roach will be northeast regional vice president for Karastan Rugs. Ed McRae will head the West Coast region, and Dave Matamoros will head regional sales in the Southeast. Roach and McRae are Karastan veterans. Matamoros joined Karastan in 2009. The post of midwest regional vice president will be filled at a later date.
"At the territory level, Karastan Rugs will be sold by a combination of salaried employees and independent sales representatives," Roan explained.
Karastan rugs will immediately begin to introduce new products, reflecting the change in marketing strategy, Roan noted
Making its debut this month is Generations by Karastan, a new group of Wilton woven nylon rugs covering a broad range of traditional, contemporary and transitional styles. The rugs will retail in the $499 range for 5'6" x 8'6" size.
"The Karastan name has always meant integrity and that is something that will never change," Roan emphasized.
Although Karastan Rugs now operates within the Mohawk Home division, there will be no cross-over between the division's three rug sales organizations.
Rugs under the Mohawk Home brand are sold through mass market stores. Mohawk Select rugs are sold through national and regional furniture and specialty store chains. Karastan is sold through department stores, furniture stores and rug and floor covering specialty stores.
Dave Moyer will continue to head marketing for Mohawk Select. He will report to Roan.
Roan has held executive posts in the rug and carpet industry for over 20 years beginning with Shaw Rugs.He has held posts with several major rug manufacturers adn importers and has most recently headed his own rug importing company.
Jim Quist, left, with Steve Roan in the Karastan
showroom in Atlanta.
1.7.10
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