Alfresco Home Introduces Rick Baker as Gourmet Brand Manager
On February 25, 2014, In Industry News by Greg Thompson
PHILADELPHIA - Alfresco Home, a designer and manufacturer of distinctive casual furniture, garden accents and the exclusive North American distributor of the Fornetto™ Wood-Fired Dual Purpose Oven and Smoker, has tapped Rick Baker as its new gourmet brand manager. An industry veteran, Baker is tasked with the continued expansion of Alfresco Home and its Outdoor Gourmet Division.
“Since the launch of our Outdoor Gourmet category with the Fornetto™ product line, I realized that as the brand develops at retail, we would need a brand leader,” said Joseph Cilio, CEO of Alfresco Home. “Rick and I have been doing some independent projects together, and when presented with the opportunity to work closely on growing Fornetto and furthering our presence in the outdoor cooking category, we both jumped at it.”
Baker brings outdoor living sales management, wholesale and manufacturing operations experience, as well as a strong retail background to Alfresco Home. He has served in the editorial review board for several trade magazines, and was president of the Casual Furniture Retail Association.
His familiarity with all segments of the industry positions Alfresco Home well as they drive the Fornetto brand further into the independent marketplace. Additionally, Baker will continue to field sales to the southern parts of the United States.
“The opportunity to work with Joseph and the whole team at Alfresco Home is something I welcome a great deal,” said Baker. “Taking the Outdoor Gourmet category and the Fornetto™ Brand to more retailers and working with our North American sales team to help our current customers further develop the brand is an exciting challenge I look forward to addressing.”
“As Alfresco Home develops the outdoor gourmet category with a broader range of outdoor cooking products and accessories, having Rick on board will help us focus on growing this business while taking care of our dealers with the expertise of an industry leader,” added Cilio.
The addition of the outdoor category in 2013, combined with Alfresco Home’s casual furniture and garden accents, further solidifies the company’s position in the outdoor living marketplace. With showrooms in Chicago, Atlanta, and Philadelphia—and a seasoned network of sales representatives across the country—Alfresco Home continues to make outdoor living easy.
