FOREMOST GROUPS INC. reports that Mike Runnells has been hired as its national sales manager for the outdoor division—specialty channel. In this position, Runnells will be directly responsible for developing and implementing Veranda Classics sales programs, managing the sales force, and serving a nationwide specialty customer base.

Runnells comes to Foremost Groups with over 40 years of experience in the outdoor-furniture and retail industry, including 14 years of owning and operating his own outdoor-manufacturing facility. He was most recently a Summer Classics sales representative for the Florida/Caribbean territory, where he showed outstanding success in sales leadership, in addition to working with representatives around the country in training/development programs.