NEW YORK - Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills has named Ari Gasner as new president of Wearbest and its award-winning Bella-Dura® brand of high performance fabrics. At the same time, the New Jersey-based family-run mill will officially be placed into its fourth generation.
 
Founded in 1943 by the late Philip Gasner and his son, the late Meyer Gasner, as a purveyor of silk lining for men’s suits, Wearbest evolved post-war into manufacturing decorative upholstery fabrics. At one point the family relinquished the business, only to repurchase it in 1980. It has since then been run by Irwin Gasner, until now the Company’s president.
 
“In our new administrative structure, day-to-day operations and regular customer contact will be led by Ari. Over the past few years we have invested more and more into our business in anticipation of this change. With the team we have assembled—the most recent additions being a Director of Sales focusing on our indoor/outdoor furniture and residential business, and an Associate Sales Manager supporting those businesses—we have no doubt that this is just the beginning of great things to come,” said Irwin Gasner. “As for myself, I am not stepping down quite yet, but will be moving into more of an advisory capacity, in the role of CEO.”
 
Wearbest serves the contract and residential jobber and furniture markets. In February 2014, the company made the strategic decision to cease the creation of non-performance fabrics, choosing to focus new developments on its contract markets and Bella-Dura brand, winner of various industry accolades and awards including Best of Year honors from Interior Design magazine and a Cradle-to-Cradle Silver certification from the C2C Products Institute.
 
“I am truly honored and excited to be awarded this opportunity—not only to take the helm of my family’s business as the fourth generation, but also to lead the efforts in future growth, while we continue to be an American mill that best serves our customer base,” said Ari Gasner. “Our greatest strength, aided by the fact we are located just 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, is our legacy of flexibility, and the ability to address client needs in a timely and efficient manner. I’ve spent the last five years learning the business from the inside out, and getting to know our customers on a personal level. Along with the dynamite team we have cultivated, I am looking forward to many more years of shared success.”
 
www.wearbest.com
www.bella-dura.com