Hart & Cooley, Inc., has hired RoanDelVero to be its new vice president ofwholesale sales and marketing.Previously, DelVero was the vice presidentof sales and marketing at TheTapco Group, a Michigan manufacturerand marketer of building products.He has also held management positionsat Koch Industries, Chicago Faucet,and Black & Decker. DelVero bringsover 25 years of sales and marketingexperience to Hart & Cooley, as well asan established record of success andcustomer focus.

Hart & Cooley is a leading manufacturerof air-distribution and ventingproducts for heating, plumbing, and airconditioningsystems. Founded in 1901,Hart & Cooley manufactures a widevariety of products, including grilles, registers,diffusers, flexible air duct, gasventing…

An educational summit on increasingprofitability will be presented byJerry Isenhour and Hope Stevenson forhearth retailers, contractors, and chimneysweeps. Sponsored by OlympiaChimney Supply, the three-day programwill be held in Sturbridge, Massachusetts(January 15–17, 2013); Dayton, Ohio(January 29–31); Harrisburg,Pennsylvania (February 5–7);Greensville, South Carolina (February12–14); and Madison, Wisconsin(February 19–21).

The cost is $399 per person (for thefirst registrant from a company) and$299 per person (for every additional registrantfrom the same company). Registerby December 15, 2012, to receive $50 offthe registration fee. A complimentarylunch will be provided. For more information,contact Barbara Andricks:bandricks@olympiachimney.com.

The Companion Group, a design andmanufacturing company makinggrilling, pizza-making, and other cookingand outdoor-living products, has returned toits roots by moving its office to Berkeley,California. The Companion Group wasfounded in Berkeley in 1984.

Its beginnings were small, as foundersChuck Adams and Doug Fielding startedout selling chimney-style charcoal startersby visiting local retailers, door to door.Eventually, the company grew into the familyof brands that it is today, with lines suchas Charcoal Companion®, StevenRaichlen Best of Barbecue™, pizzacraft®,and Planet Barbecue™. As the companyevolved, it based its offices in Berkeley,Oakland, and Emeryville, California. SinceOctober 2012, however, it has once againcalled Berkeley home.

Chuck Adams, CEO…

Winston Furniture, a division of Brown JordanInternational and one of the leading brands inoutdoor furniture (located in Haleyville,Alabama, since 1975), recognized Miles Fenn asthe company’s 2012 Sales Representative of theYear. The award was presented to Fenn atWinston’s annual sales meeting, held duringthe Chicago International CasualFurniture & Accessories Market™. Fenn isa seasoned representative in the casual-furnitureindustry and has been a Winstonsales representative for two years, coveringthe south Florida market.

Steve Herenlip, vice president of sales forWinston Furniture, says, “Miles has garneredtremendous support and revenue for theWinston brand. We are very proud to haveMiles represent Winston Furniture.”

OW Lee, manufacturer of high-end outdoorfurniture, firepits, and accessories, receivedthe International Casual Furnishings Association(ICFA) Manufacturer of the Year Award at theICFA Awards reception in September 2012. Theevent took place concurrently with the ChicagoInternational Casual Furniture & AccessoriesMarket™.

Terri Lee Rogers, co-owner and president ofOW Lee, says, “OW Lee is very honored toreceive this prestigious award from ourretailers. This award touches each and every oneof our employees, and we thank them for theirhard work and dedication to our products and thecompany overall. We are so lucky to be a part ofsuch a great industry.”

OW Lee was selected as the Manufacturer…

Dobbins & Son, Inc., was recognized asthe Gensun Casual Living 2012 SalesRepresentative of the Year for providing outstandingsales and service. Jan Trinkley, vice president ofsales and marketing for Gensun, says, “GrayDobbins and his team are professional and hardworking,and they go the extra mile in support ofthe dealer and the company. Gray exemplifieswhat an excellent sales representative should possess—strong ethics and relationships with theircustomers, along with excellent follow-up, training,care, and communication. Adding salesgrowth of 55% over the previous year, Dobbins &Son earned the award with honors.”

Industry veteran Matt Wiese has joined Empire Comfort Systems as national service trainer, working with the company’s dealers and distributors. Wiese brings Empire Comfort Systems 18 years of experience in heating, air conditioning, and fireplace products, and he is a master certified trainer through the National Fireplace Institute.

HPBA is sad to announce that Tom Pugh passed away over the weekend. Tom ran Lloyd F. Pugh & Associates as a manufacturers’ rep, carrying on the business started by his father. He will be missed by many in the industry for his many contributions and his many hours of service to HPBA.

Tom chaired HPBA’s Government Affairs Committee twice, starting in the late 1990s. He brought HPBA’s government affairs efforts into the mainstream – something needed with the increased attention by federal, state, and local governments in the last ten years. Tom was adept at identifying new issues on…