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…

  THE SECOND ANNUAL DESIGN OUTDOORS CANADA event (www.designoutdoorscanada.com) will take place on March 22 and 23, 2017, in Mississauga, Ontario, at The International Centre. March 22 will be a trade day, and March 23 will be a consumers’ day. Formerly known as the Outdoor Living Conference, the 2016 event (held in February) was a huge success.

Deborah Lalande, president of Bleu Venue Events and owner of Design Outdoors Canada, says, “This must-attend event is for interior designers, interior decorators, landscape architects, landscape designers, and outdoor-product vendors. New for 2017, we are thrilled to offer a day for consumers…

  EVOSUS BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, a fully integrated program designed specifically for the hearth/home industry, will hold its fourth annual user conference, Evosus Engage! This year’s conference will be held in Denver, Colorado, on September 22 and 23. This event gives Evosus users two days of in-depth education, networking, and direct access to product experts.

The goal of the conference is to create connections with Evosus experts and fellow users through networking and idea sharing, thereby introducing Evosus users to new features, new ideas, and process improvements. Evosus clients can register for the event at www.evosus.com/engage or can call…

  EVOSUS® BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Software, maker of an all-in-one software program designed specifically for the hearth/home industry, has launched a new version of its popular mobile service app for field technicians. Evosus Mobile Service empowers field technicians to find job information quickly, review customers’ work history, and close out jobs.

The app syncs in real time with back-office information, including job notes and pictures. It even has an offline mode for use in case technicians are out of cell-signal range. Evosus Mobile Service is currently live with over 100 companies throughout the United States and is available for Android,…

  INCORPORATING IN THE UNITED STATES as Weilburger North America Inc., Weilburger Coatings GmbH is making a strong effort to expand into the U.S. hearth, patio, and barbecue industries with its line of high-temperature coatings. The initial focus will be on the Senotherm®Classic line (a standard quick-dry, solvent-based, high-temperature coating) and the Senotherm UHT series (an easy-to-apply Non- Smoker®coating).

Weilburger Coatings is the leader in high-temperature coatings in Europe and is growing significantly. It has production facilities in Germany, Italy, France, Poland, China, India, and Brazil. Given that China produces many of the parts used in the North American…

  TO SERVE ITS INDEPENDENT MEMBERS better, the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) has created a new sales-representative council to provide insight and advice to ICFA’s board of directors. Bryan Echols, a sales representative in Concord, North Carolina, and a member of the board, will serve as 2016 chair of the council.

Gary McCray, president of Klaussner Outdoor and 2016 chair of ICFA, says, “One of our goals for ICFA has been to increase participation in our association. The formation of the sales-representative council offers this key segment that opportunity.”

Members serving three-year terms on the council are…

  THE INTERNATIONAL CASUAL FURNISHINGS ASSOCIATION (ICFA) has begun work on its first educational forum, slated for February 14 through 16, 2017, at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona. Gary McCray, president of Klaussner Outdoor and 2016 chair of ICFA, says, “ICFA’s 2017 conference, Navigating the Future, will combine giving our members educational content that they can put to work immediately in their businesses and providing networking opportunities across our industry. In keeping with our focus on participation, the event is being planned by our conference committee of retailers, sales representatives, manufacturers, and suppliers with an eye toward actionable…

  Z CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC has acquired Twin-Star International Inc. (Delray Beach, Florida). Twin-Star designs, manufactures, and markets a broad line of decorative electric fireplaces, heaters, home furnishings, and consumer electronics. With a track record of cutting-edge innovation, exceptional product quality, and outstanding customer service, the company has achieved the leading market position in the growing electric-fireplace category and is the primary supplier to many retailers across North America.

Twin-Star’s energy-efficient products are designed to provide a more economical and environmentally cleaner alternative to traditional wood- and gas burning fireplaces and to heat commercial and residential areas safely and…