Dan Weidner, VP Sales at Walter Foster Publishing (Hachette) will be retiring after 16 years with the company. Dan sent a note that says it all: “After 33 years, 16 at Walter Foster, 15 at Hunt/Speedball and 2.5 at Grumbacher while in Chicago I feel like my customers are family and I’ll miss them. I have a lot of fond memories of so many NAMTA shows, meetings with customers and making some lifelong friendships.” Dan has encouraged sharing his email address for those who would like to stay in touch: dweidner1@cox.net
Andy and Cynthia Lenz will be honored at the International Art Material Trade convention in Houston this March with the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. In August they will be celebrating Lenz Art’s 48th year serving the creative community of Santa Cruz California. It’s a local institution, with a national influence that has a remained a truly family-oriented business with a huge heart. Congratulations Cynthia and Andy, as well as sons Andrew and Matthew who proudly carry on the family tradition!
John Walker, the long time buyer at Plaza Art passed away recently.
Rich Colletti the art buyer at Sbars and AC Moore for 13 years has moved to gourmet food specialist Di Bruno Bros in Philadelphia. Shaun Kiernan, AC Moore’s Divisional Merchandise Manager reports that Anthony Mignogna will step into the role. Anthony has been in the AC Moore/SBARS family for close to 30 years with many successful responsibilities at the company including sales, buying, and global sourcing.
R&F Handmade Paints, announced recently that Kevin Lavin has joined their team as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Kevin has had a long, successful history in our industry that includes decades of retailing and most recently serving a term as NAMTA’s President in 2014-2015.
It’s official. Flax Art will be moving its flagship store very soon from San Francisco to across the Bay Bridge in Oakland California. A sad day for creative people in the city by the bay turns out to be good fortune for artists in what has become the “Brooklyn of the west coast”! Read the details Here
Pacon Corporation, supplier of education, arts and crafts products including Strathmore Artist, announced that it acquired the assets of The Chenille Kraft Company. Under the terms of the agreement, Pacon acquired Chenille Kraft’s inventory and trade names. Chenille Kraft’s inventory was transferred to Pacon in mid-January.
Tommy Skinta, Newell Brand’s(Sanford) national accounts manager for the Art & Craft channel based in Dallas, TX has left the company to pursue other career opportunities.
Meininger Art Supply in Denver, CO is high up on the list of The The Ten Best Denver Street-Art Murals of 2015. Judd Meininger commissioned seven of the most talented artists in Denver to create side-by-side works on the two-story wall, even providing them with a lift to use.
Mike Novak, Account Manager for Canson left recently to join Chartpak’s sales team in the North East.
Udo Peters has joined Staedtler as their European Sales Director. Previously he was the managing director for Tombow’s Europe operation.