Mark Schwab will retire as chief executive from Crayola LLC at the end of January, the company said in a news release recently. He will be replaced by Mike Perry, an executive with parent company Hallmark Cards. Perry begins work Jan. 1. He plans to relocate to Crayola’s Pennsylvania headquarters from Kansas City. Schwab is leaving after nine years with Crayola crayons and 30 with Hallmark.
“It’s been an exciting and colorful experience for me at Crayola,” Schwab said in a statement. “Crayola is a great brand and a thriving company.” With annual revenues estimated at $700 million, Crayola employs about 1,100 at its headquarters.
Jeff Wellen, Michaels’ former Senior VP heading up Strategic Planning, took some time off after leaving the company in early 2008 and is now the new SVP of Global Strategy for Fossil, Inc., watch maker and fashion accessory brand. His responsibilities include global strategy, global pricing and business reporting.
The Art Materials Consumer Trade Show at the Savannah College of Art and Design, sponsored by Binder’s Art, was a smash hit for the second year in a row. Most of the major brands were in attendance, including Canson, Sanford (Prismacolor), Holbein, ColArt and Strathmore. Students were treated to lots of samples and seminars focusing on conservation and care of artworks, as well as on materials available to artists working in the 19th and 20th centuries. There were fourteen different workshops taught by SCAD professors on Friday and Saturday that were open to the general public. These workshops covered subjects such as bookmaking, digital printing, monotype and encaustic painting.
Shown here is the artist “Dre” using Montana Gold spray paint at the Art Materials Consumer Trade Show.
Chartpak has hired Sasha DeMarino as Director of Education. Sasha will manage the national network of workshop artists and instructors for Grumbacher and Koh-I-Noor, providing personalized pull-through programs for retailers and serving as the technical advisor for published and digital media. Sasha, who has has 10+ years of art industry experience both as a buyer for a national art supply chain, most recently as a Key Account Executive for Savoir-Faire, will be invaluable to Chartpak’s marketing and educational efforts.