Global Forum Profiles 2022

Ric Andersen is Vice President and General Manager of Sales for the HON Company, the largest operating company within HNI Corporation’s Commercial Furniture Group. Throughout his career at HNI, Ric has served in various market-facing leadership roles across the HNI Corporation. 

Ric has also lived and worked domestically and internationally for Maytag, Delta Faucet and True Temper in executive leadership positions. 

He is active in his community and currently serves on the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business Management & Entrepreneurship Advisory Council, the University of Iowa’s School of Marketing Board Advisory Board and on advisory boards for several industry trade organizations.

Ric graduated from from University Iowa with a Bachelor of Political Science and a Certificate in International Business. He has an MBA from the University of Iowa’s Tippie School of Business and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at the University of Chicago. Ric is a Veteran, having served as an Intelligence Analyst and Cryptographic Warfare Specialist with the United States Army’s 10th Special Forces Group.

Casey Avent is President of The Smead Manufacturing Company and the fourth family member to lead the firm during its 110 years. Casey began his career at Smead Manufacturing in 1996 and has held a variety of positions over the years. After starting his career in marketing, he moved into the sales department as a territory sales representative in the North Texas area. In 2007, he accepted a position on the operations side of the business as Director of Supply Chain and then spent several years as National Account Manager for the company’s S&W Manufacturing division in Florence, South Carolina. 

In 2013, Casey returned to Smead headquarters in Minnesota as VP of Sales and was subsequently promoted to VP of Sales & Marketing. In 2016, he succeeded Sharon Avent as President of Smead Manufacturing. 

Janet Bell has been working in the office products sector for 22 years. She joined OPI in 2000, running its international events across Europe, Asia and the US. She became Director in 2006 following a management buyout and, along with the events, she now oversees OPI’s membership and marketing activities. In addition, she is a member of OPWIL (Office Products Women in Leadership) and is keen to support the role of women in the business supplies sector.

In 2017, Dave Bent became President of ES Tech Group, one of the fastest growing providers of B2B eCommerce solutions for distributors and manufacturers in North America and Europe.

Bent is a leader in driving B2B eCommerce enabled business change in both multi-billion dollar and SMB manufacturing and distribution companies. He has held CIO and Digital leadership roles spanning businesses that were early-stage manufacturing companies, wholesalers like Essendant, Fortune 100 companies like AVNET (the world’s largest distributor of sophisticated electronic components) and Ford Motor Company.

Since September 2021, Roxanne Bernstein has held the role of Executive Vice President and President of ACCO Brands North America, with responsibility for ACCO Brands’ businesses in North America, which include PowerA, Kensington, Consumer and Office Products, and ACCO Brands Canada. 

Prior to joining ACCO Brands, she was President of Crystal Farms Dairy Company and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Post Consumer Brands.

Roxanne served in increasingly responsible global marketing and general management roles at Kraft Foods, Kellogg Company, Cessna Aircraft (now Textron Aviation) and Heritage Home Group.

Roxanne began her career as an officer in the United States Army, rising to the level of Captain. She attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. In 2020, she earned her Masters of Business Administration from Colorado State University.

Brad Bingham joined Essity in May 1992 and held roles in manufacturing, IT and sales management. In 2019, he accepted the role as Key Account Manager for NA Office/Omnichannel, responsible for delivering growth in the OP channel.

Brand is a dynamic sales manager with a record of achievement and demonstrated success in driving multimillion-dollar sales growth, while providing award-winning sales leadership in highly competitive markets.

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Josh is Static Control’s Vice President of Business Development and is responsible for channel growth throughout the North American markets. He rejoined Static Control in 2013 and was instrumental in the launch of its cartridge line in North America. Prior to Static Control, Josh held key positions at LaserCycle USA, Richmont Holdings and Nukote. His multiple roles throughout the imaging industry give him in-depth experience in sales management, managed services development and implementation, along with mergers & acquisitions. An avid sports fan and outdoorsman, Josh also enjoys spending time golfing and sipping a good bourbon.

Andy Braithwaite has been writing about the office products/business supplies industry for almost 20 years, first with France-based IS Guide/Sourcing Days and, since 2008, for OPI.

Born in the UK, Andy has been living abroad for more than 30 years, firstly in the Middle East – where he worked for the British Council – and then in France, where he has been based since 2000.

When not looking for the latest office products stories, Andy can be found walking in the Provence region, hacking his way round his local golf course or trying out new recipes on his Weber kettle BBQ.

Angie Bukta is the President of Canadian Buying Group, CIS Office Plus. During her 25+ years in the office products industry, she developed her passion for the independent dealer and vested interest in their continued success and profitability in this ever-changing and highly competitive landscape.

Mark Copman joined 3M in 2003 and has held various roles within the organisation, including VP Sourcing Operations, VP and GM, Renewable Energy Division and MD of 3M Brazil. In January 2020, he moved to his current position of President, Stationery and Office Supplies Division.

Prior to joining 3M, Mark spent thirteen years in investment banking and served in the Navy.

John D’Agostino was formerly a partner with a boutique consulting firm focused on cultural development, leadership and operational excellence – and has been using that experience to further enhance GMi’s brands, channels, products and organisational agility in his role as company President.

Paul DeMartini is the President & CEO of Trodat USA. He joined the company in January 2000, having previously worked at Hunt Manufacturing, Kraft General Foods and Lever Brothers.

Heike Dieckmann is a long-serving member of OPI, having been with the company since 1999. During that time, she has developed an extensive knowledge of the business supplies sector and forged close industry relationships. She is also known for pushing all publishing and editorial standards to the highest level. As her native tongue is German, she remains a core point of contact for the German-speaking contingent of the industry.

Jenifer Do joined Avery in 1994 as a financial analyst, but moved into marketing after just a few years. She has spent the last 20+ years in various marketing roles at Avery, including product management, marketing communications, brand marketing and digital marketing. Jenifer is currently the Senior Marketing Director over the entire portfolio of Avery CPG products, including the iconic Avery Labels, along with Hi-Liter, Glue Stic, Binders, Index Dividers and Specialty Cards and Paper products. She is also the head of Avery brand marketing and digital marketing.

As President & CEO, Harry has a responsibility to develop a growth strategy that drives an exceptional customer experience and a winning culture within Essendant, culminating in strong financial results. Harry brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in sales and operations in the distribution industry to Essendant. His extensive background also includes sales, marketing and operations leadership roles in the office products and industrial marketplace and experience with independent resellers, big box retail, e-commerce and business-to-business environments.

Prior to joining Essendant, he was EVP and COO of Lawson Products, responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, including sales, marketing, customer service, operations, supply chain management, IT and human resources. 

Previous to this, Harry spent more than 20 years in various management positions in sales and operations at Boise Cascade Corporation (now known as Office Depot/OfficeMax), including EVP of North America Contract Sales. 

Boris Elisman is currently the Chairman, President and CEO of ACCO Brands. He joined the company in 2004 and held several regional and global leadership positions at the company before being named President and CEO in 2013. Prior to ACCO Brands, Boris spent 15 years at Hewlett-Packard, with increasing responsibility in senior management positions in the Printing and Imaging, Embedded Products and PC businesses.

Boris earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Brown University and an MBA from Stanford University. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Glenwood Academy and serves on the National Business Products Council for City of Hope.

Chris Exner joined OPI in August 2018 as Chief Commercial Officer and has responsibility for delivering growth in several key areas of the OPI business.

Aside from a three-year spell working in wealth management, Chris has spent almost his entire career in sales and market development within the OP sector, including 17 years at Esselte, now part of ACCO Brands, where his most recent position was VP Sales Asia. Prior to that he held a number of roles at Esselte, including VP Sales Europe, VP Western Europe & Managing Director UK, and VP European Accounts.

Jordan Feiger is CEO of Victor Technology, a branded manufacturer of desk accessories, standing desks, clips, clipboards, calculators and desktop organization products. Victor’s primary brands, Officemate, Sharp calculators and Victor, are distributed throughout the US, Canada and Latin America.

Prior to acquiring Victor in 2006, Jordan was an executive at Navistar International Corporation for 21 years.

John Fellowes joined Fellowes Brands in 2001 and has managed various divisions of the manufacturer’s US and International business over the years. In 2012, John became President and in 2014 he assumed the role of President and CEO. He represents the fourth generation of the Fellowes family to lead the Chicago-based company. John builds upon a 100-year foundation and tradition with keen determination to keep its product offering refreshed and relevant for the ever-changing global market.

Chris Finn joined Schoen and Associates in 2007. He attended DePaul University in Chicago where he studied Business Management and Entrepreneurship. In his current role as VP Sales, Chris provides direction and support to the Schoen field sales team, as well as manages national/key accounts. His determination to make an impact on the office products industry is evident through his dedication and enthusiasm for the business.

Prior to joining ISG, Mike Gentile spent 17 years at Boise Cascade Office Products (now OfficeMax/Office Depot) where he held the positions of General Manager – New England, Director of Marketing and Director of Boise Technology. Mike is past Chairman of BPGI (Business Products Group International), the business products buying group. He also is a former member of the Board of Governors of NOPA (National Office Products Association).

He is graduate of the University of Massachusetts and Northwestern University. He resides with his wife Laura and three sons in Chicago, Illinois.

Heather Green is currently the 3M Global Vice President responsible for business and portfolio development of the Post-it and Scotch Brands serving the Stationery and Office channels. Heather has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience driving growth and expanding categories in several of 3M’s strategic brands, including Command, Scotch-Brite, Meguiar’s, Post-it and Scotch Brands.

She is a graduate of Carlson School of Management with an MBA in marketing and strategy. She believes clear strategy sets the stage for strong execution but culture trumps strategy. Heather enjoys in her free time cheering on her two sons in academics and sports, games with the family, cooking, reading and travelling for adventures.

Leah Graygor is EVP at TechScholar, a product sales training platform for B2B manufacturers and distributors. She has spent the past 20+ years in the elearning industry and has provided strategic thinking to TechScholar’s top clients, including Staples Technology Solutions, Fujifilm Recording Media, Brother USA and SP Richards, among others.

David Guernsey is President & CEO of Guernsey, a multi-category reseller serving the mid-Atlantic states.

David has previously served as Chairman of Independent Suppliers Group, Chairman of Independent Stationers, NOPA/IOPFD, BPGI and Pinnacle Affiliates.

Nigel Gunn has been in the office products industry for more than 30 years, starting out as a sales representative for Nobo Presentation Products in the UK. Nigel then moved to Esselte and held various roles, including VP for Global Accounts and Regional VP UK and France.

In 2005, he took the role of Senior VP Sales Europe and International, responsible for Esselte’s 23 subsidiaries across Europe, as well as international sales in Asia Pacific, Africa, South America and the Middle East. After ACCO acquired Esselte in 2017, Nigel became SVP Sales EMEA for ACCO Brands.

Paul started his career in the office products industry at dealer level 36 years ago and progressed into senior sales and marketing roles with UK, European and Global manufacturers, including Dahle, Bi-Silque and AF International. Paul is now working closely with Ninestar, as it looks to cement its position in the global printing and imaging industry.

Steve Haworth began his career in the office products industry at ISA in 1991, selling telex and fax rolls. Throughout his entire career, he has either been an employee, supplier or customer of one of the EVO Group companies.

After various roles at ISA, Kodak and Pitney Bowes, Steve accepted a position in the enlarged Vasanta Group as Managing Director of Supplies Team in 2009. He gradually widened his role to include responsibility for all of Vasanta’s trading channels and joined the Vasanta Board in 2012. After the acquisition and merger of the Vasanta and o2o businesses in 2014, Steve assumed the role of EVO Group’s Sales & Marketing Director. He was appointed Group CEO in 2016.

Steve Hilleard is CEO of leading trade media company OPI and is a 35-year veteran of the industry. Having established OPI as the industry’s most trusted media player, his focus is on the transformation of the company into the premier independent global provider of world-class integrated packages of print and digital media, marketing and sales resources, industry information, research and consulting as well as events in office products and adjacent categories.

Walter Johnsen is Chairman & CEO of Acme United. He was President & CEO from 1995 until 2007, before taking his current role. Over time, Acme has been transformed from an old-line manufacturer of scissors into a leading supplier of innovative cutting, measuring and safety products. Earlier in his career, Walter was the principal owner of Marshall Products, one of the largest global suppliers of blood pressure units, stethoscopes and other medical supplies.

Kevin Johnson is CEO of leading workplace solutions company, Warehouse Direct. He spent over ten years in the OP industry before leaving to join management consulting firm Bain & Company. After working in a wide variety of industries while at Bain, he returned to Warehouse Direct. Since then, Kevin has worked to transform the company from a mostly office supplies distributor into the most diverse provider of equipment, services, products and interiors for the workplace.

Yancey Jones, together with fellow industry veteran Mike Maggio, acquired US wholesaler SP Richards from Genuine Parts Company in June 2020.

Travis Kaste
Sales Director, Independent Office Channel for 3M Company

Eamon Kelly is a Senior Research Analyst for Edgewater Researcb and has spent over 17 years working in the industry covering consumer and e-commerce. Eamon started at FTN Midwest Research and then worked for Cleveland Research Company. His coverage in the past has included the automotive aftermarket, consumer electronics, footwear, health & beauty, home goods & furnishings, office supplies, recreation & power sports and sporting goods sectors. 

Charlie Kennedy is the CEO and co-owner of Kennedy Office, headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Charlie is a graduate of Wake Forest University and has been President of the IOPFDA board since Jan 2018, playing an instrumental role in guiding the association through its merger with ISSA.

Charlie also works with Haven House Services, a Raleigh based non-profit that helps underprivileged youth overcome challenges and find a path to success. He and his wife, Helen, are especially proud of their almost adult children, Waverly and Hugh.

Jamie is an executive with 20+ years of senior leadership experience within the corporate retail, franchise retail, B2B and B2C industries. He currently works with Office Choice as Chief Operating Officer, having previously spent two years as their National Operations Manager. As COO, Jamie holds joint responsibility for overseeing commercial revenue, 130+ members nationally and 20 employees. He has held multiple leadership roles at both store and support office levels in leisure, electrical, home improvement and stationery industries.

Barry started his career in the commercial office products industry in 1978.
Since he joined Avery Dennison in 1983, he has held a variety of sales leadership roles in multiple channels throughout North America.

Chris is a business development and sales leader with 18+ years of documented success in sales and leadership. She has a sophisticated understanding of the global marketplace and a ‘can do’ attitude that allows for continued success. Adept at exceeding sales goals and generating revenue, she has the ability to smoothly transition from strategic planning to implementation and execution within multiple channels.

As a self-motivated energetic sales executive, Chris has experience managing accounts, providing sales strategy and developing long-term customer relationships. Chris is a thought leader with a proven track record of identifying, analyzing, and developing market opportunities.

Chris is living her best life with her husband Ron in Fishers, Indiana, along with her two children, Shelbi and Spencer.

Jeff Lattanzio is VP of Sales for Avery Products Corporation. During his 17 years with Avery, Jeff has held several sales and channel management positions with increasing responsibility, and most recently was GM for the Asia-Pacific region based in Sydney, Australia. Prior to joining Avery, Jeff worked for Plantronics, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb in sales management, marketing, and finance. 

Mark Leazer has been in the office products industry for 35 years, the first 30 at AOPD dealer FSIoffice. After three years as a chemist with Rexham Corporation, he began with FSI, managing the IT department before moving into sales technology and sales management at its Office Products Division. In that role, he was heavily involved with AOPD as a dealer, having served on the AOPD board of directors for 15 years. In 2016, he assumed the role of AOPD Executive Director.

Phil has held a number of senior sales, marketing and operating positions in the office products industry and is currently the owner and CEO of Sourcingpartner Inc.  Sourcingpartner provides a wide range of services to manufacturers and distributors, including global sourcing, call and contact center services, 3PL distribution and strategic market development. Located in Dallas, the business utilises its facilities to execute the disruptive activities of its clients, enabling them to focus on operational efficiency.

Monica is a brand and business visionary and entrepreneurial strategist. She brings foresight, market, consumer and retailer centricity to drive top and bottom-line growth by identifying enterprise-wide game-changing business strategies, inspiring multifunctional culture of insight-driven decision making and empowering organisational development to deliver.

Monica has experience in multiple consumer goods and service categories and has managed multimillion-dollar research, data and brand budgets, contributing to the generation of billions in revenue.

She is also a multi-lingual communicator (English, Spanish, French) with international experience in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Monica has been the brand, marketing, insights, media and analytics lead at Procter and Gamble, WhiteWave, Georgia-Pacific, Kimberly-Clark and, most recently, Stanley Black & Decker.

Jamie Luety joined Static Control in February 2021 as Channel Sales Manager and is responsible for delivering growth in the office products channel. Jamie began his career in office products in 2000 when he joined the merchandising department at Quill. Pivoting from merchandising to sales, Jamie held various sales positions at International Toner, Brother International and RPT Toner. Evolving with experience, Jamie successfully established strategic relationships with the OSS, Tier 1 distribution as well as several buying groups. In his free time, Jamie enjoys volunteering at two Chicago-based animal rescues, eating his way through Chicago’s rich and diverse culinary landscape and cheering for soccer team FC Bayern München.

Mike Maggio has 40 years’ experience working in every channel of the industry, having started in 1978 working with his family, an independent dealer in southern New Jersey in the US. 

He currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of S.P. Richards, having  acquired the US wholesaler from Genuine Parts Company with Yancey Jones in June 2020.

Denis Mathieu is President and CEO of Novexco, a distributor of office supplies and equipment with five distribution centres across Canada. Prior to Novexco, Denis held the position of EVP of Corporate Services and CFO of Uni-Select, a publicly traded company active throughout North America in the distribution of automobile parts and accessories.

In 2011, he received the award of CFO of the year (category publicly traded company) from the Financial Executive Institute. He was also VP Acquisition at Groupe Transcontinental. Denis is a member and President of the board of directors of various foundations.

Highlands is an international sales, marketing and eCommerce agency dedicated to
helping manufacturers grow sales in B2B and digital channels.

Since 1962, businesses have trusted Highlands to deliver results by combining the most effective multi-channel brand advocacy strategies with world-class expertise.

Cezary Monko joined global office supplies manufacturer Esselte in 1992 as Country Manager Poland. He then held various positions in the company’s international positions. Cezary was in charge of Esselte’s European Sales from 2002 to 2005, was appointed President of European and International in 2005 and then President & CEO of Esselte in 2014. After ACCO acquired Esselte in 2017, Cezary became ACCO Brands EVP and President ACCO Brands EMEA.

Franz Ratzenberger joined COLOP in 2006 and is currently Managing Director, having previously held the position of Head of International Sales and Marketing for 15 years.

A leading international stamp manufacturer, COLOP employs more than 580 people worldwide and exports to more than 120 countries. In addition to traditional stamps, the company specialises in digital marking solutions and stamps for the arts and craft sector. 

Before joining COLOP, Franz was Head of Sales at Fischer Skis Austria for ten years and had previously worked at Adidas Austria as Head of Sports Promotion. Franz participated in the 1992 Olympic Games, representing Austria in the 4x100m relay.

David Read has worked in the industry since 1983 and has served as Chair of Canadian independent group Basics Office Products since 2020.

He is President of Basics dealership Dicks and Company Basics, located in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Dicks and Company is in its 182nd year of business, and COVID is not their first pandemic. Having started in the canvas sail making business in 1840, the company has learned to pivot many times.

Jack Reagan has over 30 years of experience in office products distribution. 
He is currently the Executive Vice President of S.P. Richards, where he oversees sales, marketing, merchandising and the supply chain.

Clem Restaino has spent over 37 years in the office products industry, 32 of them at writing instrument manufacturer Zebra Pen. Clem began his tenure at Zebra in 1985 as a sales manager and was later promoted to VP Sales. In 2002, he was named President.

Clem has been an integral part of Zebra Pen’s growth and commitment to produce innovative and high quality stationery products. In recognition of this, in 2022, he was named an Executive Officer of the company’s global operations, the first time Zebra has bestowed this job title on an employee from a non-Japan-based subsidiary.

Since 2006, John Ringlein has been President and co-owner of Victor Technology, a branded manufacturer of desk accessories, standing desks, clips, clipboards, calculators, and desktop organization products. Victor’s primary brands, Officemate, Sharp calculators and Victor, are distributed throughout the US, Canada, and Latin America. 

Richard Scharmann has been CEO of PBS Holding since 2008. PBS Holding is one of the leading distributors in Central Europe, providing services in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Italy. With headquarters in Austria, PBS Holding currently has 1,415 employees and achieved sales of €359 million in 2021.

His previous positions include VP Aircraft Engines at Bombardier Recreational Products.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Fred Schoen, who founded the business in 1956, Kevin Schoen grew up in the business products industry. After studying business at the University of Southern Colorado, he returned to join the company in 1973. In 1978, when the company incorporated, he became VP, and when his father officially retired in 1992, Kevin became President and CEO. Since then, he has followed through with his mission to keep Schoen and Associates at the cutting edge of the industry.

As the VP of Research and Development for Global Distribution, Mike is a seasoned executive leader with over 30 years of experience. In this role, Mike ensures he drives the product team to meet the strategic business goals. Mike continues to understand new concepts to promote innovation and drive technology updates, while ensuring solutions are secure.

Mike became VP of Research and Development in 2017. Prior to this Mike spent over 20 years at ECI in different technology leadership roles. These included Senior Director of Development through to Senior Developer Analyst. Mike has worked in different industries within ECI and continues to move teams and technologies forward.

Mike and his wife have one child and live in Texas. Mike enjoys volunteering at his local church, fishing, BBQ crawls and college football.

Christoph has been with leading stamp manufacturer COLOP for over 18 years, having joined a trainee programme after qualifying as an engineer. He has held various positions in the company, within administration, development, controlling, purchasing, product management and export. He also successfully completed an MBA in Global Marketing. Christoph became Managing Director in 2021.

Tom Tedford is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of ACCO Brands.

Tom joined the company in 2010 as Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Product Development, became Executive Vice President and President of ACCO Brands US Office and Consumer Products in 2013 and was named Executive Vice President and President, North America in 2018. In September 2021, he was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer.

Peter Tilearcio, a 30-year veteran in the pulp and paper industry, has held various sales and management positions in the envelope converting, paper manufacturing and merchant distribution channel. In April 2019, he joined Central National Business Products Group in a sales position working with the independent dealer community.

Triplett Office Solutions was founded in 1973 as a customer centric single source for everything in the office. In addition to office supplies, Triplett sells printing and promotional products and mid-market and contract furniture. Triplett is a progressive company that embraces and adapts to the ever-changing working environment.   

For over 30 years Tim has worked in the family business. In 1991, Tim’s father handed him a briefcase and sent him knocking. Today, Tim heads up sales, manages the office products and Print and Promotional categories of the 44 employee, Iowa based company.  In addition, Tim serves on the board for Independent Suppliers Group.

André Vasconcelos is CEO of global visual communications specialist Bi-silque. He started his career at Bi-silque at a young age, obtaining experience of every sector of the business, including production, sales and marketing. André has seen the company become a modern, world-leading business, based on modern management models. The entire business is underpinned with a strong emphasis on social and environmental responsibilities, together with innovative product development.

Paul has over 40 years of experience in the industry, having started his career at Pentel of America at National Field Sales/Account Manager in 1980.

Since 2019, Paul has held the position of Director North America Sales for leading visual communication products company Bi-silque.

Terry Vigh joined Avery Products in June 2005 as a National Account Manager for the Binder and Divider categories on the OfficeMax business. He has steadily gained additional sales and leadership responsibilities since that time and is currently Avery’s Senior Director of Sales for the Office Superstore Channel.

Prior to Avery, Terry spent time with Newell Rubbermaid and Shurtech Brands (formerly Manco, Inc) with various sales responsibilities calling on Walmart, Target, Office Superstore, Club and regional Mass Market Accounts. Terry resides outside Chicago with his wife Laura and their two children.

Denise Vivas is responsible for expanding Essity Professional Hygiene’s multi-million dollar e-commerce business across North America and Europe, leading the company’s digital transformation and ultimately advancing the Tork brand position on the digital shelf.

Denise is a visionary e-commerce executive, providing decisive and transformational leadership to top-performing organisations for nearly 20 years. She is at her best with business challenges that require an entrepreneurial approach, disruptive change and disciplined execution. Before joining Essity, she held positions with Wilton Brands, The Hershey Company, Woodstream Corp and Ryder Logistics.

Dan Wagner is VP of Sales at The Smead Manufacturing Company. Dan has over 38 years of experience with Smead and is a well-respected expert in the industry, recognised for his sales and category management expertise.

Having started his career in 1980 at Smead headquarters in Hastings (MN), Dan has held a variety of positions over the years and held sales territory positions in Northern California and New England.

Beth Wright is a high energy, results-driven senior executive who currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Fellowes Brands. She is responsible for all market-facing aspects of Fellowes channels of business, including Business Products, Jan/San and Contract Furniture in the Americas.

As a 20+ year business products veteran, Beth is known as a people connector and growth driver of entrepreneurial initiatives. Business products and solutions is in her DNA! She began her career interning at her parents’ independent office products and furniture dealership in southern Virginia. Then, after graduating from East Carolina University, she began her career in sales as a key member of the National Accounts team at Daisytek International. By the age of 24, Beth had developed the company’s first outside sales force and grown her division to over $224 million. After her time with Daisytek, Beth spent five years as Director of Sales for Neoris, a business consulting division of CEMEX, followed by three years directing national accounts for binder, filing and forms manufacturer Cardinal Brands.

From 2007 until 2018, Beth served as Chief Commercial Officer, leading the global sales, marketing and customer service organisations for Bi-silque, the Portuguese visual communication manufacturer. During her time there, she was named Professional of the Year at the prestigious European Office Products Awards in 2017.

Beth is a past board member of OPWIL (Office Product Women in Leadership) and member of the National Association for Female Executives. Her achievements have been featured in the Dallas Business Journal and OPI magazine. 

Beth currently splits her time between Boca Raton, Florida and Chicago, Illinois. She is married to husband Jonathan with two beautiful children, son Cameron (16) and daughter Caroline (12). Her passion for business development and women’s leadership has made her an asset to the office products industry, and invaluable to the organisations that have benefitted from her leadership. Her outside interests include travel, boating, pickle ball and wine tasting with friends.

Deli is a global brand manufacturer in the office stationery category. The company aims to offer a one-stop solution for global consumers with a wide product range and innovative product solutions. Xionghao heads Deli’s business in the United States and is also responsible for product development in the global market.

Paul Yardley was appointed CEO of GNS Wholesale in October 2016, having previously been Chief Executive of news, books and convenience retailer WH Smith’s Australian operations. He has worked in the Australian retail sector since 2009, with a particular specialisation in business turnaround and performance improvement. Prior to relocating to Sydney, Paul worked in corporate finance in London with Deutsche Bank. He has a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge.

Jos Zimmerman is currently Director E-commerce Key Accounts Multi-Channel at Essity Professional Hygiene He is responsible for driving growth from an omnichannel perspective with several focus accounts in North America and EMEIA. 

Jos has held a number of roles within Essity. He was responsible for European key accounts within the OP Sector for six years, as well as Sales Director/National Account Director (Health & Medical Solutions), Sales Manager Benelux, Sales Manager Netherlands and Key Account Manager Office Supply/Cash-and-Carry (Club) Stores.