Greenhouse Growers, Industry Suppliers Bring in New Leadership
March 10, 2019 
Tom Pierro
Pleasant View Gardens has added Tom Pierro to its sales team. With nearly three decades of sales and management experience, Pierro brings an understanding of how to make growers more successful. He’ll be able to apply that insight as Pleasant View Gardens’ Northeast Territory Sales Manager, where his responsibilities include customer sales and presentation of company products and programs within that region, maintaining and developing customer relationships, staying up-to-date with industry trends, participating in new product development, and evaluating new market opportunities, as well as performing on-site merchandising setup.
“Tom’s ability to manage complex programs, teamed with his tremendous background in sales, made him the perfect fit for us,” says Andy Huntington, Pleasant View’s National Sales Manager. “His focus on customer satisfaction and success is something that will help us satisfy the expanding needs of the Northeast. We’re looking forward to seeing what he’ll accomplish.”
Pierro’s sales and management background includes his most recent position as the New England commercial sales manager for Husqvarna. Prior to that, Pierro was the account manager for The Brickman Group in Connecticut, Vice President of Operations for LawnTailors in Connecticut, and Operations Manager for Freshwater Farms in New Hampshire.
Dr. Jonathan Rich Named Lumileds Chief Executive Officer
Lighting company Lumileds has named Dr. Jonathan Rich as Chief Executive Officer. Rich most recently served as Chairman and CEO of Berry Global, Inc., a Fortune 500 specialty materials and consumer packaging company, from 2010 to 2018. Dr. Rich succeeds Mark Adams, who is stepping down as CEO and from the board of directors but will remain in an advisory role to the company.
“I am very pleased to be joining Lumileds and am looking forward to building on the company’s differentiated lighting technology foundation to increase the value we can deliver to customers across a broad set of industries,” Rich says. “The opportunity for lighting innovation to make a positive impact on safety and sustainability is tremendous.”
Before Rich held the position of Chairman and CEO of Berry Global, he was president and CEO at Momentive, a specialty chemical company headquartered in Albany, NY. Prior to that, he held positions with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and General Electric.
Darren Barshaw
Darren Barshaw is Newest Member of Eason Horticultural Resource’s (EHR) National Sales Team
Barshaw brings a wealth of experience with him, with more than 35 years in horticulture as a retailer, grower, landscaper, manager, and sales specialist. He previously worked with EHR from 2005 through 2012 as a sales rep, before moving to Michigan to become the Sales Manager at Walters Gardens. He was later promoted to Vice President of Sales with Walters, where he was an important part of the implementation and marketing of the Proven Winners perennial program developed by Walters.
Barshaw left Walters in 2016 to become the Director of Outside Sales for Hoffman Nursery in Rougemont, NC, giving him the opportunity to become completely familiar with the use of ornamental grasses in today’s horticultural market.
Barshaw lives in Grand Haven, MI, and will be serving key customers throughout the U.S. as well as calling on accounts in Michigan.
Key Leadership Additions at Fluence Bioengineering to Accelerate Global Growth
Fluence Bioengineering has enlisted the help of several industry veterans, as well as leaders from outside the horticulture industry, to help the company expand its commitment to supporting the global horticulture industry.
“Innovations pioneered by Fluence are enabling growers to produce more and virtually eliminate seasonality. These appointments ensure our solutions and support teams are immediately accessible to a global audience,” says Dave Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of Fluence Bioengineering.
Lorrie Schultz has been named Senior Vice President of Marketing. In this role, Schultz will lead global marketing efforts across Fluence to elevate its global brand, enhance customer engagement, and extend demographic reach. Schultz was formerly senior vice president of marketing at Q2 Software where she enabled the marketing department to scale and develop their brand.
Timo Bongartz was named General Manager, EMEA. Bongartz has led the development of global horticulture strategy at Osram since 2015. He will be responsible for the expansion of Fluence in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He will manage leadership as well as sales goals for each country.
Greg Hovagim was named Global Director of Controllers, Dimmers, and IoT Solutions. Hovagim brings experience encompassing work from across the commercial and defense sectors. Previously, he oversaw rapid prototype development projects as well as large-scale defense projects. At Fluence, he will manage the dimming and controls technologies for Fluence LED lighting solutions and development of innovative customer solutions.
Alex de Leon
New Canadian Sales Manager at Nexus, Rough Brothers
Alex de Leon is the new Canadian Sales Manager for Nexus and RBI Greenhouses. De Leon brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, having spent the last 16 years working in the greenhouse and food industries. His previous employment with Hoogendoorn America, Form Flex/Viscon, Kraft/Heinz ,and Proctor Gamble in both local and international markets make him a welcome and valuable addition to the companies’ team and customers.
“I see Nexus/RBI as the ideal solution for the market that I represent,” de Leon says. “I am proud to join such a knowledgeable sales operation.”
Dave Klinger
David Klinger Promoted to Strategic Accounts Manager at Bailey Nurseries
Bailey Nurseries announced that David Klinger has been promoted to Strategic Accounts Manager effective March 1, 2019. In his new role, Klinger will oversee Bailey’s relationships with mass merchants and select regional chain stores. He joined Bailey in 2015 as a Strategic Accounts Representative after many years of experience within and outside the horticulture industry.
“David has an immense amount of expertise with this market channel that will be a great asset to our customers,” says Marc McCormack, Bailey Sales and Marketing Director. “He has a deep knowledge of our catalog and consumer brands, and has great skill in analytics, which is especially useful with our strategic accounts.”
Prior to joining Bailey, Klinger worked in corporate strategic services at a major corporation outside the horticulture industry. As the trend towards retail account sales volume becomes more prevalent, capturing brand opportunity with that analytical support is incredibly important.
“I am excited to take on this new role within the Strategic Accounts team at Bailey,” Klinger says. “The growth opportunities in supporting these customers are significant. I look forward to providing this channel with quick-turn product their customers love, as well as the supplementary support tools to be successful. This new organization of our department will also allow for a sharing of best practices between several key accounts and provide a strong, impactful experience for all.”
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