Whisper gains two new execs

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 5/28/2001 12:00:00 AM

WALLACE, NC — Whisper Soft Mills, the home textiles arm of the Babine Lake Corporation, announced the hiring of two new executives, Vincent DeRosa and Susan Opalewski.

Both DeRosa and Opalewski will be taking on newly created positions. DeRosa, who will report directly to Nick Sokol, ceo/president, Babine Lake Corporation, will be brought on as president, marketing division, Whisper Soft Mills, while Opalewski will assume the mantle of vp, marketing, also for Whisper Soft, which is based here. Opalewski will also report to Sokol.

DeRosa, formerly the senior vp of CHF Industries, will be responsible for developing and executing the marketing strategy of the marketing division.

Opalewski also came from CHF, where she was the vp, director of design bedding.

In the role, both DeRosa and Opalewski will work to implement the strategies that will promote the rapid expansion of the Whisper Soft's product offerings, customer placements and design development.

"The addition of Vincent and Susan really will, over a short time, complete the strategic transformation of Whisper Soft," said Sokol. "We expect to become a much more important and creative force in the marketplace as well as a greater source of profitability for our customers.