Orian Rugs Bolsters Management Ranks

Enhances Team with Four New Additions

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 8/21/2006 12:00:00 AM

Anderson, S.C. — —

Anderson, S.C. — To support business growth in the past year and anticipated growth in the near future, Orian Rugs has enhanced its management team with four new additions.

Kurt Von De Bur has been appointed vp, sales, sharing sales responsibilities with the company's second vp, sales — Brian Vanderwerf. He brings more than 20 years of career experience in rug sales, having worked for Beaulieu Home Fashions and United Weavers.

“Our customer base is growing to the point where we felt we needed to add Kurt so we could handle all of our new accounts, and focus on key customers,” explained Don Newton, evp. All of the new hires report to him.

Barry Kelley joins the company in the newly created post of vp, marketing and merchandising. He has more than 15 years of experience in area rug marketing, including time with American Rug and Mohawk Home.

Frank Sosebee has been hired as senior design technician, another newly created post. He was most recently with Mohawk Home in its area rug design department. Prior to that he worked with Beaulieu.

Finally, the company reconfigured its plant manager of yarn operations position, and hired Mark Watson to fill it. He spent the past 19 years of his career with Shaw Industries working in color development, production and research.