Sferra brings back two

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 12/17/2001 12:00:00 AM

CLIFFWOOD, NJ —

Two former Sferra Bros. employees are returning to the fold. Both JoAnn Piccininni and Janet Benton will be joining the newly created licensing and special projects division, which will focus on expanding Sferra's reach in these areas.

Piccininni has been named director of product development. She most recently worked in product development for Legacy.

Benton rejoins Sferra from Home Treasures, where she was national sales manager. She will oversee Sferra's new division for licensing and special projects, which include Sferra's planned entry into the luxury hotel market.

Both positions report to Paul Hooker, president.

Sferra will also develop licensing opportunities. It has just signed an agreement with designer Nina Mortellito to develop coordinating hand embroidered place mats and napkins for her Orchid Garden dinnerware collection, which is being produced and distributed by Present Tense and will debut at the January shows in New York, Dallas and Atlanta.