Surya Promotes King, Mortensen

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

Calhoun, Ga. —

Surya is elevating two executives, Seth King and Al Mortensen.

King, formerly vp of business development, has been promoted to vp of sales and marketing. Mortensen, who was director of visual merchandising, now assumes the role of creative director.

Satya Tiwari, Surya president, credits King with helping the company rapidly grow and expand its product offerings and sales since he joined the team in January 2007. In his new position, King is charged with leading the company "in restructuring and implementing our overall sales and marketing strategy as we enter a critical period of innovation and growth," Tiwari said.

King continues to work with overseas factories for production and distribution of products, and helps develop new accessory lines. He also continues to build relationships with large retailers and wholesalers as he expands Surya's marketing department.

While at Surya over the past year, Mortensen has created award-winning market displays, point-of-purchase marketing tools and in-store displays and rack systems and has planned and coordinated events and worked one-and-one with the company's clients on specific design projects.

As Surya's new creative director, Mortensen is responsible for guiding the color trends of product lines, supplying design direction in the creation of new graphics and photography, and broadening the scope of in-store merchandising. He is also charged with acting as a design liaison to Surya's major furniture dealer partners. "We've expanded his scope to include all creative areas so that we can focus greater on our customers growing needs," Tiwari said.