Homecrest realigns its national sales organization

Staff -- Casual Living, 2/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Wadena, Minn.-based Homecrest, acquired last fall by HC Holdings, is realigning its national sales organization.

"We have made significant progress in three months," President and CEO John Sundet said. "It was a ramp-up process in our production facility. We're still not quite at the level we would like to be at, but we're satisfied with the progress. We're also very pleased with the loyalty we've found from those dealers that value the Homecrest brand. That's been frankly overwhelming."

Homecrest named Tom LaBounty as national sales manager for the company's retail division. Mark Bottemiller, who previously held that role, assumed duties as an independent sales representative for the company's Rocky Mountain region, which includes Nebraska, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and El Paso, Texas.

LaBounty, who brings more than 20 years of specialty retail experience, recently served as operations manager for Seasonal Concepts, a regional specialty store headquartered in Minnesota. As national sales manager for Homecrest, LaBounty will manage overall sales programs, train and develop the company's national sales representatives and build retail relationships.

"We are excited to have Tom join our organization and we know he will be effective at increasing our sales team's commitment to supporting and growing a dedicated network of Homecrest retailers throughout the country," said Christine Meidinger, Homecrest director of sales, marketing and product creation. "His proven track record in the outdoor living industry and his understanding of the specialty store environment will be a tremendous asset to Homecrest and our accounts."