PEOPLE NEWS

NEW YORK -- The board of directors for Pester Marketing Co., operator of more than 50 1st Stop and FarmCrest convenience stores in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, elected Richard Spresser to the post of president and chief operating officer for the company.

Spresser came to the company in 1994 as a vice president. Prior to that, he was the zone vice president with Coastal Mart. Spresser brings 27 years of experience in the convenience and petroleum retailing industry to his new post.

In other retailer people news, the International Franchise Association's Diversity Institute named ExxonMobil Corp. franchise recruiting manager, David "Corky" Calhoun to its board of directors. The appointment was made during the association’s Franchise Appreciation Day.

In his role, Calhoun is responsible for requiting qualified dealers and distributors to operate Exxon and Mobil service stations in the U.S. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance & Commerce. Calhoun also played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association, and was a member of the 1977 World Champion Portland Trailblazers.

The Diversity Institute promotes and fosters diversity and inclusion within the franchising community, through information to assist members on expanding diversity recruitment and multicultural marketing efforts at all levels.

In other people news, Meredith Thomas joined NACS as its director of meetings and special events. In this role, she will be responsible for activities related to the association's events, including the NACS Show.

Thomas brings more than eight years of meeting planning experience to the role. Most recently, she was the director of conferences and expositions with the American Physical Therapy Association. Prior to that, Thomas served with the National Recreation & Park Association and the National Apartment Association.

Thomas is also a member of the Washington, DC Convention & Meetings Advisory Board, Professional Convention Management Association and the Association of Meeting Professionals.

In supplier people news, strategic branding and design firm CBX hired Karla Klein as an account manager. In this role, she will manage day-to-day project activity and provide support to account directors.

Klein comes to the company from Interbrand, where she was an account leader overseeing rebranding initiatives for key accounts such as Bayer, AT&T and Cadbury Schweppes. Klein also spent time with Marketing Drive Worldwide, where she was a client coordinator overseeing co-marketing retail programs for M&M/Mars brands.

In other supplier people news, Swedish Match North America, promoted Gary Poehlmann to the position of vice president of sales for other tobacco products (OTP).

Poehlmann came to Swedish Match as a part of the General Cigar Co. acquisition in 1999. He worked at General Cigar since 1997. He joined Swedish Match as the director of national accounts, and was promoted to the role of senior director of field sales in 2006.

"Gary has done an outstanding job throughout his tenure with us," Rich Flaherty, chief operating officer for OTP, said in a statement. "I am confident our sales organization will thrive under his leadership."

Poehlmann replaces Dan Carr, who joined Swedish Match's General Cigar team as senior vice president of sales and marketing.

In other supplier news, software solution provider for the retail and distribution channels, Retalix Ltd., named Hugo Goldman the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer.

"We are very pleased to have Hugo join our team. He is a talented and seasoned financial executive with a proven track record of accomplishment working for high-technology and publicly traded companies," Barry Shaked, Retalix's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "I am sure that given Hugo's experience he will be a great asset to Retalix, as we continue to grow globally."

Goldman comes to the company with 25 years of experience in financial and executive positions. Most recently, he was the chief financial officer of AxisMobile. Goldman also spent time with VocalTec Communications, where he was the chief financial officer.

Before that, Goldman served 16 years with Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector, where he served a variety of positions, including the chief financial officer of the company's Israeli operations.

In other people news, Just Born Inc. hired Amy Carbine Stauffer as the company's global supply chain procurement manager. In his role, she will be responsible for leading the purchasing team in the design and deployment of procurement structure and processes. Stauffer will report to Mark McLaughlin, the company's senior vice president of supply chain and human resources.

Stauffer comes to the company from Knoll Inc., where she was the supply chain/metal operations plant manager. She also spent time at Lockheed Martin in related fields and has more than 15 years of experience in supply chain and operations.

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