Chicago, IL, January 27, 2006--The National Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) has appointed a new management team to lead the association after the recent retirement of long-time executive director Mariann B. Gregory.
Serving as the new executive director is Maurice "Moe" Desmarais. Desmarais has served 25 years in association management, serving 16 years specifically in wholesale distribution as executive vice president of the New England Wholesalers Association and New York State Plumbing and Heating Wholesalers as well as executive director of the American Supply Association. He holds a masters degree in management from Cambridge College and is a Certified Association Executive.
Michelle Parilli Miller also joins the NAFCD management team as operations manager. Miller has over 17 years of operations, volunteer management and committee liaison experience. She has served as manager of Member Services at the Chicago Board of Trade and has held various senior manager positions with several associations over the past five years.
Other current NAFCD Headquarters staff include: Sean Samet, NAFCD membership coordinator; Elisabeth Fleps, NAFCD membership assistant; Kristin Wattonville, NAFCD meeting and conference coordinator; Karolyn Farkas, marketing and communications coordinator; and Brad Putz, NAFCD distributor marketplace sales manager.
"NAFCD has a very aggressive agenda for 2006, including a new strategic plan that calls for a sizable increase in activities, programs and services," stated Steve Johnson, NAFCD president and vice president of Butler-Johnson Inc., San Jose, California. "I would like to thank Mariann for all of her hard work instrumentally organizing this strategic plan and leading us to where we are today. While we wish Mariann well in her future endeavors, I am confident that our new headquarters team will continue her dedication to the organization this year and beyond."
