Winston Salem,
N.C. – Nationwide Marketing Group has promoted three key executives to VP posts.
The three are Ed
Knodle, to member development VP; Frank Sandtner, to member services operations
VP; and James MacAlpine, to rental division and business development VP.
The promotions are
the latest in a series of organizational changes within the buying group’s
senior management ranks following the ascension of Robert Weisner to CEO earlier
this year.
“These recent
promotions mark even more changes in the organization this year as we continue
to enhance our leadership team,” Weisner said. “Our team will be focused on
expanding the member services we currently provide the independent dealer.”
Knodle, a former
retail executive, had previously served as Nationwide’s member services director.
In his new role, he plans to “work with other team members to find new ways to
make it much easier for independents to learn about all of the benefits of
membership with Nationwide and teach them how to utilize these services to
build stronger more profitable businesses,” the group said. He also plans to
work more closely with division leaders and their field sales teams to support
member development, recruitment and retention.
Sandtner’s
association with Nationwide began nearly four years ago, first as a consultant
for the group’s warranty program and soon after as a full-time staffer. He later
branched into the development of Nationwide’s web services program, including
website development, email marketing and online directories.
In his new role, Sandtner
will be responsible for the operational aspects of all member services, ranging
from Nationwide’s member communication system, data warehousing and services,
digital signage, rebate processing and distribution initiatives.
Lastly, the group
credits MacAlpine with significantly increasing the membership of Rent Direct,
Nationwide’s rent-to-own division, in recent years.
In his new role,
MacAlpine will continue to direct all rental operations and will seek out new
business opportunities such as increased promotion of the organization’s
second-look finance programs, which allow retail dealers to offer customers who
have been denied credit an acceptance under a lease-purchase option. Another
initiative is the integration of point-of- sale systems with dealers’ stores.
“Over the past
three years Nationwide has added hundreds of new members as well as many new
programs and services,” said COO Les Kirk. “As we continue to add to the scope
and complexity of our offerings, it is very important to also enhance the roles
of some of our key employees.”
The group is
holding its next PrimeTime buying show and strategic member conference Aug.
21-24 at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas. For more information call (336) 722-4681
or visit
www.nationwidemarketinggroup.org
.
