WINSTON-SALEM N.C. —

Nationwide Marketing Group has hired Toshiba retail sales director Tom Hickman to head its CE business.

Hickman, who variously served as Toshiba’s director of key, national and strategic accounts, joins the $14 billion buying group as CE senior VP.

He succeeds Mike Decker, who left the organization in January, and reports to executive VP Dave Bilas, the former GE Appliances sales exec who leads Nationwide’s merchandising and marketing functions for CE and appliances.

Hickman joins a CE team that also includes merchandising VP Doug Schatz and Jeannette Howe, executive director of SEN, Nationwide’s specialty electronics division.

Hickman said he has worked closely with Nationwide’s members and leadership for years and “feels at home” with the group.

The appointment follows last month’s acquisition of $2 billion Canadian buying group Cantrex from Sears Canada.