Valdese Weavers Names 4 to Sales, Marketing Team

March 28, 2014  by in Executive Changes, Industry   

“The new additions to our sales and marketing team are the result of a thoughtful and purposeful process to ensure we have the finest representation in each of the markets we serve,” said Blake Millinor, chief marketing officer. “We’re very excited to have them on board.”

After two-and-a-half years as a management and sales trainee with the company, Patrick Shelton becomes an independent sales agent in the company’s Northeast territory, working as a junior partner for Neil Nahoum.

In addition to learning every area of the mill during his training period, Shelton has been working in sales in New York for the past 10 months. He excels at finding new market sales opportunities, and developing programs with existing fabric distributor accounts.

Maggie Reilly, who’s been with the company since 2012 in sales support, has been named as a sales representative in the Northeast territory, also working for Neil Nahoum. Her new position will focus on opportunities in the apparel market and managing boutique fabric distributor accounts.

Prior to joining Valdese, Reilly worked for luxury interior designer Philip Gorrivan  and Meredith Jayne Interior Spaces. 

Lindsay Valdez joins the company as an independent sales agent on the West Coast, working as a junior partner for Brek Jacobsen.

From 2008 to 2013, Valdez worked with Fairmont Designs  in merchandising and product development. Valdez oversaw sample development for domestic and import upholstery lines, and selected fabrics for all trade show and inline upholstery. She also managed communications with fabric vendors and worked the company’s trade shows in the United States and China.

Anna Hilton has joined the company as a management trainee. Hilton is no stranger to the company as she interned for Valdese Weavers on three occasions before coming on board fulltime in January. During her internships in 2011 and 2012, Hilton worked in design, product engineering and sales. 

Hilton will spend 2014 in a comprehensive training program that will rotate her through all departments of the company’s five brands to learn how textiles are designed, manufactured and sold. She will then focus her efforts on sales and marketing.