Valdese Weavers Names Four to Executive Posts

March 15, 2018  by Jane Chero in Executive Changes, Industry   

“These individuals possess the experience and expertise that’s demanded by a world-class company like Valdese Weavers,” said Carson Copeland, chief operating officer. “Their various backgrounds support the tremendous versatility within our operations.”

Ray Barnette has been promoted to vice president of information systems. He formerly held the position of ERP systems development manager and director of information systems. As vice president, Barnette will manage and direct all systems development and staff, including SAP, EDI and web development. 

Barnette graduated from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in 1991 with an associate degree in computer science.  He has been an associate of Valdese Weavers for 26 years. 

Roger Berrier has been named vice president, supply chain and procurement. This is a newly created position and Berrier will report to Copeland. With more than 20 years of experience in the textile industry, most recently serving as president of yarn producer Unifi, Berrier is an ideal choice for the role.

Berrier’s extensive work in global textile yarn production and global sourcing will benefit his new role in procurement. Berrier received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from UNC-Charlotte.

Jennifer Gwynn has been named vice president of product assurance. Gwynn has been employed with Valdese Weavers for 10 years and most recently served as the quality assurance manager at Valdese. Previously she was the director of operations at the Lovelady finishing and distribution center.

Gwynn will be responsible for the quality of the Valdese product, both from an internal performance standard and from the customer’s perspective, as she works with them to ensure the product meets the technical demands for performance. She has a bachelor’s in textile management from North Carolina State University and lives in Clemmons.

Todd Irvin has been named vice president of logistics. Irvin has been with Valdese Weavers for 10 years serving in various roles including logistics manager, quality assurance manager, Circa director of manufacturing, and leader of the Dicey Fabrics integration into its Valdese location. In his new role, Irvin will be responsible for resource planning to satisfy customer needs. He will manage logistics and planning associates at the four Valdese Weavers facilities in Burke County. Irvin is from Union Grove, South Carolina.

Valdese Weavers is an employee-owned ESOP company.