Clinton, S.C.—Industry veteran Jeff Sills has joined Anderson Hardwood Floors as COO, a newly created position, and has also been named to the mill’s Executive Committee. He will assume his new role on Aug. 1, at which time he will be responsible for the manufacturer’s sales, marketing and logistical support. He will report to Don Finkell, president, who will now be allowed to concentrate on the company’s “infrastructure necessary to support the growth Anderson has been experiencing the past 18 months as well as the mill’s expected growth in the coming years.”

Sills was most recently president of LDBrinkman, which is now in the final stages of liquidating all inventory as it prepares to close its doors following a 43 year run during which time it grew to become the industry’s largest distributor. The company filed for Chapter 11 a few months ago (FCNews, May 12/19) and according to Sills has been unable to successfully emerge. “We lost some of our major lines after we filed and that not only disrupted our reorganization plan but made it impossible for us to get out of Chapter 11.” He said Brinkman’s final two warehouses—one in California, the other at its headquarters in Dallas—will be emptied within a month.

When Brinkman first filed, Sills told FCNews the wholesaler’s troubles began when the current ownership re-acquired the company from Beaulieu of America early last year (FCNews, March 4/11, 2002). “When we took the company back over,” he explained, “Brinkman’s massive infrastructure was still in place but the distribution business was doing less volume than before. So, we needed to recapture that business in order to pay expenses. “Unfortunately,” Sills continued, “we couldn’t get the volume up as quickly as we needed and, therefore, had to file for bankruptcy protection.”

Coming to Anderson will be a very smooth and easy transition he noted because “Anderson was our biggest wood line at Brinkman and I have worked closely with the company and its management team, which is full of talented, professional people, for years. Plus, I have strong relationships with its other distributors.” “I have worked with Sills for almost 20 years,” Finkell said. “He played a key role in building Brinkman into the world’s largest and most respected flooring distributor, and am proud that someone of his caliber has chosen to be a part of the Anderson family. “Our goal is to become the most profitable line our distributors carry,” he continued, “and Jeff will help us move in that direction.

His in-depth knowledge of distribution and retail issues will add insight to our senior management team.” John Woolsey, Anderson’s director of marketing, said having Sills join Anderson is not only a valuable addition, but a no brainer from the mill’s standpoint. “Any-time a superstar in the caliber that Jeff is becomes available, you do your utmost to make that person a part of your team. In this case, both parties are very familiar with each other, so it made perfect sense. Especially given the fact that we’ve been growing so fast in the past year-and-a-half. Having Jeff on board allows [Finkell] to concentrate on making sure our infrastructure remains top-notch so we can properly support our customers.”

Sills said coming over to Anderson was equally as easy for him. “Don and I have had both a long-term working relationship and a close friendship. I have the greatest respect for his leadership at Anderson and what his team has accomplished over the years. This made it a clear choice that Anderson is where I wanted the next stage of my career to be. “Anderson is a very progressive company,” he continued, “and I plan to bring an element of distribution insight and value-added programs to add to the positive momentum the company has been experiencing.”

In related news, Anderson announced it has restructured its West Coast distribution network in light of Brinkman going out of business. Tom Duffy Co. will now carry the Anderson and Dellamano brands in Northern and Southern California, and the Appalachian, Virginia Vintage, Vineyard and Roane Mountain Timeworn lines in Northern California and northern Nevada. The Roane Co. will add the Vineyard collection while continuing to distribute Appalachian and Roane Mountain in Southern California, Arizona and southern Nevada. Virginia Hardwood Co. will carry the Anderson, Dellamano, Virginia Vintage and Vineyard lines in Southern California, Arizona and southern Nevada. Finally, Diamond W will continue to service the Anderson and Dellamano collections in Northern California and northern Nevada. “The Western United States continues to contribute to a substantial portion of our company’s rapid growth,” Finkell concluded. “We are excited about this re-alignment and the focus it will bring to the Anderson family of floors.” For more information on Anderson, call 864/833-6250.