American Standard Brands Announces New Personnel Appointments

PISCATAWAY, NJ (June 22, 2009) — American Standard Brands (ASB) has announced additions to its marketing and sales teams as it continues efforts to grow market share for its range of iconic plumbing brands that includes American Standard®, Crane®, Eljer®, Porcher®, Jado® and Fiat®.

“These new staff appointments are part of our streamlined plan to focus on new business development and product creation in key market segments,” stated Don Devine, president and CEO of American Standard Brands. Devine announced five appointments to senior leadership positions at ASB (images and bios follow):

Chris Capone has been appointed vice president – wholesale sales and is responsible for expanding both the residential and commercial growth of the ASB companies via the wholesale distribution channel. Capone most recently served as senior vice president of wholesale sales at Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath, where he spent the majority of his career.

He has a master’s of business administration degree in marketing management and finance from Johns Hopkins University and received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida Southern College.

Tom Santer has been named vice president – distribution strategy and is charged with expanding both the residential and commercial growth of the ASB companies via the wholesale distribution channel.

Santer most recently served as director of distribution and channel management for the ASB wholesale division. Prior to that, he was brand director at Hunter Douglas, overseeing marketing and brand management for the firm’s window covering division.

He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing management and political science from Ithaca University.

Scott Meyer has been named general manager – faucet division, with responsibility for American Standard’s residential product lines.

Most recently, Meyer was president of the Meyer Group, a consulting practice specializing in consumer product strategy and development. In addition, Meyer brings broad leadership experience, having previously served as president/CEO of T-FAL/Wearever and chief marketing officer at Healthtech, Inc. Prior to that, he held executive-level marketing positions at Gillette and Johnson & Johnson.

Meyer has a master’s of business administration degree in marketing and finance from Columbia University and received a bachelor’s degree in general management from Purdue University.

Jeannette Long has been appointed general manager – e-commerce, leading a new sales channel for ASB.

Most recently, Long served as ASB’s director of marketing communications. Her background includes more than 20 years of professional development with American Standard including positions in sales, product development, marketing, and corporate communications.

Long has a bachelor’s degree in business from Jersey City State College.

Mark Hamilton is the new general manager for luxury and showrooms, responsible for sales of the Jado, Porcher and American Standard luxury products.

Previously, Hamilton spent 13 years at the Whirlpool Corporation serving in director-level positions within both marketing and sales for brands generating multi-billions in sales dollars. Earlier in his tenure, Hamilton had been selected to participate in Whirlpool’s Global Management Development Program, a rotational business program that grooms future leaders.

Hamilton has a master’s of business administration degree from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and received a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University.

Also joining the ASB team is Gerry Messina as director of customer development – retail faucets. In this role he will manage the marketing efforts between product management and field sales for the retail business.

Prior to ASB, Messina served as director of product management at Benjamin Moore Paints and director of marketing at Reckitt Benckiser, overseeing new product launches and consumer marketing.

Messina has a master’s of business administration degree from the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business and received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Carter J. Thomas has been named director, industrial design – luxury business. He will oversee the creation of innovative kitchen and bath styles for the Jado, Porcher and American Standard luxury brands.

Thomas brings a wealth of design experience to ASB, having served in various design director positions in the automotive, consumer electronics, residential lighting and home/office furniture industries. Most notably, he spent over 10 years at Kohler as lead designer of their Plumbing Americas division. Thomas received the IDSA/Business Week IDEA Gold award for his work on the sok® Overflowing Bath.

Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from the University of Wisconsin (Stout).