CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2013) – The Board of Directors at Bentley Prince Street today announced the appointment of Ralph Grogan to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Grogan brings more than 30 years of relevant experience in the carpet industry having served in senior management positions with several carpet manufacturers, including chief operating officer of Tandus Flooring. Grogan succeeds Anthony Minite, who stepped down as President and CEO of the company last week.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Ralph Grogan’s caliber and experience to lead Bentley Prince Street going forward,” said Mac Bridger, board member and interim CEO of Bentley Prince Street. “Anyone who has followed Ralph’s career knows he is the right person for this position and brings a successful track record of leading some of the top carpet brands in our industry.”
In the last decade, Grogan has earned a distinguished record as an operating executive in the floorcovering industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for Antron, which is the carpet fiber brand for Invista Surfaces. In this role, he was responsible for sales, marketing and growth for the Antron brand worldwide. Prior to that, Grogan served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Tandus Flooring where he successfully led the integration of Tandus’ three product brands – C&A Floorcoverings, Crossley Carpet Mills and Monterey Carpets. During his tenure, he led the company’s efforts to build its global business and successfully implemented several innovative sales and marketing strategies to meet the demands of a dynamic market.
Before becoming the COO of Tandus Flooring, Grogan held various leadership positions, including President of Monterey Carpets, President of Burlington House Floor Accents, and Vice President and General Manager of Lees Carpets where he gained extensive experience in operational management, sales and marketing, and product development.
“Bentley Prince Street is widely recognized for its innovative designs, commitment to product quality and sustainability as well as excellence in customer service,” said Grogan. “I am truly honored and excited about this opportunity to lead Bentley Prince Street, and I look forward to building upon this legacy for years to come.”
Bridger cited Grogan’s experience with leading the global and domestic sales, marketing and distribution for Tandus Flooring and his proven ability to establish lasting relationships with the major flooring contractors as key factors in the Board’s decision.
Bridger continued, “Dominus Capital invested in Bentley Prince Street because we believe the company has a great opportunity to achieve strategic growth in key domestic and international markets. Ralph is a talented, proven executive who will provide a renewed leadership for Bentley Prince Street as we implement an aggressive growth strategy that will strengthen the core markets for the company and expand its iconic brand into new markets throughout the U.S. and world.”
Grogan continued, “Bentley’s leadership in broadloom innovation will continue. However, we will greatly expand our carpet tile offerings and make them more attractive for traditional end markets that are essential to driving growth for the company.”
Grogan currently serves on the Board of Visitors with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Board of Advisors for the Educational Foundation with the university. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Upon making the announcement, company officials said Bridger will give up his role as interim CEO but will remain active with the company as a Board member.
About Bentley Prince Street
Defining style, color, quality and service for over 30 years, Bentley Prince Street manufactures and markets award-winning broadloom, carpet tile and area rugs for commercial interiors across the globe. Bentley Prince Street is committed to sustainable commerce and innovations to integrate style and function with environmental practices. With the industry’s most comprehensive vertical carpet manufacturing facility, the company maintains third-party certification to the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System. Based in Los Angeles County, California, Bentley Prince Street operates in a LEED-EB® Gold carpet mill and is the largest commercial carpet manufacturer in California. For more information, please visit www.bentleyprincestreet.com and http://bpscarpet.blogspot.com
About Dominus Capital
Based in New York, Dominus Capital is a leading middle-market private equity investment firm that focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital investments in companies in the business services, light manufacturing and consumer sectors. Drawing on the experience, knowledge and network of its founders and a team of in-house operating executives, Dominus Capital works hand-in-hand with exceptional management teams to unlock the untapped potential of its portfolio companies. The firm takes a long-term and conservative approach to investing and has a consistent and successful track record of achieving significant growth at its portfolio companies. The Dominus Capital team members have executed over 40 transactions over the past 20 years. For more information, please visit www.dominuscap.com.
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