Marine Mover: Derema Group expands its staff
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – Derema Group has expanded its staff with the hiring of two new sales representatives, a regional business manager and two regional retail support managers, it reported in a recent statement.
Mike Benedek has been appointed sales representative for the Great lakes territory. For the past several years, Benedek has called on the area dealers as a regional sales representative for a boat trailer manufacturer. He also was a store manager at West Marine and worked at a marine dealership previous to that position, according to Derema. Benedek is a life-long boater and holds a U.S.C.G. Captains license. His office is based in Madison, Ohio.
Linda Stark has been appointed a representative covering the East Coast of Florida. For the past several years, Stark has worked for Derema Group’s merchandising division training sales associates, performing demonstrations of various product lines and representing clients at numerous international boat shows. She has experience working in the charter yacht industry in the Caribbean on both sailing and motor yachts as well as enjoying recreational sailing in the Northeast and Florida.
In addition, Derema has promoted Don Walsh to position of regional business manager SE. In his new position, Walsh will oversee the sales activities of Derema’s Alabama, Tampa and Pompano offices and will assume full account responsibility for Land N Sea-Pompano and DS Hull Co. in Fort Lauderdale. He will also maintain his present account base from his Jacksonville Florida office.
As regional retail support managers, Andy Hiller will be responsible for coverage east of the Mississippi, and John Murch will coordinate the retail activities on the West Coast. They will be responsible for the coordination and monitoring of Derema’s expanded brand support at the dealer, retailer, and consumer level.
Hiller was previously regional sales manager for Standard Horizon, and sales manager for Navionics. His office is based in Marion, Mass.
Murch comes to Derema from RayMarine where he was a regional sales representative, and he will be based out of Felton, Calif.
Derema Group, a national manufacturer’s representative firm, was formed in January 2000 from the merger of Eastern Marketing Associates and the R.J. de Recat Co.
