HUNTINGTON BEACH, California—With promotions for two key staffers and a couple of newer hires, XR Brands has just completed a strategic restructuring that the company says has streamlined the sales, marketing and branding team in preparation for a summer sales surge.
The restructuring includes the addition of two established sales executives with a combined quarter-century of business experience and the directorial promotions of Rebecca Weinberg and Michael Merrill, who will helm the company through a planned growth phase. The staff moves took place following the retirement of General Manager Randy Alvstad.
Stepping into the role of director of sales, Weinberg will oversee the entire sales team with a focus on international and domestic growth. She will work with the creative team to innovate and develop new product lines while managing the company’s strength within key market regions. Having worked with some of the largest accounts in America, Weinberg will bring to bear her market knowledge, intelligence and professional work ethic to expand XR Brands’ retail reach.
“I have a strong knowledge of this industry and an extensive background in product design, production coordination, and adult industry sales strategies—all skills that I’ve honed to a tee while working with XR Brands over the last few years,” Weinberg said. “I’m proud of my high success rate and history of account service and growth, and it’s a pleasure to use these skills in my new role.”
As the director of brands, Merrill will manage the full range of mainstream and trade promotions that support the success of XR Brands’ vast range of product lines. Merrill has played a key role in the company’s marketing, design and merchandising—deploying his invaluable pop-culture perspective—since he first joined the team in 2010 and now will put his signature protocols in place as part of his top-level position.
“I’ve successfully brought a mainstream-friendly perspective and fresh visual eye to some of XR Brands’ most successful product lines, and this new role will allow me to be even more hands-on with the way XR Brands is perceived and sold within the adult retail market,” Merrill said. “Our packaging, merchandising and pricing has made it easy and profitable for customers to introduce product categories they never ordinarily would have stocked. This lasting effect on our customers’ bottom line will continue to be a driving force as we move into this new evolution.”
New to the team are Key Account Executive Lynda Mort, Operations Manager Gerardo Ramos and Sales Assistant Laura Priebe. Bringing a wide range of talent and experience to the team, each new staff member is tasked with working together to make the sales and development process even more efficient.
Mort comes with more than five years of experience in private brands, licensing and mass market sales with an additional 10 years at a Fortune 500 company as director of strategic partnerships—some of the same partnerships she currently specializes in within the adult world. New recruit Priebe will assist Mort will all areas of her day-to-day routine.
Ramos brings more than 10 years of experience specializing in product sourcing, research and development, quality control, trend forecasting, and marketing support. Ramos will work directly with the XR Brands team to maintain current lines while developing new brands with a focus on specialty products and cosmetics. He also will play a significant role in exploring and opening new opportunities in Spanish-speaking countries.
This new foundation comes following the recent retirement of Alvstad, who helped establish XR Brands as a market leader in an ever-competitive industry.
“Randy was an important member of our team and we thank him for the invaluable efforts he put toward developing our company into what it is today,” said XR CEO Ari Suss. “I and the entire XR staff wish him the very best as he embarks on the next step of his life.”
The new XR Brands team is prepped and ready for the upcoming ANME Founders Show, taking place July 12-14 in Burbank, California. To schedule a meeting, email Weinberg at [email protected].
To view the full XR Brands lineup, visit XRBrands.com.
