M. Holland Announces Executive-level Promotions to Support Strategic Business Growth

Seven M. Holland executives were promoted as part of an update to the company’s organizational structure, designed to support strategic business initiatives and future company growth.

Northbrook, Ill., April 8, 2019 — M. Holland Company, a leading distributor of thermoplastic resins, announced the promotion of seven company veterans to senior-level executive roles, including Steve Armstrong, Marc Fern, Dave Franco, Neil Goodrich, Lisa Kaplan, Dwight Morgan, and Jon Walsh. Setting the foundation for M. Holland to extend its leadership as an international distributor, these organizational changes will evolve the company’s leadership structure to support its strategic business initiatives and five-year growth plan.

“As a family-run business, we are pleased to recognize the incredible leadership talent driving the growth of M. Holland,” said Ed Holland, CEO at M. Holland. “These leaders have taken on expanded responsibilities and delivered on their exceptional expertise over the years to help the company excel in multiple areas of the industry.”

Steve Armstrong, former director of resale global sales, is promoted to vice president of global sales for M. Holland’s Resale business unit. In addition to overseeing domestic and international sales for the Resale Division, he will serve on the recently formed M. Holland Company International Council, a committee designed to coordinate global export strategies and activities between M. Holland’s domestic and Latinoamérica businesses. Prior to joining M. Holland in 2010, Armstrong served as president at United Polychem and vice president at Sport Court. He has also held sales roles at Muehlstein, Equistar Chemicals LP, and Huntsman.

Marc Fern, former vice president of commercial, is promoted to executive vice president of commercial. He will work closely with CEO Ed Holland to oversee the company’s Distribution and Resale business units. Marc joined M. Holland in 1997 as a sales representative and has held multiple roles within the sales/commercial group, including sales manager, director of sales, and vice president of sales and marketing. Prior to M. Holland, Fern worked in sales at Colors for Plastic.

Dave Franco, former director of resale sourcing, is promoted to vice president of global sourcing for M. Holland’s Resale business unit. He will be responsible for refining and executing M. Holland’s global sourcing strategies and expanding the company’s global presence. Before joining M. Holland in 2015, Franco served as vice president at Osterman & Co. and held leadership roles at Commerx and Ashland Chemical.

Neil Goodrich, former information technology (IT) director, is promoted to chief innovation officer. He will help spearhead the company’s efforts to revolutionize its digital platforms and experience for employees, clients, and suppliers. Before joining M. Holland as an IT manager in 2013, Goodrich held a variety of software development, project management, and IT roles at Holly Hunt, Ltd.

Lisa Kaplan, former director of marketing and corporate development, is promoted to vice president of marketing and strategic planning, where she will continue to oversee M. Holland’s global marketing and branding efforts as well as add strategic planning to her areas of responsibility. Kaplan joined the company in 2016 and has driven the evolution of the company’s marketing and branding while leading the Senior Operating Team. Prior to M. Holland, she served as a principal at Roslyn Circle Marketing, LLC, vice president of corporate marketing and branding at Aon, and vice president of corporate marketing at Lawson Products.

Dwight Morgan, former vice president of corporate development, is promoted to executive vice president of corporate development. He will lead the company’s seven Business Development groups, all corporate development activities, as well as M. Holland’s Latinoamérica businesses. Morgan joined M. Holland in 2015. Prior, he held a variety of leadership roles with M.A. Hanna Co., Accel Color Corporation, Techmer PM, and The Composites Group.

Jon Walsh, former finance director, is promoted to vice president of finance. He will oversee M. Holland’s global financial shared services function, which manages accounting, financial reporting, and treasury functions for the entire organization. Walsh joined the company in 2011 and has overseen the financial integration of several acquisitions and expanded the company’s financial capabilities to support an international enterprise. Prior to joining M. Holland, Walsh held multiple senior-level and executive roles at SolomonEdwardsGroup, Terra Nova Financial, Gibson/VMG Consulting, and VMG Private Equity.

M. Holland is dedicated to providing trusted partnerships to help customers, suppliers, and business partners achieve their business goals. These executive-level promotions help further this objective by ensuring the company’s leadership team has the passion and technical expertise needed to provide industry-leading support and guidance. “This is an exciting career milestone for many of these professionals,” Holland added, “I look forward to working alongside these talented individuals to make M. Holland an international leader.”

M. Holland is a leading international distributor of thermoplastic resins and ancillary products, providing suppliers with the most strategic channels to market, offering innovative sourcing and supply chain solutions to its clients, and helping people lead rewarding careers. Since 1950, a deep commitment to personal relationships has formed the core of the company’s heritage, its culture, and its vision. Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, M. Holland has over $1 billion in annual sales and sells to more than 4,000 customers annually. To learn more, visit www.mholland.com. Follow M. Holland on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Sami Sauerman
INK (for M. Holland)
mholland@ink-co.com
715.965.2854