ALBERTVILLE, Ala.–Paragon has shored up its management team with the creation of five vice president posts and several recent management appointments at the family-owned wall decor company.
Kathy Opolka, who has served since 2001 in various sales positions, has been appointed vice president of business development, a new post. Opolka continues to be responsible for sales management in all market segments of the company, as well as the company’s 120 sales representatives.
Fred Barhorst moved from controller to vice president of finance, succeeding Dan Teal, who retired after 24 years of service in November 2007. Barhorst has been with Paragon 17 years and is responsible for all aspects of finance. Ricky King has been appointed vice president of global supply and costing, a new post. Having served Paragon since 1994, King is responsible for developing wholesale costs and oversees Paragon material purchases and logistics around the globe. Johnny Masters, who has led information-technology services for 11 years, was named vice president of information technology, a new post. Ralph King, who was hired in 2007 as Paragon’s director of operations, has been name vice president of manufacturing operations. In this new position, King is responsible for all scheduling, manufacturing and customer service functions.
Joey Duncan, who recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with Paragon, has moved to a reduced work schedule and serves as vice president of product development. Malanta Glassco-Knowles, former vice president of marketing, has been named vice president of design and marketing, and will work with company designers.
The transition to this new management team has been under way for almost two years. “It is fortunate that with our parents, Wendell and Bonnie Glassco, becoming less involved in the family business, Dan’s retirement, and Joey’s desire to work less and focus on developing product, we had plenty of time to prepare for the future,” Lendell Glassco, Paragon president, said in a statement. “As second-generation owners, Malanta and I, along with our brother Vince Glassco, who serves as Propac president, look forward to great things ahead with help from this newly empowered executive management team,”