The Ingram Book Group has realigned its upper-manager tier in a move company chairman John Ingram said will structure the wholesaler "in an efficient way as we move into the future." Under the reorganization, all of Ingram's profit centers will now report directly to Jim Chandler, president of Ingram Book Co., who was named chief commercial officer of the Ingram Book Group. Chandler will continue to report to Michael Lovett, president and CEO of the Ingram Book Group. "Having our profit centers under one leader should be a huge benefit for us," Lovett told PW .
Lovett said the reorganization will allow Ingram to better coordinate its marketing efforts and to better leverage the Ingram brand. "We'll be able to present a consolidated front to the publishers and our customers," Lovett explained. As a result of the realignment, a number of persons who had reported to Lovett will now report to Chandler. Among those now reporting to Chandler are several executives who have been promoted: Julie Burns, formerly v-p of finance at the Ingram Book Group, to president of Ingram Periodicals; Robin Lofquist, formerly v-p, national operations of Ingram Book Co., to v-p, sales operations of the Ingram Book Group; and Frances Salamon, formerly president of Ingram Periodicals, to president of Spring Arbor Distributors (succeeding Larry Carpenter, who has resigned to pursue Christian ministry interests). Other executives who will also report to Chandler are Martin Keeley, president of Ingram Library Services and Ingram International, and John Reed III, president of Tennessee Book Co. John Bohman, formerly v-p, national accounts, has been named v-p, sales of Ingram Book Co. and will continue to report to Chandler.
Lovett noted that the changes will give him more time to help develop new strategic initiatives with John Ingram. Among the moves being looked into is the development of an e-commerce strategy by Kent Freeman, who has been named to the new position of chief technology officer of the Ingram Book Group. Freeman, who had been president of Ingram Customer Systems, will continue to report to Lovett. Other executives who still report to Lovett are Y.S. Chi, company COO; Frank Kerrigan, CFO; LaVona Russell, chief administrative officer; Linda Dickert, v-p and general counsel; and Lee Synnott, vice chairman.
Lovett told PW the realignment will allow Ingram to be "change makers." He added, "In this rapidly changing environment, if you merely wait to manage change, you're dead in the water."
