Purchasing execs on the move...

Louisiana-Pacific Corp. recently named Neil Sherman as vice president of procurement, logistics and supply management. Sherman replaces Brian Luoma, who recently was named vice president and general manager of LP’s engineered wood products business.

Sherman joined LP in 1994, and most

Bell Helicopter , a Textron company, recently named Mary Simmerman to take the newly created position of senior vice president of supplier and material management. In this role Simmerman will be responsible for all aspects of supply chain management at Bell, including resource allocation, inventory logistics and channels of distribution, forecasting, production planning, supply chain initiatives, and flow and processes management. She will report to John Bean, executive vice president of integrated operations for Bell Helicopter. Simmerman comes to Bell with more than 30 years of aerospace experience, most recently at Northrop Grumman where she was vice president of procurement. Before Northrop Grumman, she spent many years at Boeing.

Retailer PetSmart has appointed Joseph O’Leary as senior vice president of supply chain. In the post, O’Leary will lead all aspects of supply chain strategy and management, and drive operating efficiency across the supply chain, reporting to Robert Moran , president and COO. O’Leary previously worked for Gap as senior vice president of supply chain strategy and global logistics and was most recently COO for Interactive Health, a robotic chair manufacturer and distributor.

Lenovo Group has hired Gerry Smith , former vice president of Dell’s Singapore design center and displays unit, as senior vice president of its global supply chain. Smith replaces Liu Jun, who has taken a one-year sabbatical to pursue advanced executive studies. “Gerry is a seasoned executive in PC and peripherals supply chain management, with a solid track record delivering in the areas that Lenovo is currently targeting for improvements, particularly serviceability and cost reductions,” said William Amelio , CEO of Lenovo, in a statement. Lenovo also named Dell’s former marketing chief for Asia, David Schmoock , to oversee its new Center of Excellence for supply and demand forecasting, pricing and inventory management.

Speed Transportation , a shipping, warehousing and fulfillment provider, has named Jim Trubits to the new post of global supply management specialist. Prior to joining Speed, Trubits was with PBB Global Logistics for more than 21 years. “In today’s post September 11 era, Jim’s proficiency with Homeland Security guidelines is invaluable to any international manufacturer,” said Carl Savarino , president of Speed Transportation. “His vast knowledge of the intricacies of global importing and exporting help companies reduce risks, avoid delays and ultimately save money.”