ACCO Promotes Two Execs

ACCO Brands has named Jeff Ackerberg as vp of sales and marketing for ACCO's Swingline unit, leading the sales, marketing, new product and business development areas. Prior to joining ACCO, Ackerberg was vp, brand manager and business unit manager of Kohler Company's Sterling Plumbing Division. His accomplishments include revamping Sterling's processes for new product development, innovation and organization, which boosted new products' contribution significantly during his tenure. Ackerberg also directed a joint Kohler/Sterling team in developing brand strategy for the company's global brand portfolio. In addition, teams under his direction received awards for innovation and design excellence from Popular Mechanics and Kitchen & Bath Business, among others.

Ackerberg also has held senior sales and marketing positions with Omni Corp. and Skil-Bosch Power Tool Co. "We are pleased to have Jeff direct Swingline's sales and marketing efforts," said Bruce Neapole, Swingline president. "Swingline's leading market position is based on innovation, and we believe Jeff's exceptional track record in promoting brand-conscious, market-driven innovation--especially as it relates to new product development--will be essential to Swingline's continued ability to exceed customer and consumer expectations." Ackerberg holds a master's degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and earned his bachelor's degree from North Central College. He resides in LaGrange, IL.

ACCO Brands also announced that Rowena Frith has been named director of supply chain for presentation products, which includes ACCO's Boone & Apollo business unit. Responsibilities include managing strategic vendor relationships and working with global sister companies ACCO Europe and ACCO HK to maximize flow of goods among vendors, ACCO and customers.

Prior to her three-year tenure at ACCO's U.S. operation, Frith spent five years at ACCO Canada. She has served as director of marketing for the Wilson Jones business unit, and has held positions in product marketing, product development and e-commerce.

"We are very pleased Rowena is joining Presentation Products," said Wally Schubel, Presentation Products president. "Vendor and customer satisfaction are a worldwide priority for ACCO, and we believe Rowena's broad knowledge base and experiences working at ACCO's U.S. and Canadian operations will afford new synergies that will greatly enhance relationships with our domestic and international business partners." Frith holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from NSW University in Australia and is a Sloan Fellow (MSc) in business with the London Business School. She resides in Highland Park, IL.

ACCO Brands is a unit of ACCO World Corp., one of the world's leading office products manufacturers and the office products business of Fortune Brands, the consumer products company. Headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, with operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, ACCO Brands manufactures and markets the category-leading brands of ACCO, Swingline, Day-Timer, Kensington, Wilson Jones, MACO, Perma, Apollo and Boone through office products superstores, mass retailers, mail order and business-to-business channels.