Conair announces new appointments

Conair Group announced a series of five new appointments in its sales, product management, units, systems and extrusion businesses designed to further strengthen its focus on growing customer needs. 

• Anthony “A.J.” Zambanini was named director, product management. He will oversee the efforts of product managers who are developing individual auxiliary equipment lines. He has been with Conair for nine years, most recently serving as product manager, drying, and earlier having worked as regional sales manager and packaging sales manager. 
• As director of Conair’s new Systems Group, Nick Paradiso will lead teams that work with global customers to engineer, develop and install turnkey systems, ranging from new production lines to complete plants. He previously worked as product manager for conveying and bulk storage equipment, and before that was a sales and marketing director for Piovan Group, and a division manager for material handling and auxiliaries at Wittman Battenfeld.   
• Lane Brewster was named director, Units Group. A 12-year Conair employee, he leads a large team responsible for helping customers assess, size and select auxiliary equipment suited to their applications. In earlier roles with Conair, he managed inside sales, supervised technical sales and served as an account manager on the inside sales team. 
• As general manager of extrusion sales, Chris Weinrich will be in charge of development and sales of auxiliaries used to produce tube, pipe and profile extrusions. Previously, he served as director, packaging and medical, and general manager, extrusion. He will succeed Ernie Preiato, VP for Extrusion, who plans to retire after over 50 years in the extrusion industry as an employee of Conair and Gatto, a company acquired by Conair. With more than 30 years in the plastics industry, Weinrich has also worked for Milacron and Xaloy Inc. 
• Tom Bishop has been named national sales manager, will direct the activities of six regional managers who support 12 independent sales agencies and 45 sales representatives in the U.S. and Canada. Bishop also served as a regional sales manager, systems engineer and inside sales representative for Conair, and as a regional sales manager for Davis-Standard and an account manager for Design Molded Plastics.