Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM MARCH 2017 90 B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S RO B randSource recently added four new employees to its ever- growing group of talented professionals that have enabled our company to expertly grow our membership and service our customers. With areas of expertise ranging from human resources management to digital content writing, the new hires are exactly the kind of seasoned and dedicated personalities that BrandSource actively seeks out to improve our workforce. Sharon Chiaromonte was hired in September as BrandSource's new human resources manager. An HR veteran with over 15 years of experience, Sharon most recently worked as human resources director at the prestigious Santa Ana Country Club in California. Prior to her eight years at Santa Ana, she worked as HR director at the Coreland Companies. In her new position with BrandSource, Sharon will work out of our Tustin, California office and will be the company's primary contact on all HR matters including health benefits, 401k retirement plans, employee relations, conflict resolution, vacation, sick time, disability leaves, and policy interpretation. "I am thrilled to be working for such an amazing organization with exceptional leadership, " she says. Sharon attended University of California, Irvine and is certified in Employee Relations and Personnel Management. She is also a member of SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management Professionals). A native of Orange County, California, Sharon is married with two daughters. In her spare time, Sharon travels extensively, spends time at the beach, listens to jazz, attends concerts, and does volunteer work within her community. Industry veteran Jim Capizzi was also hired late last year to be director general manager of Expert Warehouse, BrandSource's distribution arm. An accomplished sales team leader, Jim brings a wealth of experience to his new post at the EW headquarters in Secaucus. Although he has been in his new position only a short while, he has hit the ground running, with the stated goal of revitalizing the Expert Warehouse team by taking a more strategic, analytical, and proactive approach to sales. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Jim certainly knows how to do just that. He has held senior sales positions for several electronics industry heavyweights. Before coming to BrandSource, Jim spent four years with LG Electronics in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, as sales director. Prior to that, he was vice president of sales East Region for Panasonic from 2006-09. Jim was also East Region sales director while at Konica Minolta. In the years leading up to these posts, Jim served in prominent sales positions at Sharp, Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba. Jim earned a BA/BS in Economics, Business and Criminal Justice from William Paterson University. He lives in Oakland, NJ with his wife. His hobbies include white water rafting, fishing, and basketball. Mirah Lucas joined the company in November as content writer and social media manager for its digital division, BrandSource Digital Marketing, in Sacramento. An experienced copywriter, digital marketer, and SEO specialist, Mirah is a virtual jack-of-all-trades who has held several different positions in the marketing industry. Before assuming her position at BrandSource Digital, Mirah worked for eight years as a freelance writer, editor, and digital marketing consultant. Prior to that, she worked as a social media manager and blogger for MyPresence, LLC in San Francisco. She also worked as a transcriptionist, researcher, and proofreader at the Center for Healthcare Decisions, Inc. in Rancho Cordova. From 2012-2013, she was a social media manager at the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Mirah graduated from California State University Sacramento with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology. In her spare time, she indulges in her interest in urban agriculture and playing the cello. Maxzi Soto became meeting and events manager for BrandSource this past November. Working out of the Tustin, California office, Maxzi has put her experience in the hospitality sector to good use for the company's multitude of membership events that it prides itself on. Prior to her position at BrandSource, she was meeting coordinator at Hamilton Group Meeting Planners. Before that, she was catering and convention services administrative assistant at the Irvine Company. Maxzi earned a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Business Management at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona in 2013. In previous years, she has donated her time to several charitable endeavors in her community such as the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, where she served as community service chair. BRANDSOURCE ADDS FOUR NEW EM PLOYEES

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