Vietri appoints new president, COO

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C.—Tabletop importer Vietri has promoted Holli Draughn to president and named Mark Gabriel chief operating officer in addition to his current role as chief financial officer.

Draughn, who has been with Vietri for 12 years, most recently as vice president of sales and marketing, will leverage her experience and expertise to position the company for continued growth in the tabletop and home decor industry and will oversee the sales, marketing, customer service and product design teams, the company said in a statement.

“Continuous improvements, constant progress — those are our goals,” said Draughn. “This year is Lastra’s 10th anniversary, next year is Vietri’s 40th anniversary, we are exploring special projects, and finding new twists on old favorites. Incredible things are in store for Vietri and I’m so thrilled to be a part of the journey.”

After a decade with the company, Gabriel will concentrate on the fiscal strength of Vietri as CFO and will oversee the finance, purchasing and distribution departments as COO.

“Mark Gabriel’s clear headed common sense and attention to detail is a perfect match to Draughn’s spirited leadership style and together with founder and CEO Susan Gravely, this executive team will lead Vietri to the next level of success,” the company said in its announcement.

With Gabriel taking on the position of COO, the operations team has been restructured. Within the new structure, Jeff Black, formerly vice president of distribution, has been named vice president of procurement. His position includes all movement of merchandise from vendors and to customers, as well as managing vendor relations and all purchasing matters.

Jeff Campbell will lead a recently expanded warehouse team as warehouse manager, and there will be a position available for operations excellence manager. Additional staff has been hired in the customer service, product design and marketing departments as well.

“We want change to be in anticipation, not in reflection,” said Gravely, who co-founded the company with her sister, Frances and mother, Lee, and as CEO oversees brand-building efforts, creative direction and product development strategy. “These changes will inspire more teamwork as well as independent decision making and will enable every employee to feel more focused on bringing world-class expertise and enjoyment into their roles and into the lives of others. The Vietri family has always enjoyed working hard, working smart, and working together, and we want that to continue.

“Vietri is now focused on the future with clear directions from our newly appointed President and COO,” she added. “With so much change in the world, Vietri is positioned to continue to provide the top service, the most beautiful product, and most importantly, happy and committed staff members, customers and vendors.”