Executive Shifts at Ingram Book Group

Ingram Book Group has streamlined its management team, consolidating its vendor relations, sales and marketing functions under Jim Chandler, Ingram's chief commercial officer. As a result of the changes, Steve Little, the company's chief product group officer, will leave Ingram before the end of the year, while Jim Parker, a 26-year Ingram veteran who was most recently senior v-p, product management, is retiring.

The duties of the two men are being divided among other Ingram executives. Kelley Maier, v-p for marketing, has been promoted to v-p, product management and marketing. Maier, along with Art Koch, v-p for supply chain management, will manage Ingram's buying, inventory management and vendor relations. Maier will report to Chandler. Audrey Seitz, who joined Ingram earlier this year from Joseph-Beth Booksellers, has been promoted to v-p for marketing, reporting to Maier.

Also receiving a promotion was Kent Freeman, Ingram's chief technology officer, who has added the title of president of Ingram customer systems, a position that Chandler had filled on a temporary basis. An Ingram spokesperson said the management shifts were made in tandem with the recent downsizing of the wholesaler's distribution network, which cut the number of warehouses from eight to four.

Ingram Book Group CEO Michaek Lovett observed that "These changes complete the strategic repositioning of Ingram Book Group, and today's changes will better enable us to serve our trading partners by consolidating the vendor relations, sales and marketing functions under Jim Chandler's leadership."