Belwith Products® Announces New President
Grandville, MI (January 18, 2019) – For 125 years, luxury hardware designer and manufacturer Belwith Products® has set the trends in hardware design, with innovative designs, a community of artisans and strong leadership. Today the company announces the next generation of leadership with the appointment of Dan Kennard as president of Belwith Products.
“Dan’s passion for product design and style, employee involvement, and organizational alignment strikes a chord with our own passion and culture,” says John Veleris, Founder and Chairman of JVA Partners, holding company of Belwith Products, “and has as a solid track record in growing businesses with new products and omni-channel innovative marketing in our industry space.”
Among the many duties of his leadership role at Belwith Products, Mr. Kennard will be responsible for evolving Belwith Product’s showroom environments, deepening relationships with specialty dealers and expanding the company’s OEM and retail offerings.
“Dan has a proven track record in building high performance teams and demonstrated successful leadership of organizations from start-ups to mature organizations within Fortune 200 industrials,” Veleris went on to say. “His management of large operations with diverse manufacturing partnerships across the globe and a deep understanding of the complexity of the supply chain structure to keep them efficient, are key aspects to why we chose Dan for the job.”
Mr. Kennard’s executive leadership experience spans over two decades as VP Sales and Marketing at Yale®, and later President of Fusion Hardware Group. For the last several years, Kennard has been driving market and brand strategy for building material divisions of Saint-Gobain®.
A graduate of Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame, Kennard has spent over 25 years in the building and consumer products industries, with over 10 years specifically in decorative and builder’s hardware, holding several design patents for designs of his own creation.
“I love the world of style and design in the architectural products field,” said Kennard, “and I look forward to supporting the Belwith Products family to continue our positive growth across our four brands and building upon our rich history of quality and innovation.”
Belwith Products has been recognized as a national winner of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® within the U.S by the National Association for Business Resources every year since 2016. Kennard takes the helm to continue empowering the brand’s in-house artisans, designers and service team members to find inspiration from the latest in home and fashion trends, while continuing to deliver an unmatched commitment to Belwith’s employees.
Belwith Products will unveil its newest luxury hardware products from brands Belwith-Keeler® and Hickory Hardware® in February at the 2019 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), booth #N2171.
For more information about Belwith Products, Mr. Kennard or to schedule an interview, please contact Kristen Jenkins, Stoner Bunting, at kjenkins@stonerbunting.com.
About Belwith® Products
Belwith Products, well known for their decorative hardware designs and a well-established company for more than 125years, is an industry-leading brand in stylish and functional products. Their master craftsmen, engineers and designers integrate both design and technology to craft complete home solutions, centered on trend-leading style and unparalleled quality. Belwith Products’ rich history started in 1893 beginning with the Keeler Brass Company that provided quality hardware to homeowners. Today, Belwith, along with its three brand divisions, Keeler®, Belwith-Keeler®, Hickory Hardware® and First Watch® Security, lead the industry through a unique and visionary fusion of design and technological innovation. Belwith’s products exemplify commitment to quality and attention to detail. Belwith Products are available from home centers, hardware stores, specialty showrooms, design-conscience retailers and numerous online retailers. For more information, call 800-235-9484 or visit www.belwith.com.
