As first reported Monday in a PPB Newslink Breaking News alert, BIC Graphic North America (PPAI 114187) has appointed David A. Klatt, Jr. as CEO of the Tampa, Florida-based supplier. Emmanuel Bruno remains president of the company.
Klatt brings more than 30 years of consumer product experience to BIC Graphic, most recently as CEO of AAMP Global, a Clearwater, Florida-based manufacturer of consumer-focused vehicle aftermarket and OEM technology. Prior to that, he was president of Newell Brands for both the writing segment and specialty business segment, inclusive of promotional products, where he managed brands such as Sharpie, Paper Mate, uni-ball, Waterman, Parker and Expo. Klatt also held previous leadership roles at Black & Decker and DeWalt where he led the Consumer Group’s transformation of its power tools business .
Klatt earned his bachelor’s degree from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, and his MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement from 2004 to 2014.
“This is an exciting time to join such a dynamic organization and industry,” says Klatt. “BIC Graphic is clearly an industry leader, rooted in operational excellence and committed to its employees. They have made significant investments in service, innovation and technology and are well positioned for accelerated growth. I look forward to helping drive the business forward, collaboratively bringing new energy to our culture, strategy to the organization and innovation to our customers.”
Bruno adds, “We welcome David and continue to push BIC Graphic forward, faster. We are dedicated to making it easier to do business with us and will continue to evolve our business according to our distributors’ needs for a truly valued partner.”
Camilo Horvilleur, managing director at H.I.G. Capital, says, “In an industry as diverse as promotional products, we are pleased to have someone on board that shares our singular vision of growth and speed. David’s proven expertise and passion for delivering customer value and organizational growth will strengthen BIC Graphic’s position as a top promotional products supplier.” An affiliate of the company acquired BIC Graphic North America and its affiliated Asia sourcing operations in June 2017.
