ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., Jan. 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce two new elected CHA Board Members. The newly elected members are: Jessica Goursolas, Vice President and Co-owner of The Creative Network and Philo Pappas, Executive Vice President of Merchandising, Michaels. The CHA Board of Directors consists of individuals representing the various sections of the CHA membership.
Jessica Goursolas is responsible for serving as a key recruiting partner to multi-billion dollar corporations as well as smaller entrepreneurial firms for The Creative Network. Her success is evidenced by her ability to fulfill client hiring needs nationally and internationally. Jessica is a well-respected executive search professional known for her expertise in all facets of the recruiting process. Previously she worked in sales in the creative industries. Jessica is currently the VP of the Marketing Recruiters' Network and is a member of CHA's Young Executives group.
Philo Pappas has held his current position at Michaels since 2009 and has over 20 years of experience in the CE, Computer, and Hard Goods business. He has a proven track record with both small emerging and with national multi-channel retailers. His expertise is in merchandising, retail marketing, in store merchandising, supply chain, and global sourcing. Previously, Philo held positions Tweeter Home Entertainment as the Chief Merchandising Office and at Staples as the Senior Vice President of Merchandising.
"The new CHA Board Members are upstanding leaders and each has a solid track record of excellence and dedication to the craft and hobby industry. I look forward to working with them to further grow and expand the industry," explained Andrej Suskavcevic, CHA President and CEO. "Both Jessica and Philo bring an incredible depth of experience in working in the crafts business that will help guide the CHA Board as we explore new products and services for our members," commented CHA Board Chairman, Maureen Ruth.
Members of the CHA Board of Directors serve a three-year term in which they meet quarterly to address the needs of the industry from a strategic viewpoint, strengthen the ties between CHA members and the association, and guide the focus of CHA to provide member value. Members of the CHA Board of Directors serve on a voluntary basis, through which they establish networking and business opportunities, advance their careers through industry leadership, and contribute their voice as advocates for CHA members.
ABOUT THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION
The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of craft products worldwide. For more about CHA, the value of membership, or its award-winning Conferences & Trade Shows, please visit www.craftandhobby.org.