Port Washington, NY (July 12, 2011) -Safavieh has announced the appointment of industry veteran John Vlahopoulos as senior sales executive. The move is part of a restructuring and planned expansion of the company’s sales force to target independent rug retailers and trade showrooms in major markets across the country.
Prior to joining Safavieh, Vlahopoulos served as a sales manager for The Abadjian Collection for 12 years. “John’s experience with Berdj Abadjian, a legend in the field of antique and decorative oriental rugs, is an asset to our company,” said Safavieh principal Arash Yaraghi in making the announcement. “John has demonstrated success at establishing the vision and strategies necessary to grow both wholesale and trade accounts, and he is also quite knowledgeable in developing new rug design concepts for clients.” Yaraghi noted that Vlahopoulos’ strong relationships with American and international customers of high-end rugs will be an asset in selling Safavieh Couture and the new Ralph Lauren collections.
“I am excited about the opportunity to develop and expand Safavieh’s brick and mortar account base, and also look forward to serving the trade community. They all show great interest in our brand as well as the company’s fashion and color leadership,” Vlahopoulos added.