TARANTOLA
TO SUCCEED BOCCONE AS PRESIDENT OF KLINE
LITTLE
FALLS, NJ, April 16, 2001...Kline & Company, Inc., a leading
international business consulting firm based in Little Falls, NJ, announced
today the appointment of a new president to lead the senior management
team in expanding the company's services to new and existing clients.
Joseph V.
Tarantola, a 20-year veteran of Kline, will succeed Andrew A. Boccone,
who retires as the company president on July 1, 2001. Tarantola currently
serves as Kline's vice president of operations. In addition, he heads
the company's practices in agricultural chemicals and industrial and
institutional cleaners, as well as its syndicated products business.
Since joining
the firm in 1974, Boccone has seen Kline grow from a small, U.S.-centric
market research organization to a truly global consultancy, providing
its multinational clients with fact-based solutions in an increasingly
complex business environment. Said Boccone, "I am most proud of
the way our management team has built upon the principles established
in 1959 by the firm's founder, Dr. Charles H. Kline."
Also retiring
on July 1 are senior vice presidents Carl H. Eckert and Chem J. Listner.
Eckert, a 25-year veteran of the company, heads the firm's advanced
materials and minerals practice, while Listner, also a 25-year veteran,
heads both the chemicals and manufacturing economics practices, as well
as Kline's Latin American business. In commenting on the retirements,
Boccone said, "Both Listner and Eckert have made enormous contributions
to the growth of the firm's services over the past 25 years. Their insights
and support have been invaluable to me."
Joining Tarantola
as members of the company's new management team are five senior Kline
executives: Susan M. Babinsky, Ian Butcher, William R. Downey, Jr.,
Eric P. Vogelsberg, and James M. Weatherall.
The appointment
of this new team concludes a carefully planned transition of our management
committee," said Boccone. "I am confident that Kline, under
the leadership of Joe Tarantola, will continue to expand both the firm's
consulting services and its global network in order to provide business
solutions for its clients in an increasingly competitive and changing
global environment."
Added Tarantola,
"Our new team will build upon more than two decades of fine work
by Andy, Carl, and Chem. Together, these three individuals have served
the company well through their commitment to Kline's value proposition
of helping clients to make better business decisions based upon a solid
foundation of market understanding and business intelligence."
The new team,
under the direction of Tarantola, comprises five vice presidents and
corporate officers:
-
Susan Babinsky, a 17-year
veteran, heads the firm's consumer products practices, including food
and beverages, health and beauty aids, household products, automotive
products, and other related businesses.
-
Ian Butcher serves as
managing director of Kline Europe, S.A., located in Brussels, Belgium.
An 18-year veteran of the company, Butcher is responsible for Kline's
customer relationships in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He
also leads the firm's activities in customer relationship management.
-
William Downey, who joined
Kline in 1988, has led the company's petroleum and energy practice
for the last eight years. He continues in that role and is also responsible
for serving the firm's clients in the utilities industry, as well
as other new initiatives.
-
Eric Vogelsberg becomes
the leader of the company's chemicals and electronics practices. During
his 15 years with Kline, he has served clients in a diverse group
of performance-based, value-added businesses, with areas of particular
emphasis including mergers and acquisitions and strategy development.
-
James Weatherall, who
joined Kline in 1980, is responsible for all consulting activities
and client relations for the performance materials, polymers, and
packaging practices of the firm. He will also assume responsibility
for Kline's syndicated products business.
