RM Coco Shuffles Personnel With Departure of Mike Edwards
October 11, 2010
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri — RM Coco, a major national and international wholesaler with 84 affiliated showrooms in the USA, Canada and Asia, has made adjustments in its design and purchasing department in the wake of the departure of Mike Edwards, a minority owner who for 18 years handled sourcing and design as vice president of marketing and purchasing.
Edwards oversaw purchasing and customer service but left the firm in early August and was officially off the payroll in October. He did not indicate what he intends to do going forward but he is pursuing other opportunities, some of which are outside the fabrics industry.
“I’ll share my plans with all of my friends out there as soon as possible. Right now, I have been working on my golf game and am happy to report that my handicap is now in single digits. I am open to all ideas but my true expertise is in sourcing.”
He asked that his friends worldwide contact him through his email address: Edwards.mike@ATT.net.
In the meantime, RM Coco, now 41-years-old, reported a more stable business situation with a sales improvement “starting in February, 2010 over 2009 when the entire industry took a hit,” said Jim Rust, CEO and founder. Rust was present at MoOD this year after not having attended in four years. “I thought that MoOD was good this year. We expect to attend Heimtextil as well.”
Rust has three other partners in addition to Edwards, including Mike Watson, sales manager for 30 years with RM Coco. Rust expects to replace Edwards' previous role.
“We hired Elizabeth Sprangett, design consultant when Mike was leaving,” Rust said. “We also promoted Jocelyn Anderson internally to handle some of Mike’s responsibilities in design and development.”
Anderson has been with the firm for two-and-a-half years since she graduated from the University of Missouri. Beverly Rust, Jim’s wife has also provided design input for the firm and will continue to do so according to her husband. Additionally, Annette Emmons is helping with the purchasing function.
RM Coco has three lines of products: RM Coco ‘Allure,’ the high end collections, 90-percent exclusive to the firm; Coco Colors, about 30-percent of this miltipurpose line is exclusive to the company; Coco Classic, which is 15-percent exclusive and also multi-purpose, said Rust.