NEW YORK -- Robert M. Duban has joined Covington Fabrics & Design as executive vice president of sales for Covington, effective January 1 and reports to Greg Tarver, president & CEO of Covington.

Tom Bruno, senior vice president of sales at Covington will now report to Duban along with Craig Shirk, vice president, contract sales and Oscar Reig-Plaza, newly named vice president of sales for Covington.

“Tom, Craig and Oscar have successfully created new momentum at CFD and the adding of Duban will fortify their efforts while adding new customer relationships to our equation,” Tarver said.

“Most recently, Duban was senior vice president of sales with The Robert Allen Group. Prior to his tenure at Robert Allen, Robert held sales management positions with F. Schumacher and Decorators’ Walk. Duban has over thirty years of experience as a sales executive within the home and contract textile furnishings markets,” Tarver said.

“In the upcoming days, I will meet with sales management to refine how we will manage our various sales territories. We have an ambitious plan to grow our current business channels while creating some new channels. Robert, Tom, Craig, Oscar and I will divvy up certain responsibilities in order to accomplish our goals,” Tarver told F&FI.

As part of that effort, Tarver said the position of export sales director has been eliminated, and export manager Stuart Schneider is no longer working at Covington. Schneider had been with Covington for one year in that post. His future plans are not known at this time.

“Export sales responsibilities will shift to Reig-Plaza and Bruno, he explained. “We’ll be in touch with our international agents in the upcoming days to discuss our specific transition plan. Please be assured that CFD remains fully committed to our Export Business unit,” Tarver said.

Tarver concluded, “Robert Duban joining us is another example of the commitment to CFD’s future by the Kahan and Rifkin families. Under their leadership, Covington’s business was reinvigorated and we are taking things to the next level.”  The Kahan and Rifkin families are the owners of Covington.