Leominster, MA – January 23, 2020 – AIS, a leading manufacturer of commercial office furniture and seating, announces two promotions, and has strengthened its sales team with the hiring of three sales team members and a New York City showroom manager.
Amy Transue
Amy Transue was promoted to vice president of strategic resources. Transue has been working for AIS since 2005 and, most recently, was director of marketing and strategic resources. In her new role, Transue will continue to direct the strategic resources team (AIS’s sales support group) and will take on additional senior-level sales responsibilities as well as lead new sales initiatives.
“I’m honored for the opportunities AIS has provided me over the past 15 years. I look forward to our teams’ continued growth with AIS and providing stronger strategic resources initiatives for our sales team and dealer customers,” Transue said.
Steve Lyons
Steve Lyons was recently promoted to AIS’s senior territory manager for Florida. Lyons has been with AIS since 2016. With this promotion, he will manage the Florida market for AIS as well as mentor new sales team members.
“It has been an absolute privilege over the last three years to be a part of the AIS family. Without the efforts of the entire AIS team, our incredible growth here in Florida would not have been possible. Being promoted to senior territory manager for the state of Florida is an honor. I’m confident that our Florida team will continue the momentum in 2020,” Lyons said.
Wendy Gricius
Wendy Gricius was recently hired as the newest member of the AIS sales leadership team. Based in Indianapolis, the new vice president of Midwest sales will be responsible for continuing to grow the business and strengthen relationships with dealers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. In addition, she will oversee the expansion and merchandising of existing and new group-purchasing agreements across North America.
Gricius has more than 25 years of industry experience, including in multi-channel distribution.
“I’m excited to work with our dealer partners by offering strategic, relevant and unique solutions for the entire office – all backed by excellent service and at an affordable price point,” Gricius said.
In her previous leadership roles, she directed sales efforts regionally for Humanscale and Bush Business Furniture. She earned a bachelor of science degree in interior and environmental design from Ball State University and is a CEU-certified presenter.
Raquel Salvato
Raquel Salvato joins AIS with nearly 20 years of design and business development experience. In her new role as territory manager, she will work to strengthen and expand AIS dealer relationships in South Florida.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a great organization, and to continue the next phase in my professional path, with a company that has clearly made a nationwide impact in our industry,” Salvato said. “I’m looking forward to bringing to my territory not just great products but also to acquiring the right market for AIS growth. This is the type of organization that I want to be part of for years to come.”
Most recently, Salvato was at Corporate Design Choice where she was a design consultant. In that role, she established design concepts and standards as well as worked on contract negotiations and in project management. Prior to Corporate Design Choice, Salvato worked as a business development manager for Office Furniture Warehouse.
Salvato holds a master of fine arts degree in interior design from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a bachelor of arts degree in art history from the University of Maryland, European Division, in Heidelberg, Germany. She is based out of Boca Raton, Florida.
Gretchen de Gouveia
AIS has hired Gretchen de Gouveia as territory manager for Southern California. Working out of Newport Beach, de Gouveia will continue to grow AIS dealer relationships in the area. With over 15 years of experience in the furniture and office products market, de Gouveia most recently worked for Office Depot where she was a vertical market manager. Earlier experiences include working for Humanscale and SPACECO, Inc.
“AIS is at the forefront of design and has the strategic know-how to differentiate in the marketplace – a company that prides itself on responsiveness, being consultative and going the extra mile for anyone affiliated with the brand. I’m looking forward to working with a phenomenal, passionate group of individuals that are the epitome of what being customer-centric stands for,” de Gouveia said.
She has a bachelor of arts degree in interpersonal communication from the University of Oklahoma.
Tyler Finley
Tyler Finley joins AIS as manager of AIS’s New York City showroom. Finley comes to AIS from Allsteel where he was the showroom manager. At Allsteel, he maintained showroom products, oversaw new product installations, worked with the sales team on client visits and mockups, and planned and executed showroom events.
“I’m pleased to join AIS and build on the excitement of the company’s New York City showroom. It’s an incredible space in Manhattan, in a city known as a global epicenter of design. The showroom is a working hub for our regional sales team and dealerships – a stunning environment where they can bring their clients to experience our products and design solutions in action,” Finley said.
He holds a bachelor of arts degree in music education from Luther College in Iowa.
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ABOUT AIS
AIS, headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, is a leading manufacturer of commercial office furniture and boasts one of the most impressive stories of growth and success in the furniture industry. Founded in 1989, the company is known for offering market-relevant, feature-rich product lines that entice designers and support the diverse needs of end-users while offering exceptional value. AIS is an innovator that leads the industry in sustainable, lean manufacturing, lead-time performance and manufacturing flexibility. AIS has permanent showrooms at its Leominster headquarters and also in Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. With locations across the U.S., AIS has more than 800 employees and over 1 million square feet of office, showroom and factory space. Projected sales for 2019 are $220 million. For more information, visit www.ais-inc.com.