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Friday, December 13, 2024

Glen Raven’s Swers steps down after boosting Sunbrella

Glen Raven, a Burlington-based maker of Sunbrella and other performance fabrics, said Joseph Davis will succeed David Swers as president of its material solutions group.

Swers is retiring after 35 years with Glen Raven.

Davis’ career “has been defined by creating a customer experience that is second to none, and most recently, Joey oversaw major transformation of a company business model resulting in new growth platforms that continue to deliver significant results,” said Glen Raven CEO Leib Oehmig.

Before joining Jacuzzi 11 years ago, Davis worked at Stanley Black & Decker and Price Pfister.

Davis will oversee Glen Raven’s furnishings, shade and marine and protective business units, as well as its European business and Asia operations. This includes Sunbrella, the flagship brand of Glen Raven, along with its Dickson and GlenGuard brands

Swers, who joined Glen Raven in 1989, played a key role in elevating Sunbrella from a sturdy canvas fabric to a product known for its performance and design. He helped globalize the brand and differentiate Sunbrella among its peers. He has been president of the material solutions group since 2013.

Glen Raven started as a cotton mill in 1880, later becoming a leading parachute fabric maker in World War II. It launched Sunbrella in 1961. Chair Allen Gant Jr., grandson of the founder, was CEO from 1996 to 2017, when Oehmig was named to the post.

David Mildenberg
David Mildenberg
David Mildenberg is editor of Business North Carolina. Reach him at dmildenberg@businessnc.com.

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