Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) announced plans to enhance their merchandising and marketing departments. The $12 billion buying and marketing organization anticipate the restructuring plan to strengthen the existing services they provide independent retailers and result in enhanced benefits for their membership this year.

According to the NMG leadership team, Nationwide continues to grow as they improve internal operations, diversify their programs and services to better assist member dealers and vendor partners by creating more opportunities to improve their members’ bottom line during these difficult times.

In connection with the restructuring plan, several key executives were promoted based on added responsibilities within their divisions. These promotions include Adam Thomas to Senior Vice President, Appliance Marketing; Mike Decker to Senior Vice President, Electronics Marketing; and Rick Weinberg to Vice President, Appliance Merchandising.

In addition, NMG strengthened their electronics division with the appointment of Doug Schatz, a former Division Merchandise Manager for Circuit City, to Vice President of Electronics Merchandising.

“NMG’s unique ability to provide a superior shopping experience, showcase feature rich products, and deliver an upscale sales mix, are keys to their success as well as the success of our vendor partners,” explained Schatz. “This puts NMG in a strong position to deliver robust and compelling programs to our members. I look forward to working with our vendors to craft these programs, which along with our marketing, training, and merchandising tools, enhance our member’s ability to compete and win.”

“As we begin to venture into new areas within the appliance and electronics categories it was imperative for us to add and assign new responsibilities to our existing leadership team,” said Robert Weisner, Executive Vice President of NMG. “We are pleased to welcome Doug and announce the promotion of Adam, Mike and Rick.”

These announcements come less than two weeks before NMG’s PrimeTime! event, the largest bi-annual vendor exhibition and buying show for independent retailers in the country. According to NMG, thousands of retailers and vendors are expected to attend despite the down economy.

“In New Orleans we will be challenging our member dealers to take charge of their businesses, take charge of their finances, take charge of their future by strategically utilizing the benefits that their membership provides and by taking full advantage of all the resources available to them at PrimeTime!,” said Weisner.