ATLANTA—Jack Ryan has returned to AmericasMart, home of the industry’s largest rug market, as acting CFO. At the same time, Michelle Barton has been named senior vice president and controller.
Ryan rejoins AMC, parent company of AmericasMart, following his 2001 retirement from its presidency, which he held from 1994 during AmericasMart’s early formative years following the 1996 rebranding of the former Atlanta Market Center. A financial industry veteran with a long and distinguished career, including more than 22 years with the AMC-affiliated Portman Cos. Ryan will direct all AMC financial operations and will help to represent AMC’s interests across the financial community at large.
“Jack’s leadership, particularly during the creation and early development of AmericasMart, was critical to our initial successes in building market share and brand equity,” said Jeffrey Portman, president and COO of AmericasMart Atlanta and AMC, who was appointed to the positions at Ryan’s retirement. “As his direct report, I learned much from Jack then and will continue to gain from his expertise.”
During Ryan’s original tenure, the AMC global home and gift franchise grew significantly with the advancement of AmericasMart’s national and international buyer base, the alignment of its Atlanta operations and AMC-managed California Gift Show (later divested) and the expansion of international partnerships with affiliates in the U.K. and Europe.
“We are a much different company today than we were at Jack’s departure,” Portman added, “with a different industry landscape presenting huge opportunities for growth. We look forward to Jack’s decisive financial leadership in our vigorous pursuit of that growth.”
Barton advances to the office of senior vice president and controller following her 14-year tenure at AMC, most recently as vice president and controller. She joins the AMC executive management team and its direction of all strategic and operational developments across all business lines. She will lead AMC finance and accounting functions, including the management of lease administration and collections, and will continue to work with the financial community under the leadership of Ryan.
For more information on AmericasMart, call 404.220.2101.