San Diego—DuChâteau has named Rick Wagner its new West Coast regional manager. Wagner brings more than 30 years of diverse experience in the flooring industry. He will lead a West Coast sales team that includes 11 territory managers. He will also be responsible for coaching, training and developing new incentive programs to drive sales and increase market share in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Arizona and other key markets in the West.
Wagner’s expertise includes budgeting, planning, purchasing, inventory management, vendor relations, and customer service and relations. He is based in the Bay Area and reports to Todd Gates, DuChâteau’s vice president of residential sales.
“Rick has a strong track record of successful sales and his teams have achieved explosive growth wherever he’s been,” Gates said. “He is passionate about inspiring others and is well-known and respected in our industry. Rick’s experience and expertise will be a tremendous asset to our sales programs not only in the West, but in other markets across the country.”
Wagner joins DuChâteau from B.R. Funsten, where he spent 11 years in different managerial roles, most recently serving as vice president of the residential division. Under his guidance, the company grew significantly, expanding into new product categories and new territories in California, Arizona and Nevada. Prior to B.R. Funsten, he was the national builder manager at Mannington Mills for 10 years and held sales positions with Royalty Carpet Mills and Tuftex Carpet Mills.
“I’ve watched DuChâteau continue to outpace the industry with innovative products and designs since its founding almost a decade ago,” Wagner said. “The company’s culture and collective passion for creating new products and reaching new customers make it a very attractive place to work. I love what I do and it’s inspiring to be surrounded by others who believe in what they’re doing as well.”