IP's xpedx names James Connelly, current VP of IP, as COO, Dan Watkoske as VP sales, John Biscanti as executive VP operations and Thomas Lazzaro as chief procurement officer

Kendall Sinclair

CINCINNATI , July 26, 2011 (press release) – James Connelly has been named chief operating officer, xpedx, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team. Connelly is also a vice president and company officer of International Paper. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

Connelly began his career with xpedx in October 1999 as vice president, sales and group vice president. In his nearly 12 years with xpedx, Connelly has held a number of leadership positions, including his most recent role as executive vice president, East Region, xpedx. His new role of COO consolidates the two former positions of executive vice president in the East and West Regions for xpedx. Connelly has also served as executive vice president, North Central Region, and senior vice president, Northeast, for xpedx. He was named vice president and company officer of International Paper in January 2006. He is based at xpedx's business headquarters in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

Prior to joining xpedx, Connelly served in various marketing, sales and management capacities at Unisource, including printing papers marketing management, vice president/division manager and vice president, distribution, resulting in more than 30 years of experience in the distribution industry.

Connelly has a master's degree in business administration from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Villanova University.

"Jim has shown excellent leadership in xpedx's east region operations for the last two and a half years," said Mary Laschinger, president, xpedx. "In this new leadership position of greater responsibility, I'm sure that he will help us to leverage our strengths to maintain and grow our marketplace share in our print, packaging and facility solutions segments."

Dan Watkoske has been named executive vice president, sales, xpedx, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

Watkoske joined International Paper in 1989 as a sales trainee for Nationwide Papers, which became a part of the xpedx business. With xpedx, he has held various roles in sales, commission sales, and management, including vice president, national accounts. Most recently, for the past few years, Watkoske was group vice president, Metro New York, for xpedx. Watkoske is based at xpedx's business headquarters in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

Watkoske has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree from Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

"Dan has demonstrated great leadership in the Metro New York Group," said Mary Laschinger, president of xpedx. "His long history of accomplishments in sales will help us to continue growing xpedx throughout North America."

John Biscanti has been named executive vice president, operations, xpedx, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

Biscanti began working with xpedx in 2000 as division manager for the xpedx Philadelphia facility. In 2001, he was named division manager for the xpedx Harrisburg facility. Most recently, Biscanti was group vice president, Mid-Atlantic, xpedx, in Harrisburg, Pa. He is based at xpedx's business headquarters in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

Biscanti began his distribution career in 1987 as a sales trainee with Garrett Buchanan in Philadelphia, Pa. The business later became part of Unisource, where he spent 13 years in various roles of increasing responsibility as a commissioned sales representative, sales manager, division manager and area/ district sales vice president.

Biscanti earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Alvernia University in Reading, Pa.

"Through John's operations expertise we will optimize our distribution network platforms throughout North America," said Mary Laschinger, president, xpedx. "This streamlined distribution network will lead to improved service levels for our customers."

Thomas Lazzaro has joined xpedx as its chief procurement officer, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

Lazzaro will have leadership responsibility for all aspects of the purchasing organization at xpedx, including strategic sourcing and fulfillment. He is based at xpedx's business headquarters in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

Lazzaro joined xpedx in January 2011 after previously serving as president of White Cap Construction Supply, a $1 billion division of HD Supply. In 2006, he joined HD Supply as president of Creative Touch Interiors, when it was still wholly-owned by The Home Depot.

Prior to joining The Home Depot, Lazzaro was general manager, global sourcing, for GE Consumer & Industrial, a $14 billion division of General Electric Co. He has more than 20 years of GE experience, including leadership positions in sales, eBusiness, six sigma and finance in the Aerospace, Healthcare, Appliances and Lighting & Industrial Systems businesses.

Lazzaro earned a master's degree in business administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor's in political science from Colgate University.

"Tom brings considerable experience in sourcing and fulfillment to our xpedx team," said Mary Laschinger, president, xpedx. "His leadership in purchasing will be important in providing the best products to our customers while we seek efficiencies within our own supply chain."

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