Universal Fibers Appoints Jay Brown President
Bristol, Va.-based Universal Fibers announced the appointment of Jay Brown as president, effective May 1, 2026. Brown brings more than 35 years of leadership experience across the flooring, fiber and building materials industries. He previously served as president and chief operating officer at Bentley Mills and executive vice president at Happy Floors.
Carbon Appoints Jason Rolland Chief Technology Officer
Redwood City, Calif.-based Carbon, a product development and manufacturing technology company, announced the promotion of Jason Rolland, Ph.D., to chief technology officer. Rolland has been with Carbon for more than 12 years, built the materials team, and co-invented the company’s patented dual-cure resin platform. He holds over 60 issued U.S. patents.
Lyle Shipley Joins Herculite As Innovation Director
Emigsville, Pa.-based Herculite Products announced that Lyle Shipley joined the company as director of innovation. Shipley brings more than 25 years of experience in the plastics industry with expertise in film formulation, product management and new product development. He most recently served as senior product manager at Continental AG.
Arne Arens Joins unspun As CEO
San Francisco-based unspun, a B Corp-certified apparel technology company, announced the appointment of Arne Arens as chief executive officer. Arens brings decades of experience leading global consumer apparel brands including The North Face, where he served as global brand president, and Boardriders, where he served as CEO. Arens will guide unspun’s next phase of growth as it scales automated, localized manufacturing infrastructure for the apparel industry.
Teruyuki Sakimon Named CEO Of Toray CMA
Tacoma, Wash.-based Toray Composite Materials America Inc., a manufacturer of advanced composite materials, announced the appointment of Teruyuki Sakimon as president and chief executive officer effective April 1, 2026. Sakimon has been with Toray CMA for more than 20 years and with Toray Industries’ advanced composites division for nearly 30 years. He succeeds Dennis Frett, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the company.
INDA Honors Four With 2026 Lifetime Awards
Cary, N.C.-based INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the four recipients of the 2026 INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs, and CK Wong are being recognized for their leadership, innovation and contributions to advancing the nonwovens industry.
“These awards celebrate individuals whose careers have helped shape the growth and progress of the nonwovens industry,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president and CEO.
Tom Daugherty’s career spans decades at Procter & Gamble and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University. He served on the INDA Board of Directors from 2007 to 2009 and the INDA Executive Committee from 2010 to 2016.
Pricie Hanna is managing partner of Price Hanna Consultants, specializing in nonwoven products and technologies. She was previously vice president of John R. Starr Inc. for 23 years.
Carey Hobbs joined Hobbs Bonded Fibers in 1963 and grew the company into a leader in the nonwoven industry until he sold it in 2015. He served two terms on INDA’s board of directors.
CK Wong was chairman and CEO of U.S. Pacific Nonwovens Industry Limited and served as INDA vice chairman.
LYCRA Company Appoints Alistair Williamson Sustainability VP
Wilmington, Del.-based LYCRA Company appointed Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability. Williamson brings four decades of experience in textile fibers and apparel, having held commercial, sales and marketing leadership roles across EMEA, North America and South Asia. He will guide the company’s sustainability strategy and oversee initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations and innovation platforms. Williamson joined the predecessor of LYCRA Company in 2007.
Thermore Appoints Don Reichelt To North American Sales Team
Milan, Italy-based Thermore, a supplier of sustainable synthetic insulation, appointed Don Reichelt as North American sales representative. Reichelt brings experience across the outdoor and endurance sports industries and is the founder of Colorado-based Rocky Peak Marketing. He has worked with brands in the outdoor, run and active lifestyle spaces. In his new role, Reichelt will focus on expanding Thermore’s relationships with North American apparel partners.
Trivantage Adds West Coast Furnishings Sales Representative
Burlington, N.C.-based Trivantage announced the appointment of Kate McCracken as a sales representative for the furnishings division. McCracken will strengthen customer relationships across the West Coast, focusing on outdoor furnishings and OEM segments. She brings nearly a decade of experience across textile sales, hospitality project management and the architectural industry.
Nonwovenn Appoints Dr. Nisarg Tambe Innovation Director
Bridgwater, England-based Nonwovenn appointed Dr. Nisarg Tambe as director of innovation. Tambe brings more than a decade of experience in the nonwovens industry and most recently served as head of research and development for the Evolon product range at Freudenberg Performance Materials. Dave Hill will transition from innovations director to next gen products director, focusing on continuation and commercialization of existing product development activities.
Edd Denes Named CEO Of Accelerating Circularity
New York-based Accelerating Circularity announced the appointment of Edd Denes as chief executive officer. Denes previously served as board treasurer of Accelerating Circularity since 2021. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning financial services, technology transformation and international operations. Accelerating Circularity works with brands, manufacturers, collectors, sorters, recyclers, and innovators to build systems for textile-to-textile recycling at scale.
Texcare Names Altmann-Morelli Director
Frankfurt Am Main, Germany-based Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH named Vivien Altmann-Morelli director of Texcare International, effective May 1, overseeing the global laundry, dry-cleaning and textile services trade fair and brand portfolio. She will also lead Food Technologies and report to Kerstin Horaczek. Altmann-Morelli succeeds Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim.
Standard Fiber Names Spence Merchandising Chief
Henderson, Nev.-based Standard Fiber named Randy Spence chief merchandising officer, a new role overseeing merchandising, product development, marketing and sourcing. He will unify product and brand strategy and report to Brett Scharf. Spence brings 40 years of experience across consumer goods, including roles at Pillowtex and Springs Global, and founded pet bed manufacturer NVM Pet, sold in 2020.
Carters Names Sharon Price John CEO
ATLANTA-based Carter’s Inc. named Sharon Price John CEO and president, effective June 15, 2026, and a board member. CFO/COO Richard F. Westenberger will serve as interim CEO. John joins from Build-A-Bear, where she drove profitability, omnichannel growth and market expansion. Douglas C. Palladini departed; the company reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook.
2026 Quarterly Issue II
