SIMON PEARCE ANNOUNCES NEW CEO
Current Chief Operating Officer Jay Benson promoted to Chief Executive Officer
Windsor, VT, March 14, 2018 - Simon Pearce announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously, promoted Jay Benson as Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. Benson will assume the CEO role after serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO) since May 2017. Founder Simon Pearce had been acting CEO since August 2016. Simon will continue to remain actively involved as the Founder of this company.
In a personal email shared with employees yesterday, founder Simon Pearce stated “An enormous part of the progress we're experiencing is thanks to Jay Benson’s leadership...it’s been the most successful year in the history of the company, 47 years to be exact. I hope you will join me in congratulating Jay on this very exciting news.” On behalf of his wife Pia and the entire family, Pearce expressed his confidence in Benson as the incoming CEO stating “we firmly believe this is the most important way we can ensure the future success of the company.”
“It is a privilege to work for such an iconic Vermont company,” said Benson on Tuesday. “It’s a gift to work with Simon, our talented Senior Leadership Team and so many great employees. Our people create the culture and the environment to innovate and to succeed. I feel so fortunate to be working for a company that makes a world class product here in Vermont. I am confident that our company will continue to showcase handcrafted excellence in our products and restaurant, giving our customers a truly great experience.”
Benson joined Simon Pearce in February 2016 and became a full time Chief Financial Officer in July 2016. Before joining Simon Pearce Inc, Benson was SVP and CFO of Swiftpage, a CRM company in Denver, Colorado. Benson has lived in the Upper Valley for over 25 years, spending a significant portion of his career at Geographic Data Technology, Tele Atlas and Tom Tom in Lebanon, NH.
Benson holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH as well as a bachelor’s degree in geography from Dartmouth College. Benson is active in many not-for-profits including the Montshire Museum, LoveYourBrain, Crossroads Academy, and the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine.
About Simon Pearce
Headquartered in Windsor, Vermont, Simon Pearce US Inc is the premier maker of handblown glass in the United States. Also well known for their handthrown pottery, Simon Pearce owns and operates nine retail locations including their Flagship in Quechee, Vermont, home to their highly regarded farm-to-table restaurant, glassblowing studio and retail store. Windsor, Vermont is home to glassblowing and pottery workshops and a factory store. The Oakland, Maryland location is Simon Peace’s third US manufacturing workshop and factory store. Additional company owned retail stores are located in Hanover, New Hampshire; Burlington, Vermont; Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Westport, Connecticut; Greenwich, Connecticut. Simon Pearce partners with 500+ wholesale retailers nationwide and provides corporate gifting to hundreds of partners.