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Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry Creates the Ultimate Customer-Focused Team


ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — The newly transformed Whirlpool Corporation Commercial Laundry all-star team is serving up innovative solutions and services that aim to exceed the industry’s varied needs. Founded in the corporation’s relentless drive to provide an unmatched experience, the dynamic team was recently restructured to deliver unrivaled knowledge and expertise.

 

p150578_trey-northrup“Enhancing our team’s talent is one of the many steps we are taking to deliver on our long-term vision, which includes continuous improvement projects that drive our renewed commitment to operational excellence and standout customer experience,” says Trey Northrup, the commercial laundry team’s leader and general manager. “Steve Hietpas, Randy Karn, Nick Koukourakis and Rebecca Ross not only bring fresh out-of-the-box ideas to their new roles, they help us examine our efforts and the industry in a refreshing new light.”

 

Meet the Team
The World Traveler: Steve Hietpassteve-hietpas-2
An intercontinental expert and savvy leader, Steve Hietpas is the team’s new international sales manager. A nearly 20-year commercial laundry industry veteran, Hietpas has spent nearly two thirds of his career in the field working closely with key distributor contacts to intimately understand what it takes to win on a daily basis. This experience, along with his mantra of always working with a “team approach” makes him an ideal fit for this role and the perfect team member to unearth untapped opportunities abroad. Hietpas will have full profit and loss ownership and will own the long-range strategic plan for international business.

 

The Service Tactician: Randy Karn
Born to help deliver the corporation’s 360-degree customer experience, Randy Karn has transitioned to Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry globalp160515_randy-karn
service manager where he will coordinate internal and external initiatives and programs to support the company’s long-range plan. His Iowa State education, 35 years in the industry and positive attitude will serve him well in his new role, and Karn’s “voice of customer” work will provide a strong foundation. His strategic leadership will help guide the product development process.

 

The Multi-Load Guru: Nick Koukourakis
Building on his mechanical engineering degree, extensive technical background and more than 15 years of marketing and p160503_nick-koukourakissales experience,
Nick Koukourakis is the ideal person for the multi-load product management job. With a deep-rooted passion for everything he does, Koukourakis
will help bridge market gaps and engineer multi-load products that continue to exceed customer expectations, efficiency standards and industry
needs. He has helped his customers find a life-long home in the commercial laundry market and will continue to help drive innovations to improve the multi-load laundry experience.

 

The Brand Ambassador Enthusiast: Rebecca Ross
Strategic and resourceful with a desire to drive brand loyalty has landed Rebecca Ross in her latest role at Whirlpool Corporation—commercial
laundry brand manager. Driven by working closely with trade team members, Ross thrives in cross functional team settings. Since joining the p160519_becky-rosscorporation in 2002, she has held various roles with increasing responsibility in brand marketing, co-marketing and channel marketing. 

 

Supplementary to team enhancements, recent investments in product, research and development, testing and training will drive a robust, holistic 360-degree customer experience that will ultimately help in making Whirlpool Corporation Commercial Laundry the preferred industry partner.