Liphatech Establishes Pest Control Division; Ray Finke to Lead New Division

Ray Finke

MILWAUKEE — Liphatech announced it has undergone organizational restructuring, resulting in the formation of a Pest Control Division. A number of personnel changes coincide with the new organizational structure.

Ray Finke, formerly director of sales, has been named business director, Pest Management Products. Finke is responsible for all sales and marketing initiatives for U.S.- and Canadian-branded pest control products including Generation®, BlueMax, Maki®, Rozol® Tracking Powder Rodenticides and Aegis® Bait Stations.

Al Smith, director of marketing for pest management products before the formation of the new organizational structure, was appointed to the new position of business director, Agricultural Division.

Ray White

As part of the restructuring, Midwest District Sales Manager Ray White has been promoted to national sales manager, reporting directly to Finke. In addition to his new responsibilities, White will continue to manage sales in the Midwest territory.

“Our approach to business is to meet or exceed customers’ expectations, and these changes allow us to better focus on that overriding mission,” said Liphatech CEO Carl Tanner. “We’re excited about the impact it will have on our ability to consistently supply quality products and services that help our distributors and end-use customers succeed.” Tanner added that the personnel changes help the company better align with its corporate goals.

“The people we’ve shifted to new positions are all experienced professionals with a proven track record of success at Liphatech,” Tanner said. “We feel incredibly fortunate to have them assume new leadership roles. At the end of the day, these changes signify our continued commitment to the marketplace. The news is truly a win-win for Liphatech and our customers.”

District sales managers reporting to White include Larry King, Western district; Doug Mills, Southern district; and John Murphy, Northeast district. Canadian District Sales Manager Stuart Charbonneau will continue to report to Finke.

Finke joined Liphatech in 2003. Prior to joining the company, he served as strategic account manager for the Forestry Products Division of BASF. Previously, he worked for 18 years at American Cyanamid, a manufacturer of crop protection chemicals, where he held several marketing and sales management positions.

White also joined the company in 2003. Before doing so, he was area sales manager for Kansas City, Mo.-based Rhodes Chemical Company, Inc., a major supplier of products and services to the pest control industry. Prior to that, he served in a variety of sales roles for Austin Nichols, a beverage distributor based in New York, N.Y.