WICHITA, Kan. – Universal Lubricants, manufacturer and distributor of the Eco Ultra line of high-performance lubricants, has announced the appointment of two sales leaders to service the company’s rapidly expanding network of national accounts.
Mike Melaragno was named Universal Lubricants’ director of national accounts, East, and Cathy Smith will serve as director of national accounts, West. Together, they will be responsible for providing customer support, sales planning and sales management for the company’s full line of automotive and industrial lubricants in the U.S. and Canada.
"These new national accounts positions signal an important expansion in focus for Universal Lubricants," said Rick Palmore, the company’s vice president of sales. "We have been building our national network of wholesale distributors, installers and fleets throughout North America for the past several years and witnessed the growing demand for our high-performance, sustainable products.
"Our Closed Loop Process, in which we collect used oil, re-refine, blend and redistribute our own motor and engine oils in an infinitely repeatable cycle, puts us at the forefront of the sustainability movement. Mike and Cathy will be national ambassadors for that process, educating and guiding organizations to help them take simple, clear steps to satisfy both government-mandated guidelines and corporate goals toward social responsibility and environmental impact," Palmore added.
According to Universal Lubricants’ research, the re-refined base stocks market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 23 percent over the next five years. Melaragno’s and Smith’s chief responsibility will be to capture a larger part of that market for Universal Lubricants products and services. Together, they will oversee both business-to-business and business-to-consumer accounts serving fleets, installers, wholesale distributors and OEMs with locations across North America. In addition to selling, they will maintain, develop and train Universal Lubricants’ national customers.
A successful executive and veteran of industrial, fleet and heavy-duty lubricant sales, Melaragno is based in St. Louis, Mo., and will be responsible for developing new business from the East Coast to the Midwest. Smith brings a broad range of experience to her new post including automotive, heavy-duty, mining, construction and fleet sales. Based in the Denver, Colo., area, she will be responsible for developing and serving customers primarily from the Midwest to the West Coast.
