Atlanta area-based Surya has appointed Andrew J. Kearton as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Most recently, Kearton served as VP/Distribution for flooring company Mohawk Industries, where he oversaw the North American distribution operations and was responsible for delivering key optimizations, improved logistics, and expansion of the company’s strategic footprint.
In his role with Surya, Kearton will be responsible for leading the operations, human resources, technology, and customer care functions and will report to Satya Tiwari, Surya’s President. As a member of the leadership team, Kearton will also help to set the firm’s long-term vision and direction.
“Andrew is a seasoned leader who has a consistent track record of delivering business results. He is uniquely qualified to drive the strategic prioritization and accountability within Surya, with a laser-focus on operational excellence and expansion opportunities,” notes Satya Tiwari. “We are pleased to have him join the team and I have tremendous confidence in his ability to help us continue to expand and innovate to meet every customer need.”
Kearton has 30+ years of experience in management and leadership within the operations and floor covering industry. Prior to his tenure at Mohawk Industries, he was Senior VP/Operations for IVC, a state-of-the-art start-up production facility serving the vinyl flooring industry. Before IVC, Kearton spent 25 years with the Pirelli Tire Group in Europe and North America.
“Surya’s customer-centric mindset is one of the many reasons I am excited to join the team and I am incredibly energized to help propel Surya to its next phase of growth,” Kearton says. “The company has built an incredibly solid foundation of operational discipline, which I am excited to see rapidly advance in the coming years.”
Kearton will be based at company headquarters in White, Georgia and will be joining the team at the High Point Home Furnishings Market to get a first-hand view of one of the company’s key strategic areas of focus.
