Gary Benecke has joined Plasticolors Inc. as Territory Sales manager Southwest, with responsibility for management of the company's sales and distribution to the coatings, caulk, sealant, and other markets in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Elementis Specialties has named Florence Boulenger Southern European Sales manager for Specialty Markets, with responsibility for sales in a territory that includes France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries. Elementis Specialties also named Katherine A. Nicastro Export/Distribution manager.

Benjamin Moore & Co. has named Dan Claybaugh director of Marketing, with responsibility for product and regional marketing activities and revisions and additions to the company's product portfolio. Claybaugh was formerly the company's Group Product manager, and joined Benjamin Moore in 1982 as a sales representative.

Linda Collins has joined Dunleary Inc. as Area manager for Georgia, eastern Tennessee and South Carolina. Dunleary, based in Baltimore, is a specialty chemical distribution company operating in the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern states.

NeoResins has named Larry Evans Commercial director for Coatings Americas, with responsibility for sales, marketing and application groups in North America and Latin America.

Martin Feldman, who has held management, research and marketing positions with several major suppliers of coatings raw materials, has joined S.P. Morell and Co., a distribution company based in Armonk, NY.

BASF Corp. has named Tim Fitzpatrick director of Media Relations. He joins the company from CDI Corp., where he was vice president of Corporate Communications. BASF Corp., based in Mount Olive, NJ, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG of Germany.

Dave Hendrickson has joined Watson Coatings Inc. as a sales representative, with responsibility for sales in the eastern United States.

Reichhold named Gary Krall president and CEO and announced the retirement of current Chairman and CEO Yoshi Kawashima, effective March 1. Krall is currently Reichhold's president and COO, and was formerly senior vice president of North America. He joined the company in 1998. The company said Krall will focus heavily on the strengthening of Reichhold's global position in the composites and coatings and performance resins businesses. Kawashima will serve as adviser to Reichhold's Board of Directors through June, and will remain chairman and CEO of DIC Imaging Products and senior vice president of DIC International. Reichhold is a unit of Dainippon Ink and Chemicals of Japan and is a manufacturer of adhesives and resins for the coatings, adhesives, and other markets.

Rudi E. Moerck has joined Altair International Inc., a supplier of non-organic nanomaterials, in the newly created position of vice president, Business Development. He will direct the development of a sales and marketing program, the company said. Altair Technologies is a producer of nanocrystalline materials and is reported to be developing products with potential applications in various markets, including coatings.

Ferro Corp. has promoted Millicent W. Pitts to vice president, Industrial Coatings and named Dale Kramer vice president, Performance Chemicals and a corporate officer. Pitts is responsible for Ferro's Industrial Coatings business unit, which includes the Porcelain Enamel Coatings and Powder Coatings businesses. She retains responsibility for Global IT, European regional oversight of Ferro businesses and her role as a corporate officer. Kramer is responsible for the Performance Chemicals segment, which includes the Polymer Additives, Performance and Fine Chemicals, and Plastics business units.

David Saul has joined Corob North America Inc., a supplier of automatic paint dispensers and mixer-shakers, as director of Sales. Saul was formerly director of Business Development, brands, with BOLT, a brand-strategy and design firm.

Ribelin Sales Inc., Dallas, has promoted Steve Stephens to executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. Stephens has been with the company for 28 years, and has held the positions of Product Sales manager, director of Marketing and vice president of Technical & Marketing. Ribelin Sales also has promoted Jordan Muller to vice president of Sales. Greg Owen has joined the company as Technical Sales representative, with responsibility for sales in northeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, western Tennessee, and parts of Mississippi. Ribelin Sales is a distributor of raw materials for coatings and other industries to a number of states in the southwestern, western and southern United States.

Premier Mill has named Steve Thompson general manager and promoted Carl Yerger to National Sales manager.

David Wacker has been named president of Raabe Corp., succeeding Kent and Darryl Raabe in directing day-to-day operations of the Menomonee Falls, WI-based company. Kent Raabe was named chairman and Darryl Raabe was appointed vice chairman of the company.

Pete Zillitto has joined Superior Materials Inc., a distributor based in Garden City, NY, as Technical Sales representative for New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.