Power Equipment Direct fills new president’s position to handle growth

To help manage growth while exploring the launch of new retail web sites, Power Equipment Direct Inc., an online-only retailer of power generators and related products, has named industry veteran Anthony Weir to the new position of president and chief operating officer, founder and CEO Jon Hoch says.

Weir joins Romeoville, IL-based Power Equipment Direct from Coleman Powermate Inc., where he led the marketing and product development division. Coleman Powermate, Aurora, IL, manufactures power generators and related equipment and also sells them online at BuyPowermate.com.

Power Equipment currently sells through three web sites- AirCompressorsDirect.com, PressureWashersDirect.com and ElectricGeneratorsDirect.com-for which Weir will now handle day-to-day operations, Hoch says. The company did about $15 million in 2006 sales, up from $9.5 million in 2005, he adds.

With Weir managing the existing web sites, Hoch will spend more time working to launch additional niche web sites, focusing on such products as snowblowers, Hoch says.