A Discussion With C.R. Gibson President Don French
Kathy Krassner -- Gifts and Dec, 7/6/2010 12:47:23 PM
As C.R. Gibson celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2010, Don French, president of C.R. Gibson talks about leading this Nashville, TN-based gift and stationery company and his goals for its future.
Don French, president
of C.R. Gibson
Gifts & Decorative Accessories: C.R. Gibson is celebrating its 140th anniversary in business ... congratulations! You've been president of the company for the past two-and-a-half years. What brought you to C.R. Gibson, and why did you want to take over the helm of this well-respected stationery/gift company?
Don French: Joining the C.R. Gibson team as president when the company was acquired in 2007 by CSS Industries, Inc. was a great opportunity for me. I've been in the industry for more than 30 years — including a number of years at Gibson Greetings, which was started by the Gibson family in the 1850s — and I was very familiar with the brand heritage of C.R. Gibson. I remember being at the Greeting Card Association's LOUIE Awards in 1992 when C.R. Gibson won the "Card of the Year." The card was designed by Dena Fishbein, who still works with us through her studio today.
G&DA: What new directions have you taken the company since becoming C.R. Gibson's president?
DF: When you look at the history of C.R. Gibson, it is apparent that the company, like all successful companies, has evolved over time by building on strengths and reflecting the needs of the marketplace. In addition to creating great product with the Nashville-based creative staff, we have actively developed relationships with premier designers and studios around the country. I am proud we are working closely with industry greats such as Anna Griffin, Jim Shore, Cathy Heck, and Meredithe Stuart-Smith of Meri Meri, as well as lifestyle-diva Lolita, plus the many other distinctive artists that contribute to our mix of programs.
The last two years have seen C.R. Gibson expand beyond our core paper and memory products into lifestyle programs focused on home entertaining, kitchen and gardening. Soon after the CSS acquisition, C.R. Gibson acquired iota, a company founded by Kelly Alford and located in Basalt, CO. Iota's creative studio continues in Basalt, and the "iota" brand has been instrumental in expanding the breadth of the C.R. Gibson product offering with Kelly's truly unique design direction.
Infant product has always been one of C.R. Gibson's core strengths, and we work with premier brands such as Carter's and Disney to develop a complete range of infant memory and gift products. C.R. Gibson offers one of the largest and broadest range of baby books in the industry, and we continue to build on this strength.
We have also developed and strengthened our relationship with the OneCoast sales organization. OneCoast provides us with very professional national sales representation in the gift and specialty channel, and they are experts in understanding our product and programs.
The C.R. Gibson mass-market brand, "Markings," has become a market leader in journaling, and we are managing plan-o-grams for a number of major retailers. In particular, we have worked closely with the office superstores to build journal and note-taking departments. Markings has also rolled out a new back-to-school program and established a number of stationery and gift departments. Our craft and scrapbooking brand, "Tapestry," has unique products for consumers to create fun and meaningful memory products.
G&DA: What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment as president of C.R. Gibson?
DF: I was very fortunate to be asked to lead a company with a terrific team in place, a team that I have seen grow creatively and professionally. My industry experience has blended well with the strengths of C.R. Gibson, and I like to think my leadership has motivated a great team to do great things. While we are well known for our product innovation, C.R. Gibson has a fabulous team of experts that knows all aspects of quality, purchasing and distribution and that makes sure we get quality product to the store on time. We've also been able to leverage the depth of the CSS organization to expand our investment in product sourcing, testing and operational logistics.
G&DA: What would you say has been your biggest challenge at C.R. Gibson?
DF: Like all companies that rely on consumer discretionary spending, second-guessing the economy has forced us to work smarter. We have had to shorten lead times to be closer to the consumer and manage inventory to be responsive and nimble as new market opportunities emerge. We have also had the courage to expand, not contract, the development of new product and to invest in technology with a new B2B website.
G&DA: What goals do you have for C.R. Gibson in the near — and far — future?
DF: Leading a company that has been prosperous for 140 years does cause you to reflect on continuing the legacy of the company and the brand. We must continue to develop our people, ensure strong ties to the creative and retail community, seek out the right companies for acquisitions that can benefit from our size and market strength, and increase our ability to expand our retail reach. We will continue to partner with premier licenses and studios. Above all, we will continue to give consumers the unique and special products they are looking for.
G&DA: Is there anything else that you'd like to add?
DF: There is nothing like firsthand observations from the strong, independent retailers we service. They are great merchants who know their consumer and their competition. I would love to hear what they think C.R. Gibson or the industry can do better. Please give me a call 615.724.2800, send an e-mail to me at donald.french@crgibson.com, or stop by our offices in Nashville.
Kathy Krassner, owner of Krassner Communications in Ringoes, NJ, is an experienced industry professional who has been an editor on various trade magazines covering the stationery and gift industries. She has also served on the Advisory Board of the National Stationery Show.
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