Convaid’s Chris Braun Named Etac North America President

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Mar 08, 2016

Chris Braun, president of Torrance, Calif.-based Convaid, has been named North American president of the Etac Group.

In a news announcement, Etac said Braun’s role with the company had expanded, and that he would “provide leadership for all of Etac’s brands in North America, including R82, Etac, Molift, Immedia and Convaid.”

Etac acquired Convaid in December. Convaid’s lineup of lightweight, folding, stroller-style wheelchairs for children and adults was seen as a fitting complement to Etac’s complex rehab offerings, which include pediatric and adult wheelchairs for clients with complex positioning and mobility needs, seating systems, patient handling products, transfer products, and bathing/toileting equipment.

The news announcement added that Braun had formed a new sales team and appointed three sales managers to lead it.

Under the new management structure, Derek Fletcher and Charles Larose will manage Etac North America’s pediatric segment, which is composed of Convaid and R82. Fletcher, who was formerly the East Coast sales manager for R82, will oversee Eastern United States sales, while Larose, formerly Convaid’s business development manager for North America, will oversee pediatric sales in the Western United States and Canada.

Scott Crosswhite, formerly R82’s VP, has been named the new manager of Etac North America’s adult technology segment, which includes Etac, Molift and Immedia, a line of transfer products.

On the marketing end, Nanneke Dinklo, who had been Convaid’s director of global marketing and business development, will assume “an expanded role in marketing leadership and channel strategy of all Etac brands in North America,” the news release said.

“I am very fortunate to have been able to assemble such an exemplary sales and leadership team, drawing on human resources from each organization,” Braun said. “I am confident that this new structure will bring value to our combined customers and end users.”