Porcelain stone and tile maker Crossville, Inc. said it has promoted John E. Smith to president and general manager. Smith, who for the past 11 years has been the company's vp of manufacturing, will succeed president and CEO Svend Hovmand on April 1.

A veteran of the flooring industry who has been involved in manufacturing, quality assurance and operations, Smith most recently worked to expand Crossville's product offering to include Accent Innovations metal and glass tile, and Design Solutions wall tile. He also worked closely with Hovmand to increase production of the company's large-unit porcelain stone tile as well as to build new manufacturing facilities-including a 300,000 sq. ft. plant and distribution center in 2001.

After stepping down from his current post, Hovmand, who has served as president since 1989, will remain as chairman of Crossville. He also plans to work on industry education programs at Crossville's Porcelain Stone Institute and serve as Crossville's liaison to industry organization. He will continue as president of the Tile Council of North America, Inc. (TCA).

A statement from Crossville's owners, the Curran Group of Crystal Lake, Ill, noted that they had conducted a national search for a new leader before settling on Smith. They said that his understanding of the company was a major part in his selection. "We feel strongly that the ‘Crossville culture' is one of our most important assets and a big key to our success over the years. It was critical that we get the right fit from a candidate to continue the consistent message of our core values of family, partnership, integrity, respect and improvement."

Commenting on his appointment, Smith said: "With the guidance of the Curran family and with Svend's leadership, we have built an enthusiastic and dedicated team that is focused on our customers. We will continue to work with passion and determination to improve the products and services we provide and build on our nearly two decades of success."