Bentley Mills announced several changes at the top of its organization. Ralph Grogan is leaving his post as president, returning permanently to the east coast for personal reasons. Jim Harley, a seasoned industry executive who rejoined Bentley nearly five years ago as COO, will take the helm as president. Richard French, a proven leader in commercial carpet sales, will move into the newly-created role as vice president of sales.

“Bentley is the strong, resilient, competitive company it is today because of Ralph and Jim’s joint leadership,” said Tom Debusschere, CEO of Balta Group. “We are thankful for his vision, strategy and commitment to our brands. Jim is the perfect person to continue the momentum and lead Bentley into its next chapter.”

Harley has earned a distinguished reputation in the floorcovering industry. He started his career with Bentley more than 30 years ago, as part of the management team that built the company from a small start-up carpet manufacturer in 1980 into the brand it is today. He returned to Bentley in 2013 after spending eight years in executive roles at Tandus (now Tarkett), Monterey Carpets, and Chroma Systems.

“I’ve spent 20 years of my career at Bentley and have never been more excited about the future,” said Harley. “We have an extraordinary group of people and I look forward to working with them as Bentley continues to grow.”

To further bolster Bentley’s growth trajectory and meet the demands of a dynamic market, the company has created a new position to oversee its sales strategy. Richard French takes on the role, following more than 21 years at Interface where most recently he served as its vice president of sales for the Americas. French brings strong experience in exporting to Latin America and developing national accounts across North America.

“The decision to leave Bentley is bitter-sweet, but personally, it’s the right move for me and my family,” said Grogan. “Jim has played a critical role in Bentley’s success over the last four-plus years. There’s no one better for the job.”

For more information, visit www.bentleymills.com.