Merit Group names new CFO

The Merit Group, a South Carolina-based wholesaler of paint sundry and drywall-related products, has named Jon Heard as its new chief financial officer.

Prior to joining The Merit Group, Heard was senior VP and CFO of Exopack Holding Corp., a $700 million manufacturer of paper and plastic packaging products. He has also served as VP business development at Sandbox.com. Heard started his career at KPMG and Deloitte and Touche.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., The Merit Group distributes its products through its Lancaster, Five Star, Merit Trade Source and Merit Pro trade names. The company, which operates nine distribution centers, serves more than 10,000 retail locations including national, regional and independent paint chains, home improvement centers, hardware stores, lumberyards and drywall yards in the United States, the Caribbean and Central and South America.