xpedx Announces Four Additions to Senior Lead Team

James Connelly has been named chief operating officer, xpedx, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team. Connelly also is a vice president and company officer of International Paper. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

Connelly began his career with xpedx in October 1999 as vice president, sales and group vice president. In his nearly 12 years with xpedx, Connelly has held a number of leadership positions, including his most recent role as executive vice president, East Region, xpedx. His new role of COO consolidates the two former positions of executive vice president in the East and West Regions for xpedx. Connelly also has served as executive vice president, North Central Region, and senior vice president, Northeast, for xpedx. He was named vice president and company officer of International Paper in January 2006.

Prior to joining xpedx, Connelly served in various marketing, sales and management capacities at Unisource, including printing papers marketing management, vice president/division manager and vice president, distribution, resulting in more than 30 years of experience in the distribution industry.

"Jim has shown excellent leadership in xpedx's east region operations for the last two and a half years," said Mary Laschinger, president, xpedx. "In this new leadership position of greater responsibility, I'm sure that he will help us to leverage our strengths to maintain and grow our marketplace share in our print, packaging and facility solutions segments."

Dan Watkoske has been named executive vice president, sales, xpedx, and is a member of the xpedx senior lead team.

Watkoske joined International Paper in 1989 as a sales trainee for Nationwide Papers, which became a part of the xpedx business. With xpedx, he has held various roles in sales, commission sales and management, including vice president, national accounts. Most recently, for the past few years, Watkoske was group vice president, Metro New York, for xpedx.