Robinson Home Products Appoints Ross Patterson President

Robinson Home Products ushers in a new era for the company with the promotion of Ross Patterson to President. His successful six-plus year tenure as business director – tabletop at Robinson laid the groundwork for this appointment, with the company enjoying a 40 percent growth in the tabletop category over the past six years. Patterson has already begun supervising Robinson’s day-to-day operation and collaborating closely with the company’s board of directors to implement key development strategies.

In this new role, Patterson will oversee the health and growth of Robinson’s core business areas, with key directors reporting into him. Over the past five years, Robinson has evolved dramatically, expanding both owned and licensed brands through innovation in tabletop, tools and gadgets, cutlery, cookware, and bakeware. Patterson will guide the strategic evolution of these critical business areas, fueling Robinson’s overall company growth as part of its multi-year business plan. Robinson holds the license for Oneida® consumer product categories in the USA, which enjoys an industry-leading position in tabletop, and strong ascending market share across the board in housewares and kitchen products.

Former President and CEO Jim Walsh will retain the role of CEO and remain intimately involved in the strategic direction of the company. Says Walsh, “We consider ourselves fortunate that in 2009, when we acquired the license for Oneida Tabletop, we also ‘acquired’ Ross as part of the deal. His strategic, visionary thinking and sound judgment have been a driving force behind the exponential growth in Oneida Tabletop, and we’re delighted to expand his talents into other areas of Robinson’s business.”

Prior to joining Robinson in 2009, Patterson enjoyed a decade-plus tenure at Waterford Wedgwood USA before landing at Oneida Ltd, first as senior marketing manager and later as director of marketing. The rich blend of product development, licensing, and marketing expertise he acquired throughout his career will serve him well as he shepherds Robinson into its accelerated business plan.

Says Patterson, “It’s an exciting time to be stepping into this role, with the opportunity to harness all the innovation and category growth that Robinson has fostered in recent years.  As we continue to evolve into a complete resource for kitchen and dining, we’ll bring even greater value to our retail partners who seek to connect with today’s discerning customers.”

Founded in 1921 as Robinson Knife Co., Robinson evolved from a manufacturer of cutlery, kitchen tools, scissors, and fine edged industrial components into an innovative developer and marketer of branded housewares products. Robinson Home Products is an employee-owned company with headquarters in Buffalo, New York.