Larry B. Lane - President

Mr. Lane was born and raised in Long Island, New York. As part of his High School experience, he won public speaking and numerous other county, state and national awards with the Distributive Education Clubs of America. During his graduating year, he most notably won New York State Outstanding Student of the year and then later became the chapters Alumni President.

Working his way through school as a territory salesman for Nestler Enterprises, Inc. a manufacturers representative company, he Graduated Nassau Community College majoring in Marketing and subsequently attending Bernard Baurach College majoring in Management. In 1985 Mr. Lane became the National Sales Manager for Stanton Carpet Corporation an importer of wool carpets at the age of 23. Mr. Lane took the company national and created a sales organization of 38 sales agents in the United States and Canada, brought the company from three products to over forty, along with three acquisitions (New Eastern, Contract Distributors (CDA) and Mira-X).

In 1992 he became a partner and Executive Vice President of The Rug Hold Company. They were the first company to bring non-skid rug under lament to the United States. Mr. Lane was brought in for a corporate turn-around. After preventing the company from being closed, and making them profitable after just three consecutive quarters he later sold his interest in Rug Hold to start his own Management Consulting Company, Lane Enterprises, Inc. in 1994.

At Lane Enterprises, which was based in Hauppauge, Long Island, Mr. Lane consulted to such companies as Weight Watchers International, Coldwell Banker, AT&T, and ABC Carpet & Home. Mr. Lane sold Lane Enterprises in 1997 to the Ross Consulting Group based out of New Jersey. Mr. Lane went on to another turn around hired to turn around the ailing New York Region of Collins & Aikman Floor Coverings, Inc handling Pennsylvania/Delaware to upstate New York, with an office and showroom based in New York City.

In August of 2002 Mr. Lane opened Lane Sales, Inc. an exclusive manufacturers representative company of quality floor covering products. Lane Sales has taken over all the importers and manufactures that Nestler Enterprises, Inc. previously handled and represents lines through out the Tri-State New York, Connecticut and New Jersey area with 5 Territory Managers plus sales support staff.  Lane Sales handles residential, commercial and hospitality broadloom and area rug products both running line items and custom in addition to Cork and Bamboo flooring.

Mr. Lane is also the President of the Cherry Grove Fire Island Property Owners Association and has been appointed as a Board member to the Leadership Council of the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island and New York City.  Additionally, he is a Federal club member to the Human Rights Campaign.  Charitably he continues to remain active in the American Diabetic Association and the Fight For Sight Foundation.

Mark S. Levy - Executive Vice President

Mark Levy is a partner in Lane Sales, Inc and resides as its Executive Vice President. Mark is responsible for covering the Long Island and Staten Island, New York territory.

Living on Long Island, N.Y. for over 38 years, getting around town is no problem for him. Mark comes from a line of entrepreneurs and brings a great deal to Lane Sales. He holds a B.S. from Albany State University in computer financial systems, and a M.B.A. from New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).  He also taught classes at SUNY Farmingdale.

For over 6 years Mark has been calling on our L.I. and Staten Island clientele, developing key relationships with many of the large and small carpet, rug and flooring dealers.  Mark has become a trusted advisor and dealers call him on a regular basis for product knowledge,  and education in the latest trends as well as advice on which products work best for particular applications. With a background in teaching, Mark also plays a vital role in educating salespeople in our products.  Mark feels that educating salespeople and owners in each of the carpet stores is key in getting them to promote and make money with our products.  Mark has quickly become a favorite rep and friend among dealers and a valuable asset to Lane Sales.

Mark is a member of the National Business Honor Society, Delta Mu Delta and is a current member of the Leadership Forum for Sales & Marketing (ExecuLeaders) and a Federal Club member of the Human Rights Campaign. He also has a life-time membership at the Sandler Institute of Sales. Lastly, Mark is a member of the Long Island Floor Covering Association.

Ken Benson - Territory Manager - Lower New York State & Southern Connecticut

Born and raised in Kings Point, Long Island, New York. Ken graduated college in 1987 from the American International College, Magnum Cum Laude. In college, Ken held many positions in several organizations such as President of Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Vice President of the American Marketing Association, and Treasurer of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.

Ken began in the flooring business as the carpet Department Manager for OK Furniture and Carpet. It was here that Ken learned the carpet and vinyl business. Poised for success, Ken quickly moved on to manage Kings Plaza Carpet Center, a two store operation in Brooklyn, NY. Having gained good experience in retail, Ken then went on to become a District Manager for Salem Carpet Mills. At Salem, Ken was the number one salesperson in growth and sales for the North East Region and was in the top 10 every month nationally out of 215 salespeople.

In May of 1992, Ken started Carpet Kingdom, Inc., a full service contract and retail floor covering company in Brooklyn, NY. Carpet Kingdom was an America's Carpet Gallery dealer and then later became a Flooring America store. As an America's Carpet Gallery member, elected by his peers Ken served on their advisory counsel for two terms.

After over 14 years, Ken decided to leave the retail flooring market and join up with Lane Sales. Ken is responsible for managing the territories of Southern Connecticut, Lower New York State and Queens, NY.

To this day, Ken is also an avid sportsman and enjoys archery, rollerblading, cycling, canoeing, hiking, climbing, repelling and more. Ken also has a history of donating time to several charities like MS and the American Cancer Society.

Linda Montero - Office Manager

Linda Montero was born and raised in Queens, New York later to move to Long Island, New York. Linda worked in Manhattan for the New York Telephone Co./NYNEX/Verizon for 24 years. She first held the position of Customer Service Representative and then moved up to Supervisor in the Business Office for 16 years. Linda then took a position as Staff Manager in the Language Standards department for the next 8 years. Linda’s responsibilities as a Technical Writer were the creation of methods and procedures for the introduction and updates to new and established telecommunication products and services. She chaired meetings and gave presentations to other department heads to coordinate these activities. Linda gave numerous training sessions on in house procedures and new products/services being introduced.

After leaving Verizon Linda became the Personal/Financial Manager to a top Christian recording artist and author. Her responsibilities included running two corporate offices on Long Island and in Nashville TN, overseeing production, travel, product supply and inventory.

We were lucky enough to have Linda join Lane Sales in 2003 as Office Manager. She is based in Lane Sales corporate offices on Long Island and oversees customer service, administrative support, database management and bookkeeping activities.

Stanley D. Newman - A&D Commercial Rep. Specialist

Stanley graduated with a Bachelor Degree from SUNY Fredonia and followed a corporate path; working for companies like Xerox and Eastman Kodak, Co.  Later he reinvented himself attending and graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York City, one of the country\'s leading premier design schools.  

Stanley then worked in the architect and design (A&D) community with his last position at Cannon Design, a major NYC design firm that does prominent work all over the world. He is LEED educated, has a fantastic personality, is very organized, computer savvy, lives in New York City and has great A&D community relationships.

Stanley covers all A&D Firms and Commercial Flooring Contractors in Manhattan.  He comes from a family of salespeople and loves that he has been able to package his corporate and design background into selling exclusive floor covering products in the commercial A&D market for Lane Sales.  

 

 

Robert D. Friedman - Territory Manager - New Jersey

Bob graduating Queens Borough College.  He has over 12 years of textile industry experience selling fabrics for men\'s and ladies apparel, 12 years selling screen printing for apparel cut parts and t-shirts and over 10 years experience in the Floor Covering Industry.  In floor covering Bob first worked for Mohawk Industries as a Territory Manager.  For the 8 years prior to joining Lane Sales Bob was working for Beaulieu of America first as a Territory Manager and then as a National Accounts Executive Specialist.

Bob also has a strong interest in the outdoors and in his spare time enjoys hiking, mountain biking, weight lifting, camping and running.  Bob also donates time volunteering for various local non-for-profits.