South Carolina-based material handling equipment manufacturer KION North America has restructured its regional sales and key account sales teams.

Ben Lee has been named director of key accounts. Lee has spent the past year in a similar role as sales development manager. He will continue to manage large corporate accounts and assumes responsibility for managing the key account managers and their daily activities. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Oxford Brookes University Business School.

The sales department will also be adding 7-10 metro market sales representatives to key ITA markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and others. These positions are created in order to enable KION NA to take advantage of the significant sales growth opportunities presented in these key metro areas. As a result of this strategy, Rick Cates and Rick Schiel have been promoted to senior regional sales managers. In their new roles, they will not only continue to manage their regions, but will also manage the metro market sales team. They have a combined 65 years of experience in the material handling industry.

Bob Fernandez will transition from his current role as regional sales manager for Mexico to a key account sales manager. In this role, he will help grow the key account business. Fernandez recently celebrated his 50-year work anniversary with the company.

Jose Nunez will transfer from his current role as regional sales manager for South Central U.S. to regional sales manager for Mexico, replacing Bob Fernandez. His focus will be growing the dealer network and helping dealers support key account efforts in Mexico. This year, Nunez will celebrate his 10-year work anniversary with the company.

Hayden Smith was promoted to the position of key account sales. His previous roles within the company include sales trainee and Baoli sales assistant. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of Charleston.