Strategic Marketing and Licensing Consulting Company to be Affiliated with French/West/Vaughan
Lexington, N.C. (January 29, 2007) – The board of directors of privately-held Dick Idol Ventures (DIV), LLC today announced that it has instituted a buy-back of the company’s stock from its minority shareholder and namesake Dick Idol, one of America's best-known authentic outdoorsmen and wildlife artists. As a result, the company has been re-branded Regan Williams Licensing Group, LLC (RWG) and will operate as the strategic licensing arm of powerhouse consumer public relations and marketing firm, French/West/Vaughan (FWV), which is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.
RWG provides expertise in extending brands into new product categories and distribution channels to create comprehensive lifestyle programs. With more than 100 licensing partnerships, RWG owned and managed brands account for over $100 million in annual sales through distribution in over 7,500 retail stores, catalogs and the Internet.
“Business has grown so far beyond the very successful Dick Idol product line that we felt the need to change the company name to better reflect our expanded lifestyle brand portfolio and exponential growth,” said RWG President Steve Regan. “We look forward to leveraging the expertise and client rosters of our partner firms to identify, secure and manage additional licensed properties that fulfill untapped lifestyle niches.”
“As an affiliate, we plan to aggressively market RWG and further drive its growth by facilitating introductions to companies with whom we do business,” said FWV President & CEO Rick French, an early stage investor in the former DIV and member of the RWG board of directors. “This partnership gives us the valuable opportunity to offer our clients a licensing development and consulting capability, and reinforces our commitment to remaining at the forefront of marketing innovation.”
Some of the existing RWG owned or managed brands include the very successful Dick Idol home collection and the popular World Vineyards furniture line – both distributed by furniture giant Klaussner, a tropical inspired home products line that sells under the Cabana Joe’s label, Wild Wings and its portfolio of more than 50 outdoor-oriented artists including Terry Redlin, and a soon to be introduced home line from ‘Trading Spaces’ star Genevieve Gorder.
About Regan Williams Licensing Group, LLC
Regan Williams Licensing Group, LLC (RWG) is a strategic marketing and licensing consulting company providing expertise in extending brands into new product categories and distribution channels to create comprehensive lifestyle programs. RWG has a proven track record of success building brands through a variety of licensing initiatives in the home and apparel categories. With more than 100 licensing partnerships, RWG owned and managed brands account for over $100 million in annual sales through distribution in over 7,500 retail stores, catalogs and the Internet. For more information about RWG, please visit www.rwglicensing.com.
