A.R.E. names new executive director

Hollywood, Fla. -- A.R.E. (Association for Retail Environments) has appointed Todd Dittman executive director, succeeding Klein Merriman, who will retire in August. In this role, Dittman, a marketing and finance executive with more than 20 years of experience, will lead A.R.E. and manage Pave, the industry educational foundation, and the Retail Design Institute, working with each organization’s volunteer officers and boards of directors. The appointment is effective Aug. 1.



Dittman’s experience with industry-leading companies and not-for-profits most recently includes working for Dairy Management Inc. (Dairy Products Promotion) as VP marketing and analysis. Dittman played a key role in the organization’s transformation from generic advertising (Got Milk) to product development through industry partnerships.