Steve W. DeHaan, a long-time home furnishings industry executive, has been named president and CEO of the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA), the third-party logistics trade group said today.

DeHaan succeeds Joel D. Anderson, who has retired after leading IWLA for more than seven years. DeHaan officially took over on Nov. 4.

DeHaan has been CEO of the National Home Furnishings Association, a trade group based in High Point, N.C. He was with the group for 14 years. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as executive vice president and lobbyist at the Michigan Association of Home Builders.

In a statement, Paul Verst, IWLA's chairman and chair of its search committee, said DeHaan has strong trade association experience and a successful track record running other organizations. There was no mention in the statement of whether DeHaan has any logistics experience. DeHaan was traveling out of the country and unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said.

The choice of DeHaan ends a six-month search that began soon after Anderson, 65, said in March that he would retire within 12 months. The search culminated at last month's Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Annual Global Meeting in Denver where the three finalists were interviewed.

Anderson joined IWLA in April 2006 after 28 years at the California Trucking Association (CTA), the last 13 of those years was spent as executive vice president and CEO. In an e-mail, Anderson said he will remain with IWLA until Dec. 31 to assist with the transition.

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR ANDERSON
Anderson said his post-IWLA goals include aiding with job creation in urban communities plagued by high unemployment. He said the development of urban logistics clusters could boost employment. However, many city planners and government officials discourage such projects because they aren't environmentally friendly, he said.

Anderson said urban logistics centers would provide work to those who would otherwise lack the mobility to travel to a workplace. The most difficult task is convincing the urban planners that freight creates the jobs needed to bring employment back to the inner city, he said.

IWLA, based in Des Plaines, Ill., has more than 500 members, mostly third-party logistics providers (3PLs).