Continued Growth Opportunities Result in New Leadership Roles within Premier Needle Arts Direct-to-Consumer Division

Premier Needle Arts today announced the appointment of two industry leaders who will fill executive roles within the company’s direct-to-consumer division. Ursula Morgan, a recognizable, award-winning technology and business executive, accepted the position as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the Crafts Group and will provide vision and leadership to a team that is transforming the craft industry through technology innovation across e-commerce, product design, and marketing. Additionally, Lynn Blevens was newly appointed Brand Director, where she will lead a team at Superior Threads in the progression of this beloved brand that is well-known among quilters and sewists.

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Premier Needle Arts Chief Marketing Officer of the Crafts Group, Ursula Morgan. (Photo: Business Wire)

Before joining Crafts Group, Ursula led the digital innovation team at CSS Industries, supporting $500M in annual sales by developing best in class UX/UI design gleaned from customer insight. In this role, she launched the award-winning, direct-to-consumer subscription box product Confetti Collection. Under Ursula’s stewardship in a previous role as CEO at Creativebug, revenue grew by 533 percent in her first 12 months of leadership, followed by a revenue increase of 75 percent and 60 percent in the following years. In April of 2017, Ursula led the successful acquisition of Creativebug by industry giant JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores, a $2.5 billion retailer.

“I am excited to join Crafts Group to continue my commitment to growing and transforming the craft industry with the exciting mash-up of handmade with hi-tech,” said Ursula Morgan, CMO, Crafts Group. “Staying at the forefront of technology and user-experience in this category is paramount to the future of the industry. I’m passionate about being part of the advancement of this organization.”

Before being named Brand Director of Superior Threads, Lynn Blevens was a successful Northwest Territory Sales Manager for Handi Quilter Inc, of Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Working in an industry full of energetic, talented enthusiasts fuels my passion and drive to succeed,” said Lynn Blevens, Brand Director, Superior Threads. “I’m excited to lend my years of knowledge to the Superior Threads brand, ensuring it remains relevant to current customers while attracting a large audience of new enthusiasts.”

Superior Threads founder Bob Purcell added, “We are excited to have Lynn bring her knowledge, energy, and passion to Superior Threads. We look forward to her energetic leadership.”

“We continue to stay focused on the passionate consumer, providing her motivation, inspiration, education, and high-quality products in Quilting, Knitting, and Crochet categories,” said Mark Hyland, CEO of Premier Needle Arts. “We are thrilled to have both Ursula and Lynn bring their expertise and leadership to these newly created roles within our Direct to Consumer Division of Premier Needle Arts."

Premier Needle Arts (www.premierneedlearts.com) family of brands provides the highest-quality products and services to millions of passionate enthusiasts around the world in the quilting, sewing, knitting, crochet, and other fiber arts communities. Premier Needle Arts has facilities in Vancouver, WA, Columbus, OH, and in Salt Lake City, UT and is a part of the Blue Point Capital Partners portfolio of companies.

Blue Point Capital Partners (www.bluepointcapital.com) is a private equity firm managing over $1.5 billion in committed capital. With offices in Cleveland, Charlotte, Seattle, and Shanghai, Blue Point’s geographical footprint allows it to establish relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs and advisors while providing the resources of a global organization. The Blue Point partner group has a 21-year track record of partnering with companies in the lower middle-market to facilitate growth and transformative change. It is one of only a few middle-market private equity firms with a presence in both the United States and Asia, which provides a distinct advantage for its portfolio companies. Blue Point typically invests in businesses that generate between $25 million and $300 million in revenue.

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