The board of directors at E.C. Barton & Company selected Mark Biggers as the new president of the company, effective June 1. Biggers, the sixth president in the history of the 135-year-old, Jonesboro, Ark.-based company, succeeds Niel Crowson in the role.

“I am honored for the opportunity to join a company with such a successful history and an equally bright future,” Biggers said in a news release. “I am a firm believer that people are the most important part of any successful business. As an employee partner-owned company, E.C. Barton & Company is a shining example of this. I look forward to working with our partners as we continue to bring quality home improvement products at the guaranteed lowest price to our customers.”

The outgoing Crowson said in the search for a new president, it was vital to identify a president that brought “the experience and skills needed but would also be a good fit with our culture.” Biggers began his career as a CPA with Deloitte Accounting before transitioning into the private manufacturing and distribution industry. Biggers served in the roles of corporate controller, vice president of finance and administration, and president of the home decor division at NBG Home, the parent company of Jimco Lamp.

“We were fortunate to find those qualities in Mark, who is local to northeast Arkansas,” Crowson said. “His foundational traits of a strong work ethic, loyalty, and balance will position him well to lead our company into the future.”

In addition to the appointment of Biggers as president, E.C. Barton & Company announced the opening of five brick and mortar locations. The company is in the final stages of rebranding initiative that will align the discount division, currently known as Surplus Warehouse and Bargain Outlet, under one flagship name: Home Outlet.

E.C. Barton & Company, 100% employee-owned, has approximately 108 locations in 17 states, under the name of Barton’s Lumber, Grossman’s Bargain Outlet, Surplus Warehouse, Home Outlet, and E.C. Brokerage. The company ranked 28th on the 2020 ProSales 100 list, generating $295.30 million in sales in 2019.