• Ad Age, Friday, April 16, 2010 10:43 AM

Scotts Miracle-Gro senior vp-global marketing services Jan Valentic has been named senior vp-chief sustainability officer, a new position. She is charged with broadening Scotts' sustainability focus in areas such as employee involvement and consumer communication, which likely will involve education programs.

Jack Neff writes that Valentic realizes that a company best known for marketing lawn chemicals may have an image challenge on the sustainability front, but she intends to reframe the issue. For example: "In many cases, I think chemical-based nitrogens in the soil as a way of feeding the plants and enabling grass to lengthen its root structure to access water can be more drought-resistant and access more nutrients, which can have a positive environmental impact," she says.

Meanwhile, Scotts Miracle-Gro senior vp-marketing Dan Paradiso's duties have been expanded to include managing Scotts' agency relationships, media, public relations and other corporate-wide marketing duties.

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