DALLAS — The Lawless Group manufacturers representation agency on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Hobart Associates, headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas.
Founded by Don (Jesse) James Sr., Hobart Associates has over 50 years of experience in representing manufacturers brands of products in the north-central U.S.
The acquisition is a continuation of the growth strategies of the Lawless Group, as well as the completion of the succession plan for Don James. Facilities in Kansas include offices, a training center, and warehouse space totaling over 60,000 square feet. This expands the Lawless Group warehousing program to eight locations nationwide. The North Central Region serves Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota.
Leading the Lawless Group North Central Region is Tom Northcott as president. He has 30 years of experience leading major brands with expertise across several areas of distribution including all ISA and STAFDA markets, hardware, automotive, farm and agriculture. Previously, Northcott was the regional vice president of sales for the central region for WernerCo. Northcott will lead the sales staff the Hobart team, which has also joined Lawless North Central.
“I have admired what Lawless has been doing for some time and am excited to have the opportunity to lead the North Central team. I look forward to working with our manufacturer and distributor partners to exceed their expectations,” said Northcott.
With resources in Kansas City, Minneapolis, North Dakota and St. Louis, the Lawless North Central team will be among the largest in the region, offering unmatched coverage. This team will leverage the Lawless Group solutions offering and their extensive industry expertise.
“This acquisition capitalizes on our momentum, warehouse and logistics streamlining product accessibility. It allows us to continue to serve our customers and manufacturer partners with comprehensive reach and services they have come to expect from the Lawless Group," said CEO Jack Templin.
