The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors on Aug. 10 announced the hiring of ABB Optical Group and DHL executive Bart Tessel as chief innovation officer.

Tessel started his new role Aug. 1, NAW said. He is expected to oversee NAW’s Innovation and Member Programming and run the Institute for Distribution Excellence.

Tessel previously served as head of corporate development and M&A at ABB Optical Group, the nation’s largest distributor in the vision care industry. He also has held various positions at ABB, including director of supply chain, profitability management and vice president of business development.

Tessel also worked at DHL in Europe, followed by global development roles developing “innovative supply chain solutions for Fortune 100 customers around the globe,” NAW said.

“Bart’s talent and experience cannot be overstated,” said NAW CEO Eric Hoplin. “We are thrilled to welcome Bart to our growing team and look forward to learning from his experience, insight, and foresight. We will look to Bart to help lead our members and our industry to the next frontier in wholesale distribution.”