Veseris names president of the Tessman Company

Veseris recently announced the appointment of John Smith as President of The Tessman Company, a Veseris Company. Smith, a results-driven commercial leader with deep experience in specialty chemical, turf and ornamental and pest control distribution, will report directly to Veseris CEO Ken Bradley. He joins at a pivotal moment for Tessman, building on the foundation established by outgoing President Terry Reiten, who will retire in July after 24 years at the helm.

Former President, Terry Reiten

Terry Reiten joined The Tessman and Lynde Companies in 2001 and became an owner shortly thereafter, spending the next 24 years building a company defined by exceptional customer relationships, deep supplier trust and a relentless commitment to service across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“Terry built a business grounded in trust—with customers and supply partners alike. That legacy at Tessman is one Veseris is proud to carry forward and reflects the lasting impact of his leadership,” said Ken Bradley, CEO of Veseris. “Terry has done a great job in the last year of connecting Tessman & Lynde within Veseris while staying focused on maintaining and growing their business. John will build on what Terry and team have done to accelerate additional growth within Tessman and to assist Veseris with our growth and expansion into the T&O markets across the country. Bringing John in is fully consistent with our commitment to being the preferred choice — for our customers, our vendors and the professionals who depend on us every day.”

Smith’s background

Smith brings more than 15 years of commercial leadership experience across specialty chemical, agriculture, pest control and turf and ornamental markets. He is known for a servant-leadership approach, a finance-grounded analytical mindset and a track record of building high-performance teams aligned with customer and supplier needs. He brings direct experience in purchasing strategy and a deep understanding of how supplier partnerships drive competitive advantage for independent distributors, and his knowledge immediately translates into value for Tessman’s customers and vendor partners.

“I’m honored to step into a role built on such a strong foundation,” said Smith. “Tessman and Lynde have earned the trust of their customers and supply partners over decades, and my focus from day one is to deepen those relationships and continue to find additional opportunities to deliver value.”

Tessman and Lynde customers and supply partners can expect business as usual throughout this transition. Smith will assume his role on Monday, May 4th, and work closely alongside Reiten through July to ensure a smooth handoff with no gaps in service, no disruption to existing program and full follow-through on every commitment in motion. The relationships Tessman’s customers and vendors have built over the years remain the company’s top priority.

About Veseris

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Veseris is a leading distributor serving professionals in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico directly through approximately 250 sales and service professionals at 82 locations, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through a network of authorized dealer partners. The business serves the expanding markets for structural pest, turf and ornamental, public health, wildlife and vegetation management with unparalleled products and services, as well as educational and technology resources.