LIVONIA, Mich., Jan. 8 -- Valassis, the leading company in marketing services and Connective Media (TM), announced the appointment of Larry Berg to the position of Vice President of ROP and Media Sales effective immediately. Berg's previous media purchasing and operations responsibilities as Vice President of Newspaper Sales and Purchasing have been transferred to Bill Blackmer, Director of Strategic Sourcing for Valassis. Berg's more concentrated position will allow him to focus on building the Valassis ROP and Media Sales businesses while continuing to lead future newspaper-based growth strategies for the company. Now responsible for a vast majority of the company's spending, Blackmer's strategic sourcing expertise and ability to build strong supplier relationships will promote collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with key newspapers. Berg began his career at Valassis in 1987 after graduating from Western Michigan University. A strong newspaper industry advocate, Berg has built relationships between Valassis and newspapers nationwide. Named to Crain's Detroit Business' list of "Forty Under Forty" in 2002, Berg has been responsible for significant growth in ROP revenue. While enrolled at Lawrence Technical University where he graduated in 1984, Blackmer began his career at Valassis. Under Blackmer's leadership, purchasing evolved from a traditional buying function to one with a more strategic focus where industry trends are researched and forecasted. Combined with his paper industry knowledge, Blackmer's strong supplier relationships have proven beneficial to Valassis and the newspaper industry.