CARLSTADT, N.J. -- Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced the appointment of William "Buzz" Apostol as vice president of sales, Western Hemisphere. Apostol will manage sales efforts in North America and Latin America and be responsible for the overall sales strategy and growth, including strengthening Pantone's value-added distribution channels and expansion into retail and new vertical segments. Apostol brings over 25 years of experience in the printing, publishing, graphic arts and technology industries. Most recently, he was executive vice president of business development for Unimac Graphics, a leading commercial printer. While at Unimac, Apostol developed a strategy to increase sales of the company's packaging, design and digital solutions with Fortune 1000 companies that contributed significantly to Unimac's annual revenue growth. Previously, Apostol spent 24 years at AGFA Corporation, one of the world's leading imaging companies. Under his leadership as vice president of sales and marketing, the organization became a leading supplier for the printing and publishing industries. He helped transition the company from a traditional film-based business to a highly successful digital solutions provider. "Buzz brings a wealth of industry knowledge and sales experience to this key role," said Richard Herbert, president of Pantone. "He has seen the publishing industry move from a heavy reliance on film, moving to digital systems and the innovations that transition spawned. His knowledge of evolving industries, experience introducing customers to innovative technology solutions, and his leadership and success growing sales channels will all play a role in our future growth." Apostol received a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University and a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Fullerton. He was a board member of the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Graphic Communications School for 10 years and is a member of the Association of Graphic Communications (AGC).