Thomas Karr

Chief Executive Officer, GroupeSTAHL International

Thomas Karr is the CEO of GroupeSTAHL International and Chief Strategic Officer and Vice President of GroupeSTAHL. He oversees Research and Development for Materials; Korean and Chinese Manufacturing and Asia/Pacific Business Development. He is responsible for the operations, business plans, creative direction, and distribution programs for ten GroupeSTAHL companies in Europe and Asia. He was named to the position in 2010 but has been crucial to the development of Stahls’ international presence since 1985.

During his tenure, Karr has held a variety of leadership positions in Europe, including CEO of Stahls UK LTD 1985-88; CEO of Stahls’ Europe 1988-98 and VP of International Sales and Marketing, Stahls’ 1998-2005. From 2005-2010 he chaired the Stahls’ Steering Committee, was named Research and Development Manager for GroupeSTAHL and Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer GroupeSTAHL.

His list of contributions to the success of GroupeSTAHL includes identifying potential acquisitions; overseeing the acquisition process; evaluating new technology; developing proprietary technology, and developing and implementing new business models and distribution systems.

One of the world’s leading experts in custom garment decoration and embellishments, Karr has an extensive knowledge of film and adhesives manufacturing methods specifically related to CAD-CUT® roll goods and CAD-COLOR® media. He is involved in every step of the process, from the purchasing of raw materials to finishing, packaging and international shipping. Karr’s background also includes experience with inkjet technology, ink development, and screen printing equipment.

Fluent in several languages, he is a global citizen and traveler but calls Germany home.