With a fresh executive trio leading the charge, Eldorado is speeding up product launches and bringing adult distribution into the fast lane.
(Note: This article appears in the October issue of SE Magazine.)
When a company reaches its 50th anniversary, change is inevitable—especially as longtime leaders begin to retire. For Eldorado Trading Company, this moment wasn’t just an end of an era, it was the beginning of a bold new chapter. CEO Wanda Garland and her son, Vice President Preston Garland, saw this transition as the perfect opportunity to implement a strategic vision they had been shaping since early 2023: build an agile, collaborative and forward-thinking executive team that could steer Eldorado into the future.
That vision began to take shape in November 2023, when Nathan Morimitsu joined the company as Marketing Manager. From day one, Morimitsu prioritized relationship-building, not just with customers, but with Eldorado’s manufacturer’s reps and vendor partners. His approach emphasized marketing that was more than promotional; it was personal, collaborative and designed to benefit the entire distribution ecosystem.
But marketing alone wasn’t enough. As Eldorado’s Sales Director and Purchasing Director both announced their retirements within months of each other, the Garlands moved quickly to assemble what they called their “Executive Dream Team.”
One of the first moves was promoting Antonia Pappas to Purchasing Director. Pappas had years of experience within Eldorado, having worked in both the Marketing and Purchasing departments. Her prior collaboration with Morimitsu created a seamless transition and a powerful synergy. The two began developing a strategy to get product information into the hands of retailers even before inventory hit the warehouse, allowing stores to make informed decisions faster and get products to market ahead of the competition.
What they needed next was a strong, customer-focused leader in sales. Enter Sandy Nuyt (pronounced “Night”), an industry outsider with a proven track record of building adaptive, high-performing sales teams. Her appointment marked the final piece of the Garlands’ vision, one focused on cross-functional communication and shared goals.
With Pappas managing product flow, Morimitsu refining the marketing strategy, and Nuyt leading the sales team, Eldorado’s departments began operating like a well-oiled machine. Marketing was getting new products on the website faster, sales had the tools and information they needed to close, and purchasing had a feedback loop that informed smarter buying decisions.
The first major test of this new model came in August 2024, when Lovense announced pre-sales of its highly anticipated Lush Mini, a full 18 days before it could be sold on shelves. Nyut’s sales team worked hand-in-hand with marketing and purchasing to ensure Eldorado’s customers had access to the product the moment public sales began.
In Salt Lake City, Eldorado customers went live on Facebook to show off their stores and celebrate the launch. Thousands of viewers tuned in. The following day, those same retailers joined Eldorado team members and 15 vendors for a “Road Show” event that combined product training with real-time networking.
“Going on the road brings us closer to our customers and helps us understand their needs on a more personal level.”
— Sandy Nuyt, Eldorado Sales Director
Hosted by Morimitsu and joined by Danielle Seerley (Lovense), Tori Titus-McRobie (Paradise Marketing), and several other well-known industry figures like Josh Ortiz (XR), Cassie Pendleton (Wicked) and Kim Card (Lovehoney), the event brought tradeshow energy directly to local retailers —many of whom don’t typically attend larger industry events.
“This is just the beginning,” said Morimitsu. “Working with people like Antonia and Sandy means we’re always pushing to exceed expectations. Better service for vendors and customers means better sales for everyone.”
Nuyt echoed that sentiment: “Going on the road brings us closer to our customers and helps us understand their needs on a more personal level. Being part of a leadership team that understands how to adapt to this industry’s unique challenges is a joy.”
Pappas sees this new structure as a long-term advantage. “The three of us form an agile team that shares information freely,” she says. “That allows us to bring products to market faster and more efficiently. It’s a win for retailers, vendors, and ultimately consumers, who get a wider variety of products tailored to their desires.”
Eldorado’s new executive team may have only been working together for a short time, but the early results are hard to ignore: quicker product launches, tighter vendor relationships, and more engaged retail partners. It’s a sign that, even after 50 years, Eldorado isn’t slowing down — it’s just getting started.
For more information, please visit eldorado.net.
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