HEATHROW, Fla. Dixon Ticonderoga Co. Tuesday announced that, effective Jan. 1, 2008, Donald Curie will succeed Richard Asta as chief executive officer. Asta will remain with the company in an advisory capacity.

Currie is currently executive vice president of marketing and sales, and serves on the global marketing committee of FILA, Dixon’s parent company. “We are extremely pleased to have someone of Don Currie’s caliber within Dixon to assume this important leadership role,” said Massimo Candela, FILA chief executive officer. “He is the ideal candidate to succeed Rick Asta and lead Dixon at this point in the company’s history.

Currie, 46, joined Dixon Ticonderoga in 2004 as senior vice president, sales and marketing and was promoted to executive vice president in the same capacity in 2005 after the company’s acquisition by FILA.

Rick Asta began his career with Dixon in 1990 as senior vice president of finance and served as executive vice president and chief financial officer before being named chief executive officer in 2005, after the company’s acquisition by FILA.

“We greatly appreciate Rick’s efforts as the driving force at Dixon behind the merger of our two companies and his excellent results and achievements during his tenure as chief executive officer,” said Candela. “We thank him for his efforts and wish him well in his future career endeavors.”

“My time at Dixon has been the most rewarding of my career,” Asta said. “I am pleased to know that I leave the company well-positioned for its future growth and continued success.”