July Industry Watch: People

D&S MANUFACTURING
(BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI) . . .
announced that Joe Lane, manufacturing engineer, was named to the American Welding Society‘s (AWS) D16 Committee on Robotic and Automatic Welding. Lane commented, “D&S is a company that is driven by continuous improvement. By participating in the AWS D16 Committee, I will have the opportunity to be among the first in the industry to review, discuss and make recommendations related to the performance and safety of emerging robotic welding technologies as well as strategies that maximize efficiency and productivity in the manufacturing process.”

The AWS D16 Committee on Robotic and Automatic Welding is responsible for the preparation of standards related to safety, operator certification, risk assessment, and installation of robotic and automatic welding operations. Members have developed and continue to monitor for relevance the requirements related to the Certification Program for Robotic Arc Welding for Operators and Technicians (CRAW). The group’s diverse membership includes major robot manufacturers, industry representatives who actively utilize equipment and integrators who design systems.

According to Lane, his committee membership occurred as a result of his participation in the National Robotic Arc Welding Conference and Exhibition held in May 2009. His presentation, “Implementing Robotic Welding in a Job Shop Environment,” focused on the decisions, concepts and strategies utilized in making robotic welding successful in a low volume, high mix contract manufacturing environment. Following the conference, Lane contacted D16 committee member Doug Rhoda, president and CEO of Wolf Robotics, who made a recommendation that Lane be invited to initiate the application process for membership. www.dsmfg.com

LENOX (EAST LONGMEADOW, MA) . . .
announced that Lee “Hackman” Breton retired after a 48-year career with Lenox, a Newell Rubbermaid company, that started in 1962 on the manufacturing floor. During that time, he was credited with manufacturing the very first bi-metal reciprocating saw blade entirely by hand. At the time, former president Jim Davis went to him looking for a metal cutting blade to give to his plumber. Back then reciprocating blades were hardened, so he was desperate to give his plumber a solution for his continuous blade breakage problem. Lee’s bi-metal reciprocating saw blade was the answer to his frustrations.

Breton’s career made a dramatic change in 1981 when the sales team asked him if he thought he could cut a car in half with the new Hackmaster^TM Hacksaw blades to show off their superior strength and durability. He accepted and met this challenge, which turned out to be the first of hundreds of car cuts, earning him the nickname “Hackman.” Over the years, Breton traveled the world as Hackman demonstrating the strength and durability of Lenox Tools by cutting over 500 cars and other items, including an oil tank truck, cargo plane, box car, house, armored car and even a bus at the 1999 Super Bowl XXXIIII.

Breton commented on his unique career, “Being on the road and talking directly with our users brought my experience full circle. I have demonstrated our products to the people who use them and helped make professional tradesmen do their jobs quicker and easier. They truly appreciate the hard work and quality that we put into each and every one of our products.”

“We’re really going to miss having him around,” stated Rich Mathews, vice president of marketing and new business. “He’s an amazing person and great to work with. He not only exemplified our brand with his trademark car cuts, he was always willing and able to help out the company with anything and everything. He will forever be considered a great employee as well as the best ambassador for our brand that we ever could ask for.”

In other news, Rich Wuerthele has been appointed president of Industrial Products and Services. Wuerthele joined Newell Rubbermaid in 2003 and most recently held the position of president of the North American Sales Organization (NASO), where he successfully drove positive sales results for the U.S. and Canada. Under his leadership, the NASO team was distinguished with “Vendor of the Year” honors from numerous national customers. He last worked at Lenox as president of Industrial and Commercial Sales. In total, he has more than 24 years of progressive sales, marketing and general management experience within the tools, hardware and industrial industries.

“His significant accomplishments make him well prepared and deserving to assume this new leadership role,” stated Bill Burke, group president of tools, hardware and commercial products at Newell Rubbermaid. “We are confident that his background and experience will be a great addition to our team. His familiarity with the business and customers will translate well into our philosophy of always going the extra mile in product performance and service.”

The company, in partnership with RCR driver Jeff Burton and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, also recently dedicated the 2010 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 to Pete Dingeman, the winner of the Lenox Extra-Mile Hero Contest who passed away in 2009. The June 27, 2010 NASCAR race honored Dingeman, who passed away last December after a life-long battle with neurofibromatosis (NF). In recognition of his heroic efforts, a decal honoring him was placed on the No. 31 paint scheme and his family served as Grand Marshalls for the race.

Last year at the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, Pete was announced as the winner of the Lenox Extra-Mile Hero Contest. He was presented with a check for $31,000 for his charity, The Children’s Tumor Foundation with an additional $31,000 going to him for being the Lenox Extra-Mile Hero, a portion of which he donated back to The Foundation. “He left us with a legacy of going the extra mile in his community and we wanted to recognize his dedication and strength by giving back to the cause that meant the most to him: The Children’s Tumor Foundation,” stated Mathews. “Our Industrial Tools 301 continues to be a great opportunity for us to connect with our customers and share stories of the everyday heroes among us.” www.lenoxtools.com

SINGLE SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES
(MISSISSAUGA, ON) . . .
appointed Juergen Moeglich to president of SST Canada. He brings along a wealth of machine tool industry experience and valuable knowledge of the Canadian market from over 17 years experience with global distributors in the machine tool industry. “SST and its brands, like Makino, have always been known for their dedication to supporting customers, enhancing their capabilities and ultimately helping them to achieve the highest level of success,” said Moeglich. “I am truly excited to be leading the charge to further expand our commitment to the Canadian market.” He has served as the director of the Canadian Machine Tool Dealer Association for over 10 years. He earned his degree in Business Administration from the University of Giessen in Germany. www.singlesourcetech.com

THE LINCOLN ELECTRIC COMPANY (CLEVELAND, OH) . . .
named Peter Pletcher as director of Global Consumable Development and appointed Ferry Naber as director of Global Machine Development. Both are new positions within the company’s Global Marketing and Product Development organization. “Leveraging our global footprint is key to our competitiveness and growth as a worldwide organization,” said Richard J. Seif, senior vice president of Global Marketing and Product Development.

“They are filling two new strategic roles to further strengthen our global position,” Seif continued. “Pletcher was chosen to pioneer this newly created global consumable role based on his proven track record of deploying welding solutions, extracting major customer requirements, and mapping product needs for worldwide development. Naber has collaborated with our machine development in Italy, Poland and the U.S. to bring a winning equipment portfolio to the European continent. With his wide range of knowledge and deep understanding of customers, along with his ability to connect with all levels of our global organization, he is an ideal choice to drive the critical initiatives for this new role.”

Pletcher will be responsible for championing global consumable development by leveraging resources and product designs for company growth. He joined the company in 1995 as a technical representative and later joined the U.S. sales organization and worked in the Kansas City, MO, and Louisville, KY, sales offices. He was promoted to technical manager in 2002 and assigned to Shanghai, China, operations.

After that assignment, he moved to Singapore as country manager, where he developed offshore business and was later promoted to business director, Offshore, his most recent assignment. Pletcher holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with welding as a specialty from LeTourneau University and an MBA from Rutgers University. Pletcher will be based in the U.S. at the world headquarters and major operations in Cleveland.

Naber will help develop global equipment with common platforms, supporting both technologies and design standards to create a uniform brand promise to customers worldwide. He began his welding industry career in 1973, working in service, sales and sales management at Smitweld, in Nijmegen, in the Netherlands. As an electrical and electronics engineer, he was promoted to manager of Welding Equipment in the early 1990s, when the company integrated the Smitweld organization into its portfolio of companies.

Adding a marketing degree from Instituut voor Bedrijfswetenschappen B.V. University to his engineering and welding education, Naber was instrumental in developing machine product platforms to serve the needs of the European market. Naber will continue to be based in Nijmegen at the Smitweld operations. www.lincolnelectric.com

BARTON MINES COMPANY
(GLENS FALLS, NY) . . .
appointed Rick Miller to regional sales manager for the Northwest region to serve customers in WA, OR, MT, ID, WY, UT and western Canada from a regional office in Sultan, WA. He will educate the waterjet and blast media markets on the value of garnet abrasives and will work to maximize customer satisfaction. He brings more than 20 years of sales experience in abrasive and industrial products, most recently serving as district sales manager with Weiler Corporation. www.barton.com

THERMADYNE INDUSTRIES, INC.
(ST. LOUIS, MO) . . .
announced that Tony Coco, Bill Wehrman and Vickie Marshall have joined the marketing and sales team and that George Dunning will assume the position of vice president of engineering. As director of Channel Marketing and National Accounts, Coco is responsible for marketing all products throughout North and South America, along with industrial sales, national accounts, specialty markets, customer care, technical support and sales administration.

With over 15 years of national and international experience in sales management and marketing, Coco previously worked for Honeywell Analytics, a $170 million multi-line multi-brand organization designed to serve the gas detection industry. He had served in several executive positions at Honeywell, most recently having been vice president of sales, and before that vice president of strategic marketing. He is a graduate of Quincy College in Quincy, IL, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management.

Wehrman, in support of Coco, is responsible for defining and directing the marketing communication strategy for the Americas. This includes developing collateral material, direct marketing campaigns, advertising strategy, Web presence, social media, trade show management and collateral material production. Wehrman brings more than 25 years of marketing experience to his new position. Most recently he was director of marketing and corporate communications for American Express Incentive Services, where he was charged with establishing communication and brand direction for the company.

He began his career at Truman State University, where he was director of publications, and also served in senior creative management positions with Maritz, Epsilon, and Sterling Direct, where he was responsible for managing the brands and communications for such respected clients as AT&T, Toyota, Nissan, Philip Morris, Compaq/HP, Charter Communications and Edward Jones. A graduate of Truman State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Wehrman lives in Glendale, MO, with his wife, Marie, and daughters Elise, 16 and Megan, 21.

Marshall, working for Wehrman, is responsible for the visual design, layout, interface, usability, and graphic production for web-based products, including the company’s social networks activities. She comes after most recently serving as the marketing communications specialist in the Biosystems division of Leica Microsystems, Inc.. She held prior marketing positions with Cozad Commercial Real Estate & Cozad Property Management Company and Stout Marketing. A graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing/Communications, with minors in Art & Design and French, Marshall lives in St. Peters, MO, with her husband, Bill, and daughters, Sidney and Taylor.

“They all possess the skills and expertise that will help us increase our industry market share, while ensuring that we continue to effectively meet distributor and end user demands and exceed customer expectations,” said Joseph F. Mueller, Jr., vice president of Americas Sales and Marketing.

Dunning will be responsible for leading the global engineering teams and will operate from the company’s office in Denton, TX. He previously served as vice president of engineering and quality for Overhead Door Corporation in Lewisville, TX, and was responsible for the development and sustainment of residential and commercial garage doors and garage door openers. He also held senior engineering positions at Stanley Tools, General Electric and the U.S. Air Force.

A graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Dunning also earned a graduate degree in Industrial Technology from Central Missouri State University. He also holds a black belt in Six Sigma, the rigorous and disciplined management methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company’s operational performance. www.thermadyne.com

EAGLE BENDING MACHINES and
CARELL CORP. (STAPLETON, AL) . . .
promoted Jeremiah Weekley to director of sales, citing his six-year personal commitment to superior customer relations and support. His primary focus will be to support customers and distributors with new training seminars and certification classes as well as introducing innovative enhancements in the company’s sales and service departments. www.eaglebendingmachines.com, www.carellcorp.com

HYDRO (LINTHICUM, MD) . . .
announced that Matthew Dionne took over leadership of Hydro Aluminum’s North American extrusion business. The company is reorganizing its extrusion business, dividing its Extrusion Americas unit into two new sectors. Dionne is president of Extrusion North America, while Extrusion South America will be led by Ivar Venas. The two new sectors join Extrusion Eurasia, Building Systems and Precision Tubing comprising Hydro’s Extruded Products Business Area. The Extrusion Americas unit has been headed by F. Simoes Henriques, who will assume a leading role in the planning for the company’s new Bauxite and Alumina sector.

Dionne has served as vice president and general manager of Hydro Extrusion America’s Southeast Region since joining the company in 2004. His responsibilities included business development and full oversight of an extrusion plant in Belton, SC, and an extrusion plant, a casthouse, a recycling center and a fabrication center in St. Augustine, FL.

“Given the severity of the global recession and the historic decline in the U.S. extrusion industry, our North American extrusion operations have made impressive improvements during the past several years,” said Hans Jocheim Kock, president of Extruded Products. “We’re looking forward to continuing these positive developments under Matthew Dionne’s strong leadership.”

Dionne came to Hydro from Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution, where he last held the position of director of operations. Previously he was director of operations for Southland Technologies (Virginia Beach, VA). He started his career as an engineer with Cooper Industries (Hampton, VA), eventually rising to manufacturing manager. Dionne holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from The College of William & Mary. www.hydro.com/northamerica

SMW-AUTOBLOK CORPORATION
(WHEELING, IL) . . .
appointed Gary Downs as president. Downs has worked for the company for fifteen years, most recently as vice president of sales. “He has been a key member of our organization and we are thrilled to promote him,” stated Walter Bronzino, president of the SMW Autoblok Group. “His intimate knowledge of our products and organization and over 30 years of experience in the machine tool industry will help to fuel our continued growth in North America.” www.SMWautoblok.com

SHEET METAL WORKERS LOCAL 36
(ST. LOUIS, MO) . . .
donated time and money to two local charity organizations, the St. Vincent Home for Children and Stray Rescue of St. Louis. In May, Local 36 held its annual Golf Outing to benefit the St. Vincent Home for Children and raised $20,000 for the Home. Over the past 13 years, Local 36 and its partners have raised and donated more than $175,000 for the organization.

“Words can’t explain how grateful we are to their employees and all those who were able to contribute to this generous gift in such unstable economic times,” said Lee Ann Taylor, executive director of St. Vincent Home for Children. “They play a significant role in helping us continue our mission of changing the lives of abused and neglected children in our community.”

As a residential treatment center founded in 1850, St. Vincent Home provides care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for abused and neglected children with moderate to severe emotional problems, behavior disorders, and/or learning disabilities. The home serves children ages 6-18 and provides loving care, housing, nutritious meals, clothing and therapy (individual, group and family), and is licensed to care for up to 36 children at a time.

Also in May, Local 36 presented a check for more than $13,000 to Stray Rescue of St. Louis. The donation represents roughly half the costs of the HVAC work done by contractors on first phase of Stray Rescue’s new facility in downtown St. Louis, scheduled to open later in 2010. Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis and Local 36 representatives called for support from other local businesses, making known that only a fraction of the donations received thus far have been from St. Louis based organizations. As a no-kill organization Stray Rescue’s sole purpose is to rescue stray animals in need of medical attention, restore them to health, and place them in loving adoptive homes. www.sheetmetal36.org

VISTA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (ST. PAUL, MN) . . .
announced that the company founders, Jim and Lorinda Mishek, officially retired from their day-to-day responsibilities. VistaTek has been transitioning ownership to the second generation over the last year. Their oldest son Dan Mishek, 35, will step in as the managing director, their daughter Jennifer Sutherland, 33, remains the director of operations and their other son Allen Mishek, 29, will continue to lead the marketing department.

“We are excited about the opportunity to take a family business and grow it from one generation to another,” stated Dan Mishek. “My family is passionate about manufacturing and wants to continue to show the importance of it in Minnesota and across the U.S.” Jim and Lorinda will remain on the board of directors and continue to advise and support the direction of the company. www.vistatek.com

VERISURF SOFTWARE (ANAHEIM, CA) . . .
named Robert Martin as its new global account executive. A 15-year metrology veteran, he is a trusted authority on the latest manufacturing and inspection solutions and will serve as a valuable resource for top executives at the industry’s largest companies, including Airbus, Bombardier, BAE, Pratt & Whitney, Ford and GM. Martin is a respected, C-level solution provider with a vast understanding of metrology supply chain solutions and lean manufacturing processes,” said Ernie Husted, president of Verisurf. “His experience, skill and energy will benefit our biggest customers.”

“I am excited to join the Verisurf team,” said Martin. “Our commitment to the common software platform is geared for the success of all forward-looking manufacturing companies. Our model-based inspection software provides them with a best practices solution with nearly every measuring device on the market.”

Previously, Martin managed the ROMER/Cimcore Metrology Business throughout North and South America. He also served as product manager and sales manager for Hexagon Metrology. During that time, he spearheaded efforts to increase revenues and define the company’s product strategy. www.verisurf.com

ROBOTIC INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION
(ANN ARBOR, MI) . . .
presented the robotic industry’s highest honor, the Engelberger Robotics Award, to Heinz-Dieter Schunk, the CEO of Schunk GmbH, and Scott W. Deming of Corning Inc. during the 41st International Symposium on Robotics held in conjunction with AUTOMATICA (Munich, Germany). The awards are named after the “father of robotics,” Joseph F. Engelberger. Each recipient was presented a commemorative medallion and a $5000 honorarium by RIA, a North American trade association that sponsors the annual award. Launched in 1977, the award has now been presented to 111 industry leaders from 16 nations.

“We are delighted to add Schunk and Deming to the list of industry leaders who have been honored with an Engelberger Award,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of RIA. “Both men have spent more than 25 years in robotics and have accomplished a tremendous amount for our industry. Schunk’s innovations in gripper technology and Deming’s successful applications at Corning have not only positively impacted their companies but also have served as an inspiration to other individuals and companies making and using robotics technology,” explained Burnstein .

Schunk, who received the Award for Leadership, developed a small garage business into an international leader in the development and manufacture of automation components. Today, from its modest founding in Lauffen, Germany, the company employs 1,800 people in 23 countries. As CEO, his philosophy has been “only innovations will move a company forward.” He has driven the company to continuously improve its core products, expand its product lines, and invest heavily in future technologies.

In presenting this award, RIA chairman Dean Elkins of Motoman said of Schunk, “From grippers, to linear actuators, to three-finger multi-functional hands and light-weight arms, through innovation he has established himself as a true visionary in the automation industry. He has freely given back to the industry, the mark of a leader, by serving on the board of directors of the VDMA Robotics & Automation Group as well as other organizations.”

Deming, an engineering associate and director of the Advanced Machine Systems Group with Advanced Engineering at Corning, won the Award for Application. He was a charter member of Corning’s Robotics and Automation organization that was formed 25 years ago and implemented many of the company’s first robotic systems. Among the robotic installations he’s directed are CRT glass manufacturing, catalytic converter ceramic substrate manufacturing, LCD glass manufacturing, optical fiber manufacturing, and glass and ceramic consumer product manufacturing.

In presenting the award, Elkins noted that “Deming is a true champion for robotics at Corning, working with many divisions to implement innovative and sustainable high financial impact solutions into manufacturing. Like many other Engelberger Award winners, he also has found the time to share his knowledge, serving as a robotics instructor for Rochester Institute of Technology and an industrial advisor for Corning Community College and Alfred State College.” www.robotics.org

APPLIED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES (ORION, MI) . . .
appointed Andy Jones as the new automotive general manager responsible for all aspects of the automotive business unit, including engineering operations and sales. “He is a proven industry and company veteran whose experience, management ability and industry contacts make him an excellent choice for this new and vital role,” said Mike Jacobs, CEO of AMT. “His excellent work in successfully growing our mechanical engineering group and building our team in St. Louis made it clear that he was the best fit for this challenging position.”

Prior to his post as automotive general manager, Jones held several positions within AMT, including account management and manager of mechanical engineering. Appointed as regional director, he successfully built a cohesive team of PLC and robot programmers for the company’s St. Louis presence. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Lake Superior State. www.appliedmfg.com

PENNENGINEERING (DANBORO, PA) . . .
named Austin Washington as global accounts manager and Jeff Rindskopf as the director of sales for 3V Fasteners Company, Inc., a subsidiary of parent PennEngineering. Among his responsibilities, Washington will manage major global business accounts with particular focus on Apple, Cisco, and other high-tech global accounts. He will direct and monitor the specification and delivery of products to specific global customers throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. Washington has more than 25 years of industry experience and will be based in San Jose, CA.

In his new position, Rindskopf will oversee all sales efforts for 3V, which is a leading manufacturer of externally threaded aerospace fasteners. He has served in a successive series of sales-related positions over the years for a variety of major suppliers to the aerospace industry. He is based at 3V headquarters in Corona, CA. www.pemnet.com

TUBELITE INC. (WALKER, MI) . . .
hired Steve Seeling, CDT, as a client development manager representing the company’s architectural aluminum products. In this role, he assists commercial building teams in Nebraska, Kansas, western Missouri and Arkansas. Seeling draws from three decades of experience in helping owners, designers and installers select windows, entrances, storefronts and curtainwall systems.

Most recently, he worked at Traco as an architectural sales representative with a similar territory. Throughout his career, he has contributed to dozens of educational health care, hospitality and historically-significant projects in the region, including facilities at the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, and the University of Nebraska.

In addition to his new position, he also serves as an architectural sales representative for Wausau Window and Wall Systems. “Tubelite and Wausau’s products complement each other to offer customers a full range of performance choices for their building envelope,” says Seeling. “Working exclusively with these two companies, I’ll specialize in premium fenestration products; ones that add value through energy efficiency, distinguished style and dependability. When customers understand their options, they can make better-informed decisions to ensure the correct product for their application.”

A graduate of Missouri Valley College in Marshall, MO, Seeling earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He continues his professional development with industry associations such as Construction Specifications Institute, through which he successfully completed the Construction Documents Technology (CDT) program. www.tubeliteinc.com

UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION
(PITTSBURGH, PA) . . .
named Marc F. Stoken as the general manager over raw materials. He reports to the vice president of Procurement, Raw Materials & Real Estate, Michael J. Hatcher. Stoken, 55, is responsible for overseeing all raw materials purchasing activities for U. S. Steel’s North American operations. He joined the company in 1976 as a management trainee at the company’s former Fairless Works near Philadelphia, PA. During the next 19 years, he advanced through increasingly responsible positions in coke, iron and steel operations as well as facility restructuring at Fairless Works.

In 1995, Stoken was named senior purchasing agent in the company’s corporate procurement department. Since 1998, he has progressed through management positions in the company’s raw materials organization, assuming his most recent post, manager-strategic materials, in 2004. A native of Pittsburgh, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Carnegie Mellon University in 1976 and a master’s degree in business administration from Rider College in 1990. He will continue to be based at U. S. Steel’s corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh. www.ussteel.com

G & L MANUFACTURING
(COOKEVILLE, TN) . . .
added David Pudelsky to their sales and marketing team. “Dave’s role will focus upon business development,” explained president Phillip Jones. “His responsibilities will range from new product and market development to participating in the analysis of growth initiatives, including potential acquisitions.” Pudelsky’s experience in the specialty steel industry makes him uniquely suited for this new position with the company.

After earning BS and MBA degrees from Bradley University, Pudelsky held sales and marketing positions with Crucible Stainless Division and Allegheny Ludlum. He was also vice president, commercial for J & L Specialty Steel. As vice president, product and market development and vice president of sales and marketing for stainless steel tubing manufacturer RathGibson, Pudelsky aided in the company’s expansion with two acquisitions and product development for the oil and gas and power generation markets.

“I welcome the new challenges that await me as a member of the G & L team,” said Pudelsky. “I also look forward to working side-by-side with sales manager Greg Russell, who has identified a number of opportunities which the company is already pursuing.” www.GandLTubing.com