April 2011 Industry Watch: People

People making recent headlines in the business of fabricating and metalworking.

MAKINO (MASON, OH) . . .
Dr. Zhigang Wang joined Makino as Senior Process Development Engineer to help support new titanium machining research in its Mason Titanium Process Research and Development Group. He brings a wealth of experience in the research of machining titanium. “Dr. Wang will be a valuable asset in our ongoing pursuit for more efficient titanium machining processes and technologies,” says Mark Larson, the titanium R&D manager. “He will play an active role in researching new and existing processes, while providing detailed analytical reports that go far beyond simple data on speeds and feeds. With his experience and abilities, Dr. Wang will serve us well in extending our knowledge and capabilities around the machining of titanium.”

Wang has extensive experience as a researcher and published author. His works have been published in the CIRP Annals, the International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture and the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. He earned his PhD from the National University of Singapore and holds a Masters degree from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in China and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Nanjing Forestry University in Nanjing, China. www.makino.com 

KENNAMETAL INC. (LATROBE, PA) . . .
appointed Gretchen W. Jezerc as Vice President, Global Product Management. With deep leadership experience in marketing for a number of global manufacturers, Jezerc has strategized, developed, and implemented successful marketing programs for Philips Respironics (Pittsburgh, PA), PPG Industries (Pittsburgh) and Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Charter Township, MI). A Pittsburgh native, she is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds her MBA from INSEAD, founded as “Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires” (European Institute for Business Administration). She speaks German, French, and Italian, in addition to English. www.kennametal.com 

THERMADYNE^® INDUSTRIES, INC. (ST. LOUIS, MO) . . .
named Ravi Menon as General Manager of Stoody^® (Bowling Green, KY), a leader in hardfacing technology and high alloy filler metals used to combat various types of wear and corrosion. “Ravi has done an excellent job in developing innovative products for growth markets which has driven Stoody’s recent success,” said Terry Downes, the executive vice president/chief operating officer of Thermadyne. “He has solid global experience, a deep knowledge of their products and applications, and is perfectly positioned to lead their business plan and achieve their growth potential.”

Menon has been with Stoody for the 17 years in a variety of roles and has 25 years of industry experience. He has a PhD in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and numerous technical publications and patents. www.thermadyne.com 

UNITED GRINDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (MIAMISBURG, OH) . . .
promoted Larry Marchand to General Manager of the Profile Technology Division, with overall sales, administrative, and financial management responsibility. “Larry becomes a key member of our executive management team and will report directly to me,” says Rodger Pinney, the president and CEO of UG. “His extensive aerospace and power generation technical knowledge and manufacturing experience, coupled with the outstanding business relationships he established with our key customers in these industries, uniquely qualifies him to lead absolutely the best team in the machine tool industry towards achieving continued growth and profitability.” http://www.grinding.com/ 

DMG/MORI SEIKI USA (HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL) . . .
appointed Mark Mohr to President, DMG/Mori Seiki USA to oversee operations of all Technical Centers across the country to optimize the value of the DMG and Mori Seiki collaboration in America. He will continue focusing on the importance of total customer care and the advantages of DMG/Mori Seiki 360 Support. He will work in tandem with Randall Harland, the newly appointed executive vice president, national sales to lead domestic sales of DMG and Mori Seiki equipment. Both report to Natsuo (Jim) Okada, the president of Mori Seiki Americas.

Mohr previously served as the executive vice president, service and parts for DMG/Mori Seiki USA. Prior to the April 2010 collaboration between Gildemeister and Mori Seiki, he held positions as both the vice president of engineering at Mori Seiki USA and the president of the former Mori Seiki Mid?American Sales Group. With 15 years experience in the machine tool business, he first joined Mori Seiki in 2002 as the sales manager in the Chicago Technical Center. Mohr succeeds Thomas R. Dillon, who took on the recently created role of Vice Chairman, where he will act as a distributor liaison to provide another channel of direct communication between DMG/Mori Seiki USA and its customers. http://www.dmgmoriseikiusa.com/ 

WORLDWIDE SUPERABRASIVES, LLC (BOYNTON BEACH, FL) . . .
named Dan Herzog as Sales and Business Development Manager to take an active role in business development activities that serve a much broader list of global worldwide customers. Since July 2008 Herzog served as the Midwest regional sales manager, introducing WWSA to a larger base of superabrasive product manufacturers. His 40+ years of experience in grinding and superabrasives enhances the capability of Worldwide Superabrasives to manufacture and distribute the highest quality of industrial diamond and cubic boron nitride (CBN) products, supported by industry leading technical and commercial service. www.worldwidesa.com

TUBELITE INC. (WALKER, MI) . . .
hired Scott Huff as a Client Development Manager, serving customers in North and South Carolina by working closely with glazing and general contractors, architects, and building owners to provide information on architectural aluminum products and their green building benefits. Before joining Tubelite, Huff was employed with Oldcastle Glass Engineered Products Division, which now is Oldcastle Building Envelope. Prior to this, he was with The Vistawall Group (also part of Oldcastle) as an architectural sales representative for the Carolinas.

Based in Charlotte, NC, Huff earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from State University in West Georgia and a degree in machine tool technology from West Georgia Technical College. He continues his professional development as a member of the National Glass Association. www.tubeliteinc.com 

AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (SCHAUMBURG, IL) . . .
recognized the contributions and achievements of its members and congratulated award winners at the 74th Annual Conference Awards Banquet recently held in Coronado (San Diego), CA. Award presenters noted the importance of these member contributions as they serve to further the industry as a whole.

Michael Kinard, the codes and regulatory consultant for Kinro Inc. (Arlington, TX), was named Outstanding Member to recognize his distinguished work and dedication in advancing AAMA and the industry as a whole. He participated in 46 committees during his 20 years in AAMA, serving as the leader of six of them. His career began in engineering with Kinro, then he founded a successful commercial fenestration company with his father that manufactured commercial storefronts, storm windows and doors, and specialty window products for local builders. Kinard later returned to Kinro as vice president of engineering and now works as their consultant.

The Distinguished Service Award for the Architectural Products Group was presented to Gantt Miller, the CEO of Winco Manufacturing (St. Louis, MO), to recognize his formative work on behalf of the association and the Architectural Products Group. In his ten years with AAMA, Miller has contributed to 42 different AAMA committees and task groups and is currently involved in 25 of those committees. He served as chairman of the AAMA board of directors in addition to numerous other groups and roles involved in guiding the daily operations of AAMA. He has been at Winco for 30 years, having previously worked as a residential developer and maintaining an architectural practice. www.aamanet.org 

APPLIED ROBOTICS, INC. (GLENVILLE, NY) . . .
appointed Michael F. Quinn, PE, as CEO and President earlier this year. As a licensed professional engineer, Quinn brings 45 years of senior management and technical experience with the U.S. Naval Nuclear Program at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and an impressive record of leadership success in strategic planning, system engineering, and root-cause analysis. Applied Robotics manufactures end-of-arm tool changers, collision sensors, grippers, and other end effectors for automotive and other manufacturing applications throughout the world. http://www.appliedrobotics.com/

SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERS (DEARBORN, MI) . . .
earlier this year elected Paul D. Bradley, PE, the managing director of Peterson Industries (Adelaide, South Australia), as its 2011 president to lead the board in developing the SME Strategic Plan 201. He began as an apprentice with Peterson in 1980 and spent his career there to his current role of professional engineer and managing director. Throughout more than two decades with SME, he held leadership roles on the SME executive committee, board of directors, and several other appointments. In 2001, he received the South Australian Governor’s Leadership Foundation Fellowship Award. Bradley, who completed a four-year apprenticeship as a fitter and turner, is a registered professional engineer in South Australia and earned a diploma of management from O’Halloran Hill College. www.sme.org

HYDRO ALUMINUM (LINTHICUM, MD) . . .
hired Paul Murphy as Extrusion Manager for its North Liberty, IN facility of the Extrusion North America unit. He reports to Ralph Westphal, the general manager of the North Liberty plant. “Paul has significant experience in our industry and brings a focus to manufacturing and safety excellence,” said Westphal. “With his in-depth knowledge, he will help significantly improve our manufacturing process and our customer service.” Prior to joining Hydro, Murphy was employed for 16 years at Alcoa, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA), a leading manufacturer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. www.hydro.com/northamerica

U.S. STEEL CORPORATION (PITTSBURGH, PA) . . .
appointed Gerald W. Gagliano as General Manager, Customer Service, to replace Elizabeth L. Swearingin, who left the company to pursue other opportunities. He is now responsible for order entry and non-prime product sales for North American flat-rolled operations. Gagliano joined the company in 1977 as a programmer in systems and communications. During the next 17 years he advanced through increasingly responsible positions in information technology, accounting, and invoicing and accounts receivable. Gagliano graduated from Westminster College with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and physics. He will continue to be based at corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh.

James V. Bard succeeds Gagliano as General Manager, Logistics Services, responsible for overseeing all outbound rail, barge and truck operations in the U.S. and Canada. His career with U. S. Steel began in 1981 in the business planning organization at Gary Works. Over the next 22 years, he advanced through increasingly responsible positions in business and operations planning. Bard earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He will continue to be based at the company’s Pittsburgh headquarters.

Alvarado, 54, will add the responsibility of overseeing delivery performance for the company’s North American flat-rolled products to his existing duties related to the management of U. S. Steel’s centralized sheet products processing operations.

Peter J. Alvarado adds Bard’s former responsibilities for delivery performance to his current duties in the newly created role of General Manager, Delivery Performance and Processed Products. He began his career with U. S. Steel in 1981 as a metallurgical engineer, later transferred into marketing and sales and, during the next 20 years, advanced through a series of increasingly responsible positions covering a broad range of flat-rolled products, including nine years in automotive applications. Alvarado received a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical and materials engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and earned master’s degrees in both metallurgical engineering and business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He will continue to be based at the Pittsburgh headquarters.  All three report to Anton Lukac, the vice president of supply chain and customer service. http://www.ussteel.com/