Industry Watch: People

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

LA-CO® INDUSTRIES, INC./MARKAL COMPANY
(ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL) . . .
welcomed George Bowman as its new company president. He joined LA-CO after the retirement of recent president John Hardin. In his new role, Bowman will help redefine the company’s future business plans to ensure growth and success in 2012 and beyond. His responsibilities include collaborating with customers to develop product innovations, building relationships between product engineers, customers and suppliers, and providing strong leadership to all employees.

“George is a proven leader in business, and we’re thrilled to welcome him aboard,” noted Dan Kleiman, the chief executive officer of the company. “While John’s retirement is bittersweet for our team, George’s extensive experience, coupled with his enthusiasm for the industry, makes him the perfect fit for this role. We believe that he’ll help steer us into a future of continued growth and success.”

Bowman brings with him an extensive amount of leadership and business experience, having most recently served as the vice president of construction products for Miller Electric (Chicago, IL). He also worked as the president of Enerpac at Actuant Corporation (Milwaukee, WI), and at General Electric Industrial Systems for 11 years in various sales, engineering and business leadership roles.

He received his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and holds bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Minnesota. In addition to his numerous accomplishments in business, Bowman is also a member of the American Welding Society (Miami, FL) and highly involved in various community service initiatives, including serving on the board of advisors for the Teen Challenge of Milwaukee and volunteering with the United Way. www.laco.com

NISSAN FORKLIFT CORPORATION (MARENGO, IL) . . .
announced Lewis Byers as the business development manager for the east region. Bringing 23 years of sales and operations experience in the materials handling industry to the position, Byers is responsible for the business development of 19 dealers in the east region of the U.S. and Canada. His territory stretches from Newfoundland south to Miami, Florida.

“We are happy to welcome Lewis to our team,” said Rick Green, the director of sales for Nissan Forklift. “His in-depth experience in the industry and his sales background make him a valuable asset to the dealers that he works with in our east region.” Byers earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from the University of North Florida. He resides in Jacksonville, FL. www.nissanforklift.com

PRIMA POWER LASERDYNE (CHAMPLIN, MN) . . .
appointed Allan Callander to market sales manager for Laserdyne 430 systems as part of the company’s expansion of its laser systems business to include industries such as medical devices, electronics, and precision mechanical components.

Mark Barry, the vice president of sales and marketing, stated, “Allan’s near-term focus will be on growing sales of the multi-axis system that is ideal for the precision cutting, welding and drilling of 2D and 3D medical components. His new position furthers our strategic goal for the continued growth of sales around the world and for the growth of 3D system sales in North America. He is a great addition to our team, having experience in successfully marketing laser and related products to both the medical and electronics industries. His technical background as a degreed engineer, combined with an intimate knowledge of laser processing in manufacturing, is extremely valuable to customers.”

Callander previously held management positions with Winland Electronics (Mankato, MN), LPL Systems, Inc. (Mountain View, CA), HEI Inc. (Victoria, MN), and GSI. In each case, he successfully launched and managed the development of new products while multiplying sales of established products to leading medical device and electronic manufacturers. He holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor of science in materials engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. www.primapower.com

CINCINNATI INCORPORATED (HARRISON, OH) . . .
added Kent Dixon as a new senior sales engineer for Texas. He brings more than ten years of engineering experience, including, design, manufacturing and project management, and 13 years of capital equipment sales experience to the company. He will address application challenges, facilitate machine purchases and provide support to Texas-based customers. Dixon holds a BS in Engineering from Texas Tech University. “We are committed to providing the highest quality products, customer service and support in the industry, as reflected by the addition of team members with Kent’s level of experience,” said Mike Seall, the vice president of the company. www.e-ci.com

WESTWIND TECHNOLOGIES (HUNTSVILLE, AL) . . .
named William H. Jolly as its president and chief executive officer. His credentials include extensive corporate management experience in technical services and manufacturing for government customers, along with a 25+ years background in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Roger Messick, the chief operating officer for the company, said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Bill Jolly to lead our team. His record of success in technical and manufacturing services will give our aviation integration and modification customers an added dimension of expertise to better serve them.”

Jolly’s knowledge of scientific and technical services, combined with mechanical and electrical manufacturing, is broad-based and includes top-level executive experience with Tyonek Manufacturing Group, Inc. (Madison, AL) subsidiaries ITT Systems and Pratt & Whitney. In his new role he will further expand the company’s market position in aviation products and services as well as provide solid industry leadership. Jolly said, “I am excited about this new opportunity and about the work to be done with this outstanding team. Together, we will go to new places and continue to be first in class for Army Aviation.”

WestWind Technologies is a privately-held small business with corporate headquarters in Huntsville, AL just minutes from the Redstone Arsenal and hangar operations on the Huntsville International Airport. Since its founding in 1999, this manufacturer has been providing both military and commercial customers with solid performance and unparalleled response times in engineering, manufacturing, logistics, as well as modification and integration. WestWind holds ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100:2004 Rev B certifications. www.westwindcorp.com

LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS, INC. (CLEVELAND, OH) . . .
elected Doug Lance as vice president of operations and Thomas Matthews as vice president of research and development. Lance is responsible for operational processes and staff in the corporate facility in Cleveland, along with the welding equipment manufacturing operations in Torreon, Mexico. Matthews has responsibility for North American product development processes and staff, and continues to coordinate design efforts around the world.

Lance began his 21-year career with the company as an engineering trainee in 1990 after graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. He has completed Lincoln’s International Business Development program at Thunderbird School of Global Management. Lance has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s Consumable and Machine divisions, including the areas of plant engineering and quality assurance. He has also served as the company’s Mentor Plant Superintendent, Consumable Division General Manager and, most recently, Machine Division General Manager.

Matthews joined the company as an engineering trainee in 1988 and was promoted to several product development positions prior to becoming Director of Machine R&D in 2004. He earned a bachelor of science degree in physics, with minors in chemistry and mathematics, from Southern Oregon State College. He also completed post-graduate work in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington, earned an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, and completed the International Business Development program at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Lincoln. www.lincolnelectric.com

MAGNET APPLICATIONS/BUNTING® MAGNETICS COMPANY
(NEWTON, KS) . . .
added Dr. Pete Lipetzky as the new general manager for the DuBois, PA facility to oversee the total manufacturing and sales operations for the plant and report to Robert J. Bunting, the owner and chief executive officer of the company. “Pete brings an incredible mix of technical expertise and operational experience to this role,” Bunting said. “That is critical at Magnet Applications because of the complex designs that we get involved in with our customers. The highly technical magnets we create using our compression bonding and injection molding capabilities demand knowledge and precision. Pete brings that mindset to this role.”

Dr. Lipetzky has a deep background within the industrial and educational sectors for metallurgy and other material science-based applications. He holds an impressive range of academic degrees, which includes a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in materials science and engineering/applied physics from Brown University. He also holds master of science degrees in both mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from Brown. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Montana State University with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering and holds an MBA from the Katz Business Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Previously, Dr. Lipetzky served as a professor of mechanical and materials engineering at Pennsylvania State University, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute and the Technical University of Vienna. Prior to joining Magnet Applications, he served as the director of technology and interim general manager for ATI Powder Metals (Pittsburgh, PA). www.buntingmagnetics.com

CML USA, INC. ERCOLINA (DAVENPORT, IA) . . .
added Gary Parks as the new manufacturer’s representative responsible for the northern portions of California and Nevada. He brings with him 27 years of metalworking and fabricating sales experience. www.ercolina-usa.com

HAECO (LOVELAND, OH) . . .
hired James Siderits to lead sales and marketing for the Famatec ergonomic manipulator product line. Siderits has more than ten years of experience in the machine tool industry as a manager of marketing communications, emerging business development and project management of strategic business initiatives for global manufacturing companies.

“James’ professional background and personal experience growing up in a family-owned job shop make him an ideal match for relating to our customer base, as we strive to increase penetration of our current markets and expand into related industries,” said Jerry Henline, the president of the company. “His responsibilities will include addressing the immediate needs of our customers, while helping set strategy and tactics for our company’s growth.” Siderits is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s BFA and MBA programs. www.haeco.us

LABORATORY TESTING INC. (LTI; HATFIELD, PA) . . .
hired Alan Fabiszewski as a metallurgist in the company’s Metallography Department. His responsibilities include microscopic, macroscopic and microhardness examinations of test samples, failure analysis and weld qualification. He is a Drexel University graduate with a BS degree in mechanical engineering and has completed courses through ASM International and NACE International. He brings over 20 years of experience in metallurgy, materials engineering, corrosion engineering and failure analysis to his new position. www.labtesting.com

STEEL MARKET DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
(SMDI; DETRIOT, MI) . . .
announced that Dr. Roger Heimbuch received the 2011 Market Development Industry Leadership Award for his management role in the Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) and his contributions to increasing the use of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) in the automotive marketplace. Heimbuch was honored at the American Iron and Steel Institute’s 118th General Meeting in Colorado Springs and was presented with the award at the 10th Annual Great Designs in Steel Seminar at Laurel Manor Conference Center in Livonia, MI.

“Through his work with the Auto/Steel Partnership, Roger has been instrumental in advancing steel as the automotive material of choice in North America,” said Daniel G. Mull, chairman of SMDI and executive vice president of sales and marketing for ArcelorMittal USA LLC (Chicago, IL). “The Partnership has produced several technical innovations that have revolutionized the way that cars are designed, making them more fuel-efficient while keeping them affordable for consumers. Roger’s leadership helped to secure the funding and technical expertise that increased the use of advanced high-strength steel technologies in the marketplace.”

The Market Development Industry Leadership Award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to advancing the competitive use of steel in the marketplace as a direct result of Market Development initiatives. Nominees are chosen by the board of directors of SMDI. According to Mull, Heimbuch helped to secure funding from the National Science Foundation which, together with the U.S. Department of Energy and the A/SP, provided $3 million for research to be conducted at nine universities to develop a new generation of AHSS grades.

Heimbuch served as executive director of the A/SP from 2004 through 2010 after retiring from General Motors Co. In this capacity, he provided coordination and guidance on programs that combined the work of automotive customers with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Advanced Materials Program and the SMDI’s Automotive Applications Council steel companies in research projects supporting the use of AHSS for vehicle mass reduction and improved safety. www.smdisteel.org

ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION (ARLINGTON, VA) . . .
announced that K. Alan Dick, the executive vice president and president of rolled products North America for Aleris (Beechwood, OH), has been elected to the Association’s board of directors and, effective January 1, he became the executive vice-president and CEO of Global Recycling at Aleris.

“I am pleased to be joining the Aluminum Association’s Board of Directors,” said Dick. “Aleris and the Aluminum Association have always represented a great partnership and I’m excited to continue and help grow that relationship from my position on the board.” He had served as executive vice president and president for rolled products North America since September 2009. Previously, he served in various other roles for Aleris, including senior vice-president and general manager for rolled products in North America from December 2007 until his promotion. He also served as senior vice president of global metals procurement and vice president metal sourcing.

“The election of Alan not only shows his commitment to the Association’s vital activities, but also our commitment to the Association and its sustainability work,” said Steven J. Demetriou, the chairman and CEO of Aleris and immediate past chairman of the Aluminum Association’s board of directors. “The Association is an important venue for industry communications, and continuing to inform the general public about the sustainable nature of aluminum. Dick has shown leadership on this issue at Aleris.” He has an MBA from Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY.

In related news, Thomas Brackmann, the chairman of the Association’s board of directors and the president of Nichols Aluminum (Davenport, IA), appointed as Jean Simon, the president of Primary Metal for Rio Tinto Alcan (Montreal, Quebec), to the chairmanship of the Association’s executive committee.

Simon has been part of the Rio Tinto Alcan team since 1979, holding various senior management roles, including president of Primary Metal North America (2006-2011), president of Primary Metal Quebec and USA (2005-2006), president (2004-2005) and vice president for operations (2002-2004) of Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, general manager of vaudreuil Works (2001-2002), general manager of Laterrière Works (2000-2001), and general manager of Isle-Maligne Works (1998-2000).

From 1994-1997, Simon served as chemicals manager at Vaudreuil Works and was appointed to the central bargaining committee for operational stability in 1998. He held various manager positions at Vaudreuil Works (1986-1994) and technical and management positions at the Jonquière potrooms (1979-1986).

“Jean Simon’s global perspective on the industry will be invaluable to the Association in the coming years,” said Heidi Brock, the president of the Aluminum Association. “As president of the board for the Aluminum Association of Canada, his appointment creates an opportunity to expand upon the existing excellent relationship between the two North American aluminum organizations.”

Simon also serves on several other boards, including: Fondation de ma vie at the Sagamie Hospital Complex, Fondation de l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Conseil du patronat du Québec, QG 100 Network, ABI Owners’ Committee, Conseil des manufacturiers du Québec, Canadian Club of Montreal. He is also a member of the Canadian American Business Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics engineering from Laval University. Simon is originally from Grand-Mère and is married with three children. www.aluminum.org

K&M MACHINE FABRICATING, INC. (CASSOPOLIS, MI) . . .
hired Chad Heathco to fill the role of chief financial officer to manage all financial activities of the business, including IT, human resources, and purchasing. The company also hired Bart Hatch to fill the role of operations manager, responsible for overseeing all operations. “Chad’s demonstrated track record as a successful public company finance director and hands-on business experience made him the perfect candidate to step into this important role on our management team,” said chief executive officer Michael McLoughlin.

Prior to his position with K&M, Heathco held the position of finance director for Deloro Stellite (Goshen, IN), where he was responsible for all financial activities of the global division, playing a key role in developing the business commercially, improving profitability, and generating cash. He has a bachelor of science degree in accounting and an MBA with a global business emphasis from Taylor University. He is married and has two children, ages two and five.

“We were also looking for a collaborative leader with the ability to provide fresh ideas for performance, as well as the skill to implement these initiatives. Bart brings the precise blend of skill set and experience to help position us for even greater success as we continue our pattern of steady growth,” added Heathco. Prior to joining the company, Hatch had a broad 18-year career at Whirlpool Corporation, where he provided strategy, project leadership, finance, sales and marketing expertise. Hatch has a bachelor of science in business administration from Western Michigan University.

K&M has provided full service precision fabricating and machining services to the construction equipment, mining equipment and power generation industries since1951. Its campus includes a 241,000 sq ft
machining building with 40 state-of-the-art CNC machining centers, a 67,000 sq ft fabrication shop, and a 35,000 sq ft burn facility.
www.k-mm.com

CARR LANE MANUFACTURING CO. (ELLISVILLE, MO) . . .
named Alan K. Frost as its new president, succeeding the late CEO Earl E. Walker. Frost holds a law degree and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and has extensive experience in process improvement through ISO 9001:2008 and as a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Examiner.

Frost has 37 years of experience at Carr Lane, having managed virtually all areas of the company during that time, including his most recent responsibilities as vice president of operations. The board and new president intend to continue to grow the company through enhanced customer service and process improvements across the company, including Carr Lane Drill Bushing Company, a division located in Austin, TX. The staff is being enhanced to enable this growth and change. www.clrh.com

SIGMATEK SYSTEMS, LLC (CINCINNATI, OH) . . .
appointed Dan Barr as the new vice president of sales and marketing, responsible for guiding the overall strategic direction and organizational leadership of sales and marketing activities for the company. Barr is a graduate of Miami University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing who has progressed through a variety of sales and marketing leadership positions over his professional career, most recently as the director of sales for Cintas Corporation (Cincinnati, OH).

“Dan brings a unique combination of solid leadership, proven success, and enthusiasm,” explained company president and CEO Ben TerreBlanche. “People are the lifeblood of any organization. While we certainly continually strive for technical superiority, it is the quality of our people that truly enables us to solidify our market leadership position. We welcome Dan to the organization and look forward to his contributions in the coming years.” www.sigmanest.com

TRI-COUNTIES SHEET METAL AND AIR CONDITIONING NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (VENTURA COUNTY, CA) . . .
appointed Stephen Reno of Oxnard as president. He will serve a two-year term, ending in January, 2013, and will also serve as chairman of the board of directors at SMACNA to represent the nonprofit organization as a spokesperson on local and national levels in the sheet metal industry. Reno’s goals are to grow SMACNA’s membership and the Tri-Counties Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Program it sponsors and to increase awareness to architecture and engineering opportunities within the sheet metal industry.

The Tri-Counties Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Program accepts individuals 18 years of age and older to train with craftsmen as apprentices. Trades include heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, architectural sheet metal, industrial sheet metal, kitchen equipment, specialty stainless steel work, custom fabricating, service, siding and decking, testing and balancing and energy management and maintenance.

Reno is a licensed contractor who has worked in the construction industry since the age of 13. He founded Merit Metal Products, Inc. (Oxnard, CA) 28 years ago and specializes in architectural sheet metal, custom metal work and working with exotic metals and alloys. www.TCSMACNA.org

HYNES INDUSTRIES (YOUNGSTOWN, OH) . . .
restructured with new leadership and announced four new leadership position changes. The company, which has served the metalworking industry for more than 85 years, named four new vice presidents. “Since I joined Hynes at the beginning of last year, we have launched a wide range of new projects and initiatives aimed at significant and continuous improvement in virtually all disciplines,” said D.R. Golding, CEO and president of the company. “The most critical component of our strategic plan has been pulling together this extremely talented leadership team.”

Patrick A. Montana has been named vice president of operations, responsible for manufacturing functions. Previously he served as the general manager of the Hynes Steel Products Division. Montana has been with Hynes for 27 years. Michael G. Giambattista was named vice president of marketing and sales, assuming overall responsibility for marketing and sales programs and staff. He was previously the general manager of the roll Formed Products Division and has been with the company for 25 years.

Richard S. Evans was named vice president of materials to manage across all product lines. He was previously director of purchasing. He has also been with the company for 25 years. James R. Blair, Jr. has been named vice president of finance and corporate treasurer. He will be responsible for all things financial, IT and HR. His previous title was corporate controller. He joined the company four years ago.

These changes come not long after William J. Bresnahan, president of the company since 1989, assumed the title of lead director, when Golding took over as CEO and president. Golding’s new leadership team has been put in place to accelerate the growth curve, drive organizational innovation and move Hynes to a new level of performance. www.hynesind.com

HYDRO ALUMINUM EXTRUSION NORTH AMERICA
(LINTHICUM, MD) . . .
added Jack Patrick as its health and safety director and promoted Tim Keesling to environmental director. Both report to Sally Hobbs, the vice president of human resources and health, safety and environment (HSE).

Patrick has more than 20 years experience building, driving and growing proactive HSE cultures in diverse business sectors, both domestically and internationally. He comes to Hydro from BAE Systems (London, England), a global defense and security company, where he was safety, health and environmental director. Prior to that, he held various HSE positions with Washington Group International (Boise, ID), a global engineering, construction and management services business, and with Fluor Daniel (Oshkosh, WI), an engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services organization.

Patrick earned a bachelor’s of science degree in industrial management from Jacksonville State University and is certified as a safety professional (CSP) and an industrial hygienist (CIH). He is based outside of Atlanta, GA, where he lives with his wife and three sons. “We have a solid safety reputation that is reflected in its record,” said Patrick. “I look forward to helping the company continually improve its execution in this area.”

Keesling will focus on improving the group’s environmental programs and compliance. He has been with the company for three years. He previously he held the position of environmental project manager. Keesling joined Hydro from Gerdau Ameristeel US Inc. (Charlotte, NC), where he was environmental manager.

“Jack and Tim have both proven themselves in the HSE area with years of experience and successful programs to their credit,” said Hobbs. “I am confident they will continue to keep us in our leadership position in terms of safety, environmental issues and compliance in the aluminum industry.” www.hydro.com/northamerica