January Industry Watch: People

KENNAMETAL INC. (LATROBE, PA) . . .

named Bernie McConnell, the current vice president of global MSSG marketing, as the new vice president of the Widia Products Group and Services, which includes the Widia, Hanita, Rübig, Manchester, Clapp-DiCo, Greenfield Tap & Die, and Circle brands; while KM and Erickson tooling systems will be available in both Kennametal and Widia Products Groups.

McConnell has over 15 years of professional experience in various positions within marketing product management, market segment management, and manufacturing at Kennametal. New product sales have climbed from 18 percent five years ago to 45 percent today. The total number of SKUs has been reduced from 383,000 three years ago to 165,000 today. He obtained a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Penn State University and an MBA in business management from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. www.widia.com

JET EDGE, INC. (ST. MICHAEL, MN) . . .

recently toured Douglas K. Woods, the president of the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and Robert L. Akers, Jr., the chief operating officer of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), through the St. Michael headquarters during a recent trip to Minnesota. Woods and Akers were in the Twin Cities to participate in a Great Manufacturing Get Together panel discussion regarding the economic recovery.

During their visit, Woods and Akers toured the manufacturer?s 100,000 sq ft production facility and saw live demonstrations of waterjet cutting technology. They discussed the recession?s impact on OEMs with company president Jude Lague and shared their insight on how manufacturers can prepare for the recovery by concentrating on research and development, promoting productivity and cost-saving benefits of their products, and developing export business in growing international markets. Lague shared how his company is positioning itself to emerge as a recovery leader by developing innovative waterjet technologies, adding international distribution partners and exploring new markets. www.jetedge.com

BUSHMAN AVONTEC (HAMILTON, ON) . . .

added Chris Hill as vice president sales and marketing for below-the-hook and custom fabrication. He will report to John Brammer, managing director of the Hamilton facility. Hill is formerly from COH Larco (Stoney Creek, ON), where he held the position of sales manager since 2004. Prior to this he had his own successful crane service business, Sertech Industrial Inc., which he sold to COH Larco in 2004.

He has extensive experience and knowledge in overhead cranes, electrical controls, and below-the-hook lifting equipment, and is well known in the manufacturing and heavy steel industries throughout North America. He will give the company greater exposure in the lifting equipment, overhead crane and custom fabrication markets across Canada and will undoubtedly boost the company?s sales effort. www.BushmanAvonTec.com

CALIFORNIA STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.

(FONTANA, CA) . . .

restructured the function of three vice presidents in its organization. Ricardo Bernardes, the chief financial officer/executive vice president of finance, is now the executive vice president of commercial. He retains responsibility for slab acquisition and transportation and is now responsible for all sales of steel products. He has been chief financial officer since September 2003.

Brett Guge, the vice president, administration, is now the executive vice president of finance and administration, responsible for all financial matters of the company. He continues his current responsibilities for human resources, environmental, safety and information services and public and governmental affairs, and also continues as corporate secretary for the company. He has served in his current capacity at CSI since May 1997.

Toshiyuki ("Ted") Tamai continues as executive vice president of operations, responsible for operations, engineering, shipping and production planning, in which he has served since July 2001. Now he also assumes responsibility for the purchasing department that procures supporting maintenance, repair, operations and capital expenditures. He. He has been with CSI since 1995.

With 900 employees, CSI is a leading producer of flat rolled steel products in the western U.S. based on tonnage billed of hot rolled, cold rolled, and galvanized sheet and electric resistant welded pipe. www.californiasteel.com

HYPERTHERM, INC. (HANOVER, NH) . . .

recently expanded its management team. Jeff Deckrow, formerly regional director for North America, is now the vice president of North American sales that will lead a team focused on delivering superior value to channel partners and customers in the company?s largest geographic market.

Peter Vickers, formerly the regional director for Europe, is now the vice president of international, leading the continued expansion of the company?s global presence and ensuring strong support to partners in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

Dave LaPrade, formerly team leader of Hypertherm?s mechanized business, is now vice president and general manager of systems, overseeing the continued development of the mechanized and hand-held plasma cutting systems business in conjunction with growing offerings in CNC controllers, torch height controls, and nesting/process-optimization software added in the acquisition of MTC Software.

Finally, Gordon Rice, who served as team leader of the torch and consumables business, is now the vice president and general manager of consumables, responsible for expanding the torch and consumables businesses, including the recently acquired laser consumable business, Esse A Srl. www.hypertherm.com

HYDRO ALUMINUM (LINTHICUM, MD) . . .

added Robert Sharpe and Shane Young to the Extrusion Americas sales team in the Midwest. Sharpe is based at the Monett, MO facility while Young is in North Liberty, IN.

Prior to joining Hydro, Sharpe was an account executive for Indalex. He previously held manufacturing supervisory positions with Easco Aluminum and Taycal Press. Young is the new sales territory manager for Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. He was most recently employed at American Aluminum, and brings the nearly ten years of progressive experience in the aluminum industry.

In North America, Hydro provides aluminum supply sourcing, extrusion, finishing, and fabrication of components, as well as engineering and contract manufacturing services, for a variety of industries. www.hydro.com/northamerica

TITANIUM METALS CORPORATION

(DALLAS, TX) . . .

named Bobby D. O'Brien as chief executive officer in addition to his current position as president. He has served as president since 2007 and, before that, as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company, which is a leading worldwide producer of titanium metal products. Steven L. Watson will continue serving as vice chairman of the board of directors, and Harold C. Simmons will continue as chairman of the board of directors. www.timet.com

ASTM INTERNATIONAL

(W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA) . . .

named Roger E. Stoller, Ph.D., of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN), as the 2010 chairman of the board of directors. He is a distinguished research staff member and the program manager for fusion reactor materials in the Materials Science and Technology Division of the lab, and is a co-principal investigator for the ORNL Energy Frontier Research Center on Defect Physics that was funded in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy?s Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Prior to his arrival at ORNL in 1984, he served was a research associate and graduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and was employed as a staff engineer in General Electric?s Advanced Reactor Systems Department (Sunnyvale, CA). Stoller is currently an adjunct professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 publications and reports on the effects of radiation on materials in environments that include light water and fast breeder reactors as well as fusion reactors. www.astm.org

FRIGEL NORTH AMERICA (EAST DUNDEE, IL) . . .

added Al Fosco as the industrial markets sales manager to support the heat treating market and others with critical process cooling needs. ?The heat treating business demands a continuous supply of clean water to perform competitively,? said company president Steve Petrakis. ?Al?s background and experience matches our technology up with leading heat treaters who are looking for ways to get ahead in this hyper-competitive marketplace.?

Fosco previously spent 16 years with Conair?s Water Products Division, holding sales and engineering management positions, including vice president of sales and marketing and general manager of engineering. He has a masters degree in heat transfer and fluid mechanics engineering from the University of Illinois. www.frigel.com/na

DORNER MFG. CORPORATION (HARTLAND, WI) . . .

promoted John Kuhnz to marketing director to oversee all marketing and advertising initiatives that support its conveyor platforms. He will also coordinate new product research and development functions for industrial and sanitary markets and lead the public relations, Internet and trade show activities. www.Dorner.com

SUMITOMO MACHINERY CORPORATION OF AMERICA (CHESAPEAKE, VA) . . .

has four more individuals who have recently become project management (PMP) certified: Engineering Service Center director Brian Perkins received his certification in May; IT manager Mario Haeck received his certification in November; chief applications engineer Paul F. Martin and Quality Operations Manager Jennifer Shambley each received their certification in December. www.sumitomodrive.com

BUNTING® MAGNETICS CO. (NEWTON, KS) . . .

added Paul Scott as a design engineer for their material handling product line who will also assist in the automation of their design process through the expanded use of software applications. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Kansas State University in mechanical engineering. His background includes design and engineering for the automotive, magnetic material and aerospace industries. www.buntingmagnetics.com