Polar Corporation announced that Robert D Denious has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the company. Denious is managing director at Questor Management Company LLC, which manages Questor Partners Fund II LP, Polar's majority shareholder. He was Polar's president and CEO for a period in 2009 and has since worked closely with its senior management team as board chair. Denious succeeds Ted Fick, who has resigned to pursue other interests.
Polar Tank Trailer has hired Frank Wohletz as division controller. He previously was chief financial officer at Microbiologics, a medical device manufacturer. Wohletz worked at Polar Corporation from 1993 to 1999 and served as the company's controller from 1995 to 1999. Polar Tank Trailer has named John Koll director of product management, a new department created to improve the company's line of tank trailers and develop new products. To replace him, the company has hired Don Olson as western regional sales manager. Olson is responsible for new equipment sales in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, and for used-equipment sales in those states as well as New Mexico and Colorado. He comes to Polar from Beall Corporation, where he was vice-president of sales in Southern California from 2002 to 2012.
Pump Solutions Group (PSG), a business unit within Dover Corporation, announced that Jeff Zhang has been appointed general manager for PSG's Shanghai facility in Lingang, China. He will report to David Wang, PSG's vice-president of Asia-Pacific. Zhang has spent more than 19 years in the pump industry through various multi-national companies. Prior to joining PSG, he served as general manager for Sundyne International Equipment (Tianjin) Co Ltd (SIET).
The Fulton Companies has appointed chief engineer Melissa M Wadkinson to three National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors subcommittees, each for a three-year term. These appointments include the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) Sub-committee Installation (Boilers); NBIC Sub-committee Installation (Pressure Vessels and Piping); and NBIC Sub-committee Installation (I). Wadkinson serves on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)-Member BPV Committee on Heating Boilers (BPV IV) and is the chair of the ASME Subgroup on Care of Operation of Heating Boilers (BPV IV).
PetroClear, a part of FRAM Filtration, has appointed Dwight Rutledge master account agent for PetroClear responsible for its distributor network as well as OE and national sales accounts. He will report to John Foley, business director of industrial filtration and director of international business development for FRAM Filtration. With 32 years of experience in the petroleum equipment industry, Rutledge has also served on the board of directors of the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI).
OEC Petroleum Systems announced that Gene Wright has been promoted to general manager. He succeeds Roger Skinner, who retired after 35 years of service. Wright has more than 32 years of experience in sales and service of petroleum equipment.
Baldwin Filters, headquartered in Kearney NE, recently promoted Steve Merritt to vice-president of product engineering. Merritt, who joined the firm 16 years ago, most recently was senior director of product engineering.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) announced that Matthew Stevenson is the new vice-president of marketing for its commercial tire division. His most recent position was general manager of North American field operations and marketing for Meritor Inc.
XRS Corporation, (formerly Xata Corporation), announced that Brendan Reidy has joined the company as its new president and chief operating officer. Reidy is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Clarus Systems in Redwood City CA. He will report to Jay Coughlan, XRS chairman and CEO.
Dale Cameron has joined Ridewell as western regional sales manager responsible for Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Cameron has been in the commercial truck and trailer industry 35 years and spent the past 20 years focusing on suspensions.
Norio Karashima, former president and chief executive officer of Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC), is returning as executive advisor to the company's Fullerton CA headquarters. The announcement was made by YTC's parent company, the Yokohama Rubber Company Ltd (YRC) based in Tokyo, Japan. Karashima joined YRC in 1976, and his most recent title was director and executive vice-president, chief global marketing officer.
Fontaine Fifth Wheel has reorganized its sales and marketing department, and Aaron Puckett has been named director of national fleet sales. He will manage fleet sales key account managers Steve Wyatt, Bert Ellis, Bob Merkov, and Mike Mazzeo. Gavin Trinoskey has been promoted to OEM business development manager. He will assist Terry Mennen, vice-president of sales and marketing, with overall management of Fontaine's OEM customer accounts. Julio Bustos has been promoted to manager, Latin America sales, with responsibility for sales and marketing throughout Mexico, Central America, and portions of South America. Dannie Hughes has been named field service manager, responsible for updating and implementing service and training programs.
ASF Intermodal announced that Wade Glenn has been named director of sales, a new position reporting to the vice-president of sales. Glenn is based at ASF's Memphis TN terminal and oversees sales for Memphis, Mobile AL, and Houston TX. With more than 30 years of transportation and business management experience, he has worked for the firm since October 2012 and transitioned to the new position from his previous role in driver support.