People In The News August 2013

Aug. 1, 2013

Fleets & Terminals

Groendyke Transport announced that David Snapp, vice-president of the Central Region, has been promoted to vice-president of operations. Bernie Higgins, vice-president of the Gulf Region, has been promoted to senior vice-president of chemical sales and marketing. Wade Harrison, Gulf Coast business development manager, has been promoted to the Gulf Region Operations as vice-president. Dave Wingo, Chicago terminal manager, will assume responsibilities for the newly developed Eastern Region and has been promoted to director of the Eastern Region. He will continue to manage operations for the Chicago terminal. Marty Moulton, Wichita terminal manager, has been promoted to director of the Central Region. Kirk Swestka, Wichita assistant terminal manager, has been promoted to Wichita terminal manager.

Oiltanking Partners LP announced the appointment of Jonathan Z Ackerman as vice-president and chief financial officer, effective July 1, 2013. Kenneth F Owen, the partnership’s current CFO, has been named terminal manager of the Houston TX complex and will be responsible for managing the profit center. Owen will work with Ackerman to ensure a smooth transition prior to assuming full-time responsibilities in his new role September 1, 2013. Ackerman previously was with UBS Investment Bank, where he was most recently managing director, mergers and acquisitions and co-head, Strategic Solutions Group.

Suppliers

Pump Solutions Group (PSG), a business unit within Dover Corporation, has named John Peppervice-president of integration responsible for global integration of Brookvale, Australia-based Ebsray Pumps, which PSG acquired earlier in 2013. He previously led PSG’s sales and business development efforts in the Americas and will temporarily relocate to Australia during this transition. Andrew Usuki has been named vice-president, sales and business development–Americas, replacing Pepper. Usuki previously served as PSG’s vice-president, vertical market management. PSGannounced that Ueli Thuerig has been appointed president of PSG Europe. Thuerig, formerly chief executive officer of PSG operating company Maag, will report to PSG President Dean Douglas. To help support the newly formed PSG Europe organization, Bernhard Dicks was appointed senior vice-president of operations for the European region. Dicks previously served as vice-president/general manager–European operations.

OPW has combined its Above Ground and Below Ground business units into a new unit called OPW Retail Fueling. Mike McCann has been appointed vice-president and general manager of the combined group and will report directly to OPW President David Crouse. McCann previously was vice-president and general manager of the Below Ground Products Group since 2007.

Meritor Inc recently honored Patrick Gibson with its 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award for Manufacturing Engineering. Gibson, senior director, industrialization and operations strategy at Meritor’s Troy MI headquarters, earned the award for several major accomplishments. These include leading launch teams that opened Meritor facilities in Forest City NC and Cienega, Mexico; leading the Truck division’s strategy for manufacturing development and major capital reinvestment projects; and assisting in the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle program launch. Meritor recently honored João Roberto Alboledo with its 2012 Lifetime Engineering Achievement Award for Manufacturing Engineering. Alboledo, manufacturing specialist at Meritor Brazil, earned the award for developing and implementing precision forging at Meritor’s Osasco, Brazil facility, where he led all precision forging process modernization projects, resulting in multiple efficiency and productivity improvements. Besides mentoring colleagues on manufacturing techniques, he also led the 5S improvement methodology in Osasco. Meritor recently named Jason Grasman the company’s 2012 Manufacturing Engineer of the Year. He earned the award for his distinguished and cost-competitive contributions to the design and launch efforts of the brake spider machining and assembly process for on-highway truck air cam brakes at the firm’s York SC facility. Meritor used this to in-source brake spider machining, resulting in lower machine times that drove productivity improvements as well as cost savings.

Luis Martinez was hired as the newest salesperson at Littlejohn Inc in March 2013. Working in Carson CA alongside other sales team members, he comes to the firm with experience in the tanker parts sales industry as well as experience in industrial supplies sales.

Olivier Ahmadzadeh is now responsible for creating and delivering framework agreements and structuring Emco Wheaton’s entire aftermarket activity as the firm’s new global director of aftermarket. Based in Lyon, France, he is supported in his role by Hans Annuszies, who has been appointed aftermarket manager for loading arm operations in Germany. Spearheading efforts to improve the client experience in the United Kingdom will be Ian Robertson, customer service manager, based at the company’s head office in Margate, Kent. Emco Wheaton also has expanded its global sales team and appointed a new global marketing manager, Emma Ardley-Batt.

Hutchens Industries has added Justin Clopton to its sales team as regional manager for Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, extreme northwest Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. He studied business management at Missouri State University and has lived his entire life in Springfield MO, location of Hutchens’ main office.

The Gates Corporation has namedJeff Brekke executive vice-president of the company’s Global Aftermarket business in addition to his current role as president of North America Aftermarket. The company also announced Jack Ramsey will become senior vice-president–North America Aftermarket. Brekke has 33 years of aftermarket industry experience working with Gates customers in global operating environments. Ramsey, who joined Gates in 1993, most recently was sales and divisional vice-president.

Tom Otter, vice-president of sales and marketing for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, has been named co-chair of the leadership team for the ninth annual Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW ‘14). The conference will be held January 27-30, 2014, at The Mirage in Las Vegas NV. Edward Neeley, president of Truck Supply Co of South Carolina, joins Otter as co-chair. John Bzeta, Fleet Brake president and chief executive officer, was selected as HDAW vice-chair.

MAC Trailer has named Matt Simmons as its new Waste Division product manager. He has many years of experience in the trucking and waste industries. The company also appointed Mike Johnson as its new product manager responsible for the MAC pneumatic dry bulk tank lines. Johnson has more than 30 years of trailer manufacturing experience and is an expert in pneumatic conveying and material handling.

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