Contractors and Vendors in the News - July 2006
Contractors
Orlando, Fla.-based Mechanical Services has appointed Bill Shelton as service manager of its
Clearwater, Fla., office. Shane Smith has been named as supervisor of building automation.
Larry Mixon was appointed manager/ sheet metal shop.
Elizabeth Cavanaugh has joined the Nexstar Network as the organization's finance director.
Her duties will
include human resources and information systems.
John Stern, vice president of Bert C. Young & Sons Corp., has been elected 2006-2007 president
of the Chicagoland Better Heating-Cooling Council. Other officers elected include Kevin L. Bailey,
vice president at Fluid/Air Products, first vice president and June Tucker, project manager at
International Piping Systems, second vice president. Elected to two-year terms on the CBHCC Board of Directors include: Michele James, sales engineer at Mechanical Inc.; Tom Olson, vice president/service
at Thermodyne Mechanical Service; and William Reining, service operations manager at Independent Mechanical Industries.
Linc Network has named Jim Thrash its new director of franchise development. Based at the
company's Alpharetta, Ga., headquarters, Thrash will concentrate on expanding the Linc Service Network through
the sale of franchise agreements. Most recently, he was director of franchise development for the United States
and Canada with Atlanta-based Aaron Rents.
Quality Service Contractors has hired as its new business management coach, Lawrence Snow, a 31-year
veteran of the industry. He has been with the organization since June. As business coach, he will provide a
variety of services, such as business analysis, strategic planning, competitive analysis and program/seminar
development. Snow replaces Mike Maynard, who resigned to return to HVAC contracting.
The 10 recipients of the 2006 A.O. Smith Professional Contractor Association Scholarship Program will each receive a $2,000 scholarship to apply to their higher education. The recipients are: Matthew Agan, son of
Tim Agan, representing Agan Drain & Service Co. in Rome, Ga.; Chelsey Bloomquist,
daughter of Ruth Bloomquist, representing Peters' Hardware in Wausa, Neb.; Marla Cordray,
daughter of Barry Cordray, representing Perry Kelly Plumbing in Cincinnati; Chelsea Drozdowicz, daughter of Daniel Drozdowicz, representing E&D Water Works in Janesville, Wis.; Elizabeth Esser, daughter of Randy Esser, representing Ray Esser & Sons in Elyria, Ohio; Victoria Fryer, granddaughter of Michael Leanhart, representing Leanhart Plumbing in Louisville, Ky.; Trisha Lounsberry, daughter of Brian Lounsberry, representing Vankal Heating & Cooling in Gobles, Mich.;
Sarah Rinehart, granddaughter of Donald Clapp, representing Don's Electric in DeWitt, Iowa.;
Julie Stefanski, daughter of Raymond Stefanski, representing Ray Stefanski Plumbing &
Drain Cleaning in Baltimore; and Steven Surachman, son of Ellen Schmidt, representing
RJB Plumbing in Toms River, N.J.
Vendors
Modine Manufacturing Co. has promoted Thomas A. Burke, who has been with the company since May 2005,
to executive vice president and chief operating officer. Burke had been with Visteon Corp. where he was vice
president/North American manufacturing operations. Robert R. Kampstra, who has been with Modine
since March as assistant controller, has been promoted to corporate controller. Kampstra previously was manager of
financial reporting and compliance for School Specialty.
Eva Fox, vice president/marketing for T&S Brass and Bronze Works, has been appointed to the
Handwashing Leadership Forum of Handwashing For Life, an organization that seeks to minimize the risk of
food-borne illness via best practices in independent, objective and practical hand hygiene solutions.
Jacuzzi Brands has appointed Alex P. Marini chief executive officer, effective Aug. 31.
Marini will succeed David H. Clarke, who is retiring. Clarke will also retire as chairman and a member of the
board of directors effective Sept. 30. Marini was named president and chief operating officer of Jacuzzi Brands
in August 2005. He joined Zurn, the company's commercial plumbing products business, in 1969 and was named president
of Zurn in 1996.
Glenn Mosack, president of Conbraco Industries, has been nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur
of the Year Award. The award recognizes the work of individuals in building and growing successful companies in the
United States and around the world.
Jim Bjork, executive vice president, Uponor North America, and a member of Uponor Corp.'s
executive committee, has resigned. Bjork has worked for Uponor in a variety of management positions since he
joined the company in 1990.
Terex Construction Americas recently expanded its product management team to cover four different groups of equipment.
In addition to senior product manager Lowell Stout, Bob Wickwire
(heavy excavators and wheel loaders), Bill Parker (compact excavators and wheel loaders), Ernie Ferguson (backhoes, rollers and dumpers) and Ken Emmett (trucks, motor graders and scrapers)
make up the new team.
Philip Kingsfather will become president and chief operating officer for Simpson Strong-Tie in
August. Kingsfather will succeed Steve Lamson, who announced his plans to retire in 2007.
Lamson will stay on until then and assist with the transition. Kingsfather is currently vice president of
Simpson Strong-Tie's Anchor Systems product line and has been with the company for 27 years.
William Leuschen has joined the Taco field sales force as central commercial regional manager.
He has 25 years of experience in the HVAC industry, having worked previously for Paco Pumps and Crane
Pumps and Systems.
Kenneth Chia has joined Noritz as its new marketing coordinator, responsible for all
media relations, public relations and trade shows. He replaces Matt Beaulieu, who is
moving on to new opportunities.