December 2005

Volume 6 Issue 11 December 2005

ONES TO WATCH

NEW HIRES
Tania Pinto Named Senior Account Representative for Frank Lowe
Frank Lowe Rubber and Gasket Co. Inc. of Farmingdale, N.Y., has announced the hiring of Tania Pinto as senior account representative. Prior to joining the company, Pinto developed and managed the call center for a publicly-held oil company.

Pinto brings with her eight years of experience with a background in customer service, business management and business development. She has trained many customer service representatives, as well as developed and structured a team of representatives to improve productivity significantly by closely monitoring the work flow, according to the company.

SAGE Bolsters Sales and Manufacturing Team with Three New Hires
SAGE Electrochromics Inc. of Faribault, Minn., has hired Lou Podbelski as vice president of marketing, Mark Hudoba as director of business development for building markets and Matthew Clark as director of manufacturing operations. The newcomers will oversee the market expansion of SageGlass® electronically tintable architectural glass.

Podbelski is now responsible for marketing and external communications, and also contributes to corporate sales. He most recently served as senior vice president of Harmon Inc.

Hudoba’s new duties also include marketing, communications and sales. After initially assisting with the expansion of SageGlass products to commercial channels, he will focus primarily on the residential market. Hudoba worked previously as director of new business for Wayne-Dalton Corporation in Pensacola, Fla.

Clark, who is the new director of manufacturing operations, and will oversee all aspects of the manufacturing process of SageGlass products. Clark previously worked across town at TruVue/ ViraTec and served as the focus factory manager.

ASSOCIATIONS
Wilhelm to Consult for AAMA in Florida
Dick Wilhelm has joined the Southeast Region of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) as a consultant responsible for handling code and legislative activities in Florida, according to Rich Walker, executive vice president for AAMA. Wilhelm serves currently as executive director of the Fenestration Manufacturers Association and is a lobbyist with many years of technical experience in high-performance fenestration, according to a news release. He will represent both AAMA and AAMA Southeast Region before the Florida Building Commission, the Florida State Legislature and the Florida Product Approval Program.

“In addition to lobbying for code and policy acceptance of Southeast AAMA proposals, Dick will provide regular and timely reports to AAMA members on related legislative issues and product approval issues within Florida,” said Walker.

Sigi Valentin continues as director of the AAMA Southeast Region and will also work with Wilhelm on developing code proposals and revisions based on direction from AAMA members, according to the release.

PROMOTIONS
Mark A. Parrish Named President and CEO of Deceuninck North America
Mark A. Parrish has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Deceuninck North America LLC, a business unit of the Belgium-based Deceuninck Group and a designer and extruder of vinyl profiles for doors, windows and other building products.

“Mr. Parrish was selected from an intensive search process and succeeds Darwin G. Brown in leading the company’s important North American operations,” said Dr. Clement De Meersman, managing director and chief executive officer of Deceuninck Group. “We are confident that he has the ability, the passion and the stamina to guide and direct the dedicated employees of Deceuninck North America to successfully meet the challenges of our industry.”

Brown will continue to serve as vice chairperson, remaining actively involved during the transition period and continuing on the board of directors thereafter.

Parrish’s previous executive experiences involve companies such as Harley-Davidson, Interface and Simmons. He has also worked with MW Manufacturers.

New Edgenet CEO Emphasizes Innovation and Commitment
Tom Frederick, the newly named chief executive officer (CEO) of Edgenet Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., says he is accelerating innovation and deepening industry commitment to help door and window manufacturers sell more easily and in more places than ever before.

“Our emphasis as a company is on optimizing the sale of building products, such as doors and windows, across all channels of business,” said Frederick. “We’ve gained tremendous experience as the standard millwork quoting system in the largest do-it-yourself retailers. Our latest innovations promise to streamline catalog creation, deployment and maintenance and revolutionize the way building products are sold everywhere,” said Frederick.

Frederick was named CEO and president of the company earlier this year. He brings more than 20 years of operating, consulting and investing experience in the technology industry, according to the company.

Also joining the company as director of sales building products, is Steve Cork who manages the sales and business development activities for professional building products. Cork has more than 20 years experience in the building products industry and has dealt with most major fenestration and exterior building product companies. Prior to joining the company, he was president of Crane Plastics Manufacturing and Royalguard Vinyl (divisions of Royal Group Technologies) where he helped develop the Royal Home Builder Program.