Volume 35, Number 9, September 2000

People

PPG Announces New Division Vice Presidents

Barry J. McGee has been appointed PPG’s vice president of flat glass. McGee first joined the company in 1971. In 1990, he was appointed director of flat glass production and engineering, and was most recently vice president of glass technology and manufacturing services. He replaces Richard Leggett, who resigned recently for health reasons.

PPG also named Marc Talman vice president of packaging coatings for its London location. Talman previously was European packaging coatings general manager.

Dennis R. Kelly has been elected to the position of chairman of the board for the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). He will also continue to serve as president of the association’s architectural products group. Kelly is the vice president of Graham Architectural Products Corp., with whom he has been since 1981.

Likewise, Richard G. Walker has been appointed executive vice president. Walker joined AAMA in 1996 as technical director and was later named director of the southeast region. Prior to joining AAMA, he was technical director for the Vinyl Window and Door Institute.

Viracon, an Apogee Enterprises company, based in Owatonna, Minn., and Statesboro, Ga., has appointed a new president, Don Pyatt. Pyatt previously was employed by Intermet Corp. of Troy, Mich.

“Don brings strengths in manufacturing, sales and marketing to Viracon, one of our expanding businesses, with great future potential,” said Russ Huffer, chairman and CEO of Apogee. “He knows how to balance all aspects of an operation to achieve profitability and growth.”

Ray Adams of Coastal Industries Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., has been elected president of the Bath Enclosure Manufacturers Association (BEMA) for the year 2000. Adams previously was director of sales at Southeastern Aluminum.

The officers for the 2000 term include vice president, Fred (Spike) Knadler from Arizona Shower Doors Inc., treasurer, Tom Sulock from Agalite Shower Enclosures, Secretary, Bill Furr of Coastal Industries Inc. and past president, Tim Hinckley of Basco.

Scott Switzer has been named chief operating officer for Sully North America, a branch of Paris-based Saint-Gobain Corp. located in Valley Forge, Pa. Previously, Switzer was responsible for managing Sully North America which entails supplying high-performance security and safety products to customers throughout North America. Now, in addition, he will lead Saint-Gobain’s Pyramid Transit business, a Sully-subsidiary based in Dorval, Quebec.

The Italian Association of Glass-processing Machinery and Accessory Suppliers (GIMAV) Assembly recently
re-elected its board of directors. Annibale Besana will hold the office of president for the next two years, supported by honorary president Dino Fenzi. Maurizio Enrico and Angelo Lovati were nominated vice presidents, Michele Gusti was nominated president of the hollow glass group, and Ilario Borgonovo, president of gruppo vetrunione.

Lawrence T. Mitchel Passes Away

Lawrence T. Mitchel, founder of the MassPlate Group of Companies, died August 23, 2000, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He is survived by his wife Deanna, four children, one grandchild, two stepchildren and three step grandchildren.

Mitchel grew up in Chicago working for the glass company, which his great grandfather founded. Mitchel started Insurers Ltd. in 1965 in Chicago. It was later renamed MassPlate Glass Insurance Agency Inc. In addition to MassPlate, USPlate Glass Insurance Company was also founded in 1991 with offices in Westchester, Ill., Pompano Beach, Fla. and Garden City, N.Y. In addition, Massglass & Door Service Inc. was founded in 1990 as a nationwide glass and door service company, with offices in Agoura Hills, Calif.

USG