NewMakers

new hires
James Siderits has joined HAECO in Loveland, Ohio, to lead sales and marketing for the Famatec ergonomic manipulator product line. He has more than 10 years’ experience in the machine tool industry as a manager of marketing communications, emerging business development and project management of strategic business initiatives for global manufacturing companies.

Edgetech I.G., the Cambridge, Ohio-based division of Quanex Building Products Corp., has hired Jeff Wycinski as quality engineer. Wycinski has more than 20 years of experience in quality control. He spent 24 years in various roles in the auto industry.

Peter Taft has joined Brio USA Inc. as operations manager. His initial responsibilities will be to set up operations at the new Rochester, N.Y., facility. Taft joins the hardware company with 25 years of experience in operations and sales-related positions.

Larry Eanes is the new architectural products manager for Insulated Glass of America in Dallas, N.C. He will be responsible for managing the Kawneer storefront inventory, estimating and architectural product sales. Eanes has 40 years of experience in the glass and aluminum industry.

As part of its increased focus on the glass market, Curbell Plastics Inc., a plastics supplier in Orchard Park, N.Y., has hired Liz Grimes as business development manager for security glazing and safety eyewear. Grimes brings 22 years of experience in the plastics industry to her new position.

Lloyd Buckwell has joined Reamstown, Pa.-based DORMA?Americas in the position of area human resources director for the Americas. He has held senior human resource positions at Wastequip, a fabricated metals and plastics manufacturer, and Schneller, an aerospace manufacturing company.

Mitchell VanderArk is the new project manager for Vos Glass in Grand Rapids, Mich. VanderArk has more than ten years of construction industry experience, and is an Army veteran.

Tubelite Inc. in Walker, Mich., has hired Mike Gilbert as a client development manager to work with clients in Georgia. He draws from 27 years of experience in architectural aluminum products, mostly recently with YKK AP America Inc. Wayne Storie has joined Tubelite as client development manager serving Maryland, northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Storie has nearly three decades of industry experience, having worked for AGC Flat Glass North America and Vitro America.

promotions
Greenfield, Mass.-based Argotec Inc. has promoted Bruce Wilby to chairman of the board and chief executive officer (CEO) of the corporation. He served previously as president and CEO. In addition, the company promoted J. Nicholas Filler to president and chief operating officer (COO). He has served as COO since 2007. Co-founders Dick Barnes and Steve Wolkenbreit will remain on the board of directors and stay involved in the company’s long-term strategic planning.

Kawneer Co. Inc., an Alcoa business, has appointed Norris McElroy as plant manager for its operation in Visalia, Calif. McElroy has 35 years of experience in the industry, including positions as general manager for the Alcoa Architectural Products plant in Eastman, Ga., as well as general manager of Kawneer’s western region.

Thomas VanSumeren has moved from Kawneer to its Traco division where he will serve as general manager. He has more than 20 years experience, most recently as plant manager for Kawneer’s curtainwall and window plant in Springdale, Ark.

appointments
Door manufacturer Ellison Bronze Inc. in Falconer, N.Y., has added Bob Paal to its team of independent representatives. Paal will supply Ellison doors to Southern California, Clark County, Nev., and Hawaii.

obituaries
Tommy Huskey, Gardner Glass Products
Freddie Thomas “Tommy” Huskey, CEO of Gardner Glass Products in North Wilkesboro, N.C., passed away on November 27 due to complications stemming from a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.

“The idea of creating an emotive marketing message for fabricated glass products was truly revolutionary to the industry,” says Mandy Marxen, vice president of marketing at Gardner Glass Products.

Under Huskey’s direction, Gardner Glass Products introduced the Dreamwalls family of glass products in 1999. His career in the mirror business spanned more than 35 years. He began his profession in the glass industry in 1980 as a territory sales rep for Carolina Mirror Co. in North Wilkesboro. He moved up the ranks within the company to regional sales manager, vice president of sales and, ultimately, the president and CEO in the late 1990s at the age of 36.

In the fall of 1996, Huskey joined Gardner Glass Products as executive vice president of sales and marketing. He became president in 1998, and in February of 1999, he and his management team bought out the company.

He is survived by wife Alison, son Cole and stepdaughter Alaina; one brother, Ronnie; and his mother, Cleo.
Randy Brooks, president, and Melissa Lackey, CFO, will continue to manage the company’s day-to-day operations.

Judy Tisdale, Tucker, Ga.
Judy Tisdale passed away on October 20 in Atlanta after a battle with cancer.
Tisdale and her husband, William, ran their own glass business in Tucker, Ga., and, later, she ran a small branch for the former

Arch Aluminum & Glass Co. Inc. in North Atlanta for about 10 years.

Gerhard Spittersberger, Lisec Director
Gerhard Spittersberger, managing director of Lisec Software in Austria, passed away on October 17 as a result of an aneurysm. He was 49. Spittersberger, who was based in Austria, had worked for Lisec for 28 years.

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