Southwire announced changes to its executive leadership team, including adding two new leadership positions. Juan Hernandez has been named Executive Vice President (EVP), Residential and Commercial Group. He joined the company in 1997, and most recently was senior vice president of infrastructure. He will join the executive leadership team. Veronica Braker will maintain her position on the executive leadership team with an expanded role as executive vice president, operations. She joined Southwire last year, leading strategic efforts such as environmental health and safety, quality, maintenance, lean, modernization and vertical integration. The company also named Rohan Kelkar as executive vice president, utility and industrial group. He most recently worked for Schneider Electric as EVP for its global Power Products business from 2021 until present. He previously spent more than 20 years at General Electric serving in executive roles. He will lead the utility and industrial groups as one unit while serving on the executive leadership team. Hernandez and Braker will formally assume their new roles on March 31. Based in Carrollton, Georgia, USA, Southwire is one of the world’s largest wire and cable manufacturers.

As part of a series of realignments, LAPP Group CEO Matthias Lapp will devote his full attention to his duties as CEO of LAPP Group, handing over his role as CEO of the important EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa) to Michael Seddig as of April 1, 2025. Seddig has been responsible for purchasing, production and logistics in the region as COO EMEA at LAPP since July 2023. The family initiated the handover to the third generation in 2022, when Andreas Lapp and Siegbert E. Lapp withdrew from the LAPP Group’s operational business. Matthias Lapp took over as CEO from Andreas Lapp after 12 years with the company. Katharina Lapp succeeded Siegbert E. Lapp on the LAPP Group’s Supervisory Board. Since then, Matthias Lapp has fulfilled his role as CEO of the Group in addition to his EMEA role. Before joining LAPP, Seddig held global, customer-facing management positions at LEONI, a supplier of cable solutions and wiring systems for the automotive industry. In parallel, Andreas Lapp is stepping down as chairman of the Supervisory Board of the European parent company U.I. Lapp GmbH. He will be succeeded by his nephew Matthias Lapp, who will join as chairman of the Supervisory Board after stepping down from the EMEA management. Based in Stuttgart, Germany, LAPP manufactures a wide range of products for the wire and cable industry, with some 5,800 employees worldwide.

 Ahmet Kabaktepe has been named director of sales - north at Marmon Industrial Energy and Infrastructure. He previously served as vice president of sales & marketing for Sark Wire Corp., where he worked in multiple roles for more than 14 years. Prior to that he was a marketing specialist for Sarkuysan A.S. in Turkey. He holds a B.Sc. degree in metallurgical engineering from Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi. A division of U.S.-based Marmon Electrical, Marmon Industrial Energy and Infrastructure produces electronic wire and cable products.

Johannes Weber was promoted from service account manager to service manager for Niehoff Endex North America. He has 25 years of field service experience with the Niehoff Group. He started his career in Germany and relocated in 2017 to the US. His last role was as service account manager. He replaces Rene Isael, who joined Niehoff in 1997 and has retired. Based in Swedesboro, New Jersey, Niehoff Endex North America is the U.S. business of Germany’s Maschinenfabrak Niehoff GmbH & Co.  KG, a leading manufacturer of nonferrous wire and cable machinery. 

David Devoe was recently named the new president/CEO of John Evans and Sons. He had previously worked for more than 30 years for Plymouth Spring, including serving as president there since 1994. He currently serves as the president of the New England Spring & Metalstamping Association (NESMA). Based in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, John Evans and Sons was founded in 1850. It was acquired by Lesjöfors, a Swedish spring manufacturer that is part of the  Beijer Alma Group.

Eland Cables announced two positions for its international team. Aaron Ellis was named head of key projects (EMEA). He most recently was at JDR Cables Systems, where he worked for 11 years, most recently as sales manager, renewables. His experience of large-scale installations will serve him well alongside his degree in engineering as he takes on an EMEA role covering key projects. Patrick Marx was named country manager for Germany and Austria. He has more than 20 years in the industry, including serving as director of sales for Central Europe. Still based in Germany, he will lead the company’s German-speaking European-based customer offerings. Based in London with its principal operations in Yorkshire, Eland Cables is a power, data, control and instrumentation cable supplier, primarily serving the energy infrastructure in Europe.

 
Obituary

Paul James Wagner, the chairman and CEO of Minnesota Wire, died Jan. 7, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In 1985, Wagner joined the company founded by his father, Fred Wagner, in sales. At the time, the company specialized in computer cable. Over the years, Paul Wagner changed the company’s scope, focusing on wire for the medical industry in 1990. He became president in 1992 and CEO in 2000. In 2003, the company began providing wire for the defense industry, including for products such as PDAs, night vision goggles and headset communication systems as well as military vehicles. It later extended to space technology sectors.

Paul Wagner was seen as a CEO who identified as the average man. To him, everyone mattered. Under his leadership, he and his company received numerous recognitions. He was named a 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® and a Distinguished Career Award winner by the Wire & Cable Manufacturers’ Alliance in 2020. Most recently, his company was named Business of the Year (2024) by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce for its excellence in innovation, growth and community impact. He gave his time and talent to a multitude of organizations. He held a degree in business with an emphasis in management from the University of St. Thomas. He is survived by his wife, Cindy, daughters Lauren Kaniho and Kelsey Gustafson, and multiple grandchildren.

Leggett & Platt announced the retirement of John Meyer, vice president of commercial rod and wire. A WAI Life Member, he served the company for 24 years, having previously worked for 22 years for Keystone Steel & Wire. His function will be assumed by Nick Avise, who has 20 years of wire industry experience. He joined the company as a sales representative in 2005 and was promoted to marketing/sales development manager in 2014, then to national sales manager in 2017 and then director of sales in 2021. He holds an MBA from Georgia Colleges & State University and a M.S. degree in chemistry from Missouri Southern State University. Based in Carthage, Missouri, USA, Leggett & Platt’s product lines include steel wire.

 American Wire Group (AWG) reported two promotions. Nada Filipovic was named vice president of marketing and communications. She joined AWG in 2020 as a marketing manager and previously worked for more than 15 years for Nexans. She has an MBA in international business from Niagara University and a B.A. degree in economics from McMaster University. Marketing Communications Specialist Kristina Borojevic, who joined the company in 2022, was promoted to director of PR and communications. She holds a B.A. degree in international relations and affairs from McMaster University. Based in Miami, Florida, the American Wire Group makes wire and cable products for utilities and renewable energy.

Keith D’Amato has joined Dranetz in distribution sales. He most recently worked for Sjogren Industries, where he served for nearly eight years in sales and marketing. Prior to that he worked for 17 years for Ripley Tools. He holds a degree in business and marketing from Fairfield University and an MBA in management from Albertus Magnus College. Based in Edison, New Jersey, a division of GMC- Instruments Group, Dranetz is a global manufacturer of intelligent monitoring solutions for electrical demand and energy and power quality requirements.

Peter Weimann has been named director of engineering at Amphenol Fiber Optic Products. He most recently was CTO for HFCL Limited, where he worked for three years. He previously worked for 23 years for OFS as director, optical cable R&D, North America; technical manager and senior R&D engineer. He holds a PhD degree in materials engineering from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. degree in materials engineering and organizational management from the University of Pennsylvania. Based in Downers Grove, Illinois, USA, Amphenol Fiber Optic Products, a division of Amphenol Corporation, provides solutions for fiber optic interconnect applications.

Emtelle has named Beni Blell president of its USA Division, tasked with strengthening the company’s presence in the American market. He has more over 30 years of experience in the optical communications industry, having held senior leadership roles in other globally recognized organizations. He will oversee operations and sales of Emtelle’s U.S. manufacturing and testing facility in Fletcher, North Carolina, which is a cornerstone of Emtelle’s “Made in America” initiative. Based in Fletcher, North Carolina, Emtelle USA is part of the U.K.’s Emtelle, which is a global manufacturer of pre-connectorized, blown-fiber cabling and ducted network solutions.

 
Obituary

Industry veteran Richard “Dick” Hall, the retired president and CEO of Champlain Cable Corporation, died Dec. 30, 2024, at age 76. Hall served for 20 years with the company, rising from vice president of sales and marketing to CEO. During that period, he led the company through a turnaround that saw four acquisitions completed, the expansion of one location from 200,000 to 500,000 sq ft, and a 10-fold increase in revenue. After his retirement, he continued to serve as an advisor through 2023. Hall’s prior experience in the wire and cable industry included senior vice president at Electro-Wire, vice president sales & marketing at the Brand-Rex Division of BICC, general sales manager at Harbour Industries, sales manager at A.E. Petsche and his first position, industrial sales, at ITT Surprenant. Throughout his career, Hall was known for his hard work, strong relationships and innovative solutions to turning companies around, but also for having an incredible sense of humor, a love of the industry and its people, and for mentoring many who also now hold high level positions in the wire and cable industry. A WAI Life Member, Hall was a 2004 recipient of the Wire Cable Manufacturers Alliance’s Distinguished Career Award. He was a former WCMA president and was one of the organization’s founding Board members when it was incorporated in 2004. Hall held an MBA degree from Northeastern University-Boston, a BSBA degree from John Carroll University-Cleveland and had completed senior level executive management programs at Harvard, Boston University, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan and University of Kentucky. He is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter, Emilie; sons Andrew and Nicholas; and six grandchildren: Lily, Hannah, Tyler, Parker, Makayla, and Stockton.

Tom Herd has joined Radcliff Wire as vice president of sales and marketing. He previously led similar teams for several companies that supply engineered products and components to OEMs and manufacturers in several key industrial markets including automotive, aerospace, and medical. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He replaces Scott Kirkpatrick, who joined the company in 2003, and has retired. Based in Bristol, Connecticut, Radcliff Wire  manufactures custom shaped wire for industries including aerospace, automotive and others.

Italy’s SAMP announced a series of organizational changes that have taken effect. Reporting to SAMP CEO Jouni Heinonen, will be: Mattia Baccini, vice president, who will lead the Global Machine Division, overseeing operations (Bentivoglio, Italy. Changzhou, China. and Cortinovis do Brasil, Brazil); Davide Pasqualotto, vice president, will lead the Global Customer Service Division, providing rapid response and tailored solutions and building lasting customer relationships worldwide; Valentina Pozzobon, vice president, will lead the Group’s Corporate Functions, driving strategic initiatives and sustainable growth to ensure operational excellence and financial strength, and building robust corporate infrastructure to support global expansion and market leadership. Based in Bentivoglio, Italy, SAMP supplies a wide range of equipment for wire and cable production.

 Prysmian has announced a new organizational structure  that will see the following people designated as follows. Under Business Segments: transmission will be led by Raul Gil, a neLw appointment; power grid will be led by Cinzia Farisè; electrification will be led Cristiana Scelza; and digital solutions will be led by Frederick Persson. Under Regions, North America will be led by Andrea Pirondini; Europe will be by Marcello Del Brenna, a new appointment; ATAM will be led by Giacomo Sofia, a new appointment; MEART will be led by Erkan Aydogdu; and APAC will be led by Hamavand Shroff. Under Operations and Group Functions, operations will led by Javier Arata, a new appointment; finance, administration, control and IT will be led by Pier Francesco Facchini; HR and organization will be led by Francesco Tutino; strategy & M&A will be led by Iuri Longhi; sustainability, investor relations and communication will be led by Maria Cristina Bifulco; risk management and compliance will be led by Alessandro Nespoli; corporate affairs will be led by Jacopo Zirulia; innovation and R&D will be led by Srinivas Siripurapu; and internal audit will be led by Paola Pulidori. Based in Italy, Prysmian is the world’s largest wire and cable company.

Nader Saad has been named CFO of TiniFiber®. He is tasked with driving the company’s strategic initiatives, including expanding its product portfolio, enhancing its presence in the North American market and advancing its innovative technology. He has more than a decade of experience in senior financial leadership roles. Nader served as CFO and Senior Vice President of Finance at RPM, a leading logistics and supply chain firm operating across North America and Europe. He also held the role of Financial Controller at RJ, a multinational logistics company, and has experience in the fiber optics sector through his tenure at Rocket Fiber. Based in Lindenhurst, New York, TiniFiber® manufactures  patented Micro Armor Fiber™ optical cabling solutions.

Obituary

Prof. Etienne Aernoudt, a prolific technical paper author, researcher and university professor who specialized in steel wire research and won WAI’s 2009 Mordica Memorial Award, died Dec. 6 at age 86.

A native of Belgium, Aernoudt earned an MSc degree in metallurgical engineering and a diploma in nuclear sciences at Catholic University of Leuven (CUL) in 1962. In 1964, he joined Bekaert Steel Wire Corporation (Bekaert) and became manager of its metal forming research center in Zwevegem, Belgium. He left Bekaert and continued his scientific training at the Westfalische Technische Hochschule, where he earned his PhD degree in sciences in 1966. He later returned to Bekaert. He started doing research work at CUL, where he was an assistant professor. In 1970, he became an associate professor, working in the Faculty of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at CUL. In 1974, he became a full professor, and in 1987 he was named rector of the Technical University of Leuven, the post he occupied for six years.

While working for Bekaert, Aernoudt was credited for producing the first hair-thin stainless steel fibers (10 micrometer). The scope of his wire research was wide. He dealt with cold deformations and metal texture as well as technological issues as extrusion, powder metallurgy, shape memory alloys, composite materials and biomaterials. He was an author on some 250 papers published in scientific journals about wire theory and technology, and nine books.

Aernoudt served in roles in multiple research organizations, including as chairman of the Metallurgical Society of the Royal Institution of Flemish Engineers (1976-1980); chairman of a working group on Neo-Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy (1982-1987); the International Conference of Textures of Materials (1988–1993), the Flemish Council for Industrial Scientific Research (1988–1991); the General Assembly of the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (1987– 1993); and chairman of a working group of the Royal Belgian Academy Council of Applied Science (1997-1999). He retired from CUL in 2003.

Beyond professional organizations, Aernoudt cooperated closely with colleagues and was praised for having a remarkable capacity for discovering talented people and contributing to their professional development. He was described as a person of powerful intellect, kindness and a very good sense of humor. He was also close to members of WAI’s Poland Chapter, especially Jan Pilarczyk, a retired professor at Częstochowa University who had nominated him for the Mordica Memorial Award in 200

Rainbow Rubber announced that Jonathan Rufe will be North American Sales Manager, effective Jan. 1, 2025. He joined the company in 2014, covering sales in New England and Canada, and thrived in those territories. Throughout his tenure at Rainbow, he has held many other responsibilities, such as marketing, trade show production and new product development. Most recently, he hired and managed agents in Canada and Mexico to expand those markets while maintaining his own territory and being a product specialist. He holds a B.A. degree in political science and government from Lafayette College, and recently completed an MBA program at Lehigh University.

Andree Cziczkat has joined Proton Products as global metals market manager. He most recently was account manager metal EMEA for Nordson Company, where he started out in 2008 as a regional sales manager EMEA. Prior to that he worked for four years for Iris GmbH and three years for Elco Pro GmbH. He holds an HF degree, electro-optic, medical technics, from Ruhr University Bochum. Based in the U.K., Proton Products Group is a leading manufacturer of instrumentation and control equipment for use in industrial production.

Amy Theobald Poras has been promoted to sales manager - east region at GEON Performance Solutions. She joined the company in 2021 as a wire and cable sales team leader. She previously worked as an application development manager for Coventus Polymers, as market development manager for wire and cable for Nexeo Plastics, sales manager southeast market for The Chemical Company and customer success director for Vendavo. Based in Westlake, Ohio, GEON Performance Solutions supplies PVC compounds, polyolefin products and engineered polymers.

Matteo Nascetti has been named General Manager Italy for SAMP. He has two decades of experience in the field of automated machinery and precision mechanics and is known for his strong focus on enhancing production processes and successfully integrating new technologies to improve corporate efficiency. He has worked extensively in developing economies, optimizing processes and driving local growth. Based in Bologna, Italy, the SAMP Group is a global supplier of wire and cable machinery.

ICE Cable Systems recently announced the filling of two positions. Jay Heffernan was named vice president of sales, East Coast. He has more than 30 years of security business expertise. He began his career as a manufacturer’s representative, managing key territories in New England and upstate New York, where his efforts contributed to company growth ahead of its acquisition. Amberly Rhyne was named the new East Coast regional sales representative. She has commercial ProAV sales experience in the CEDIA market that includes her working as a regional sales manager for Herman ProAV. Based in Austin, Texas, ICE Cable Systems makes low-voltage wire and cable products for residential and commercial channels.

Chris Adams has joined RF Industries, Inc., as a national key account manager - integrators. He has 30 years of experience in technical sales and marketing. He most recently was MNO sales director- East Coast for Communication Technology Services. Past employers included Huber + Suher, where he was a business unit manager for wireless products; Radio Frequency Systems, where he was global/NA product manager; Amphenol TimesFiber, where he was director of business development; and RFS, where he was Northeast district sales manager. Based in San Diego, California, RF Industries manufactures a broad range of interconnect products that include cables and wire harnesses.

Obituary

Carl P. Sjogren, the owner and president of Sjogren Industries, died from cancer on Nov. 2, 2024, at age 65.

Carl Sjogren joined the family company after graduating from Worcester Academy. His industry story, however, started back in 1888, when an eight-year-old Swedish immigrant, Oscar Sjogren, came to the U.S., ultimately settling in Worcester, Massachusetts, working as a machinist in the local wire mills. In 1927, after working at American Steel and Wire, U.S. Steel and Wickwire Spencer Steel, he started Sjogren and Sons in his two-car garage. The company thrived by supporting the domestic wire industries until his passing in 1957.

After inheriting the business from their father, Oscar’s sons, Richard and Walter, continued to grow and expand the company. The name changed to Sjogren Tool and Machine, and it continued its growth through the 60s and 70s with Richard’s sons—Richard and Robert—manning the helm. At this time, Sjogren carried a workforce of 150 employees in five separate divisions.

The recession of the early 80s forced Sjogren into bankruptcy court and it was taken over by MFA. In 1986, Carl Sjogren, then 27, bought the wire tooling division back. The initial purchase consisted of blueprints, customer lists, inventory and special tooling. He led the company through a tremendous period of growth, expanding sales into Europe, and later launched a new plant, Sjogren Manufacturing, Inc., in Worcester.

Today, the company’s machinery, tooling and accessories are sold worldwide with distributors located in Europe, South America, Asia, and Mexico. During the past 10 years, Carl Sjogren worked with his team to develop 12 new products to launch into the market over time to aid in efficiency and ease of use by workers on wire-drawing lines. He continued to work as he could, still contributing within a week of his passing.

Carl was predeceased by his father, Richard C. Sjogren. Survivors include his mother, Cora; his wife, Cheryl; his son, Dylan; his brother, Buddy; his sister, Wendy; and nieces and nephews.