Personnel 2005-07-081

PERSONNEL

MEMBER MILESTONE

John L. Mendoza Elected to SkillsUSA Board

John Mendoza

John L. Mendoza has been elected to the board of directors for the SkillsUSA Texas College/Postsecondary Division. The body is responsible for setting policy for SkillsUSA activities in the state of Texas. Mendoza is currently the AWS District 18 director. He is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector and a Certified Welding Educator.

NorthropGrumman Appoints
Four Vice Presidents

Robert L. Gunter	Matthew J. Mulherin
Ken Mahler	Mike Shawcross

Northrop Grumman, Newport News, Va., has named Robert L. Gunter, sector vice president of operations; Matthew J. Mulherin, sector vice president of programs; Ken Mahler, vice president for aircraft carrier overhauls; and Mike Shawcross, vice president of the CVN 21 program. Prior to this appointment, Gunter was vice president for aircraft carrier programs and vice president of engineering. Mulherin most recently served as vice president for the CVN 21 program. Prior to their promotions, Mahler served as program director responsible for completion of the USS Ronald Reagan, and Shawcross served as CVN 21 propulsion plant program director.

Linde Gas Announces
Management Changes
Linde Gas, Cleveland, Ohio, has named Howard Hubert to succeed Cliff Caldwell who was recently promoted to global specialty gas manager for LindeAG. Chris Ebeling has been named marketing director for gas and welding; and David Browning appointed manager, marketing communications and hardware product management. The Gas and Welding-North sales team was restructured under senior vice president Jack Brull. Scott Latta was promoted to lead the Midwest region, and Scott Snyder joined the company to head the Eastern region. Named as regional zone managers were Shane Dillman (Wisconsin), Ken Ishman (Michigan), Don Speight (Chicago area), and Heath Wells (central Illinois and Missouri), Joel Lewandowski (NE Ohio and western Pennsylvania), Hal Mager (Cincinnati area, Kentucky, West Virginia, and northern Tennessee), and Jim Simpson (central Indiana and Ohio). In the Gas and Welding-South division, under Vice President Dave Carter, Paul Smith has been named manager, Georgia region, replacing Bob Slagle, who was recently promoted to manager, regional operations south.

MG Systems and
Welding Hires
Sales Manager

John Hansen

MG Systems and Welding, Menomonee Falls, Wis., has appointed John Hansen, south-central territory regional sales manager, responsible for Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. Hansen has 23 years of experience working with capital equipment and machine tools in marketing and sales positions.

Battelle Honors Scientist
for Welding Breakthrough
Battelle Memorial Institute researcher Pingsha Dong was awarded the Aerospace 2004 Laurels Award from Aviation Week and Space Technology for his breakthrough method of predicting the fatigue life of welded structures. Dong's Verity™ mesh-insensitive structural stress method, experts say, could save billions of dollars in aerospace, automotive, and other engineering fields by allowing companies to reduce expensive testing practices and overengineering of designs.

FKI Logistex Appoints Two Canadian Representatives

Glen Chambers

FKI Logistex, St. Louis, Mo., has appointed Glen Chambers as regional director, and Paul Swietlinski as business development manager, for the Canadian operations of its North American manufacturing systems unit. Prior to joining the company, Chambers held positions with General Conveyor and Mathews Conveyor. Swietlinski, who now reports to Chambers, previously worked for General Conveyor, Comptrol, and Chronos/Howe Richardson.

Airgas Names Senior VP

Michael Rohde

Airgas, Inc., Radnor, Pa., has named Michael Rohde to the new position of senior vice president, distributions operations. Previously, Rohde served as regional company president of Airgas South for the past five years.

OBITUARY

David J. Crawford
David J. Crawford, 53, died April 15. Mr. Crawford was involved in all aspects of distribution and finance at Atlas Welding Accessories, Inc., with locations in Michigan and New York. He was active in AWS District 11, and Detroit Section events, and participated in the preparations for the AWS Welding Shows. Among his favorite activities were playing golf and basketball, and sports coaching. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.