People in composites: September 2024

Keyland Polymer Material Sciences appoints new vice president

Andrew Walton, vice president of Keyland Polymer UV Powder, Keyland Polymer UV Systems and DVUV Wood Powder Coating. Source | Keyland Polymer Material Sciences LLC

Keyland Polymer Material Sciences (Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.) appoints Andrew Walton to vice president, effective immediately. Walton is managing all business operations of Keyland Polymer UV Powder, Keyland Polymer UV Systems and DVUV Wood Powder Coating.

Michael Knoblauch, president of Keyland Polymer, says, “This appointment is a result of our unprecedented growth in business. Andrew is a strong leader, focused on company culture, communication and achieving business goals. His knowledge and expertise are invaluable to our business as we continue to grow.”

Walton joined the company 17 years ago in 2007 as a specifications representative for DVUV Wood Powder Coating. He most recently served as business development manager, North America and Asia Pacific, for Keyland Polymer UV Powder, building the market for UV-cured powder coating applications in aerospace, automotive, recreational equipment, healthcare and other industries.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve Keyland Polymer Material Sciences as vice president,” Walton says. “I am looking forward to positively impacting our company culture, customer experience and industry presence. We have a solid foundation in each of our operating companies and I will work to continue to maintain our market leadership in UV-cured powder coatings.”

Trelleborg Industrial Americas names new president

Heather Castleman, president of the Industrial Americas business unit of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. Source | Trelleborg Sealing Solutions

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions (Randolph, Mass., U.S.) names Heather Castleman president of the Industrial Americas business unit of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.

“Heather has made great contributions to our success in various senior roles,” Juergen Bosch, business area president, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, says. “With her extensive knowledge of the company and proven leadership, I’m confident in her ability to guide Industrial Americas in her new role as president.”

Castleman has been a leader at Trelleborg for more than two decades. Throughout her tenure, she has been responsible for developing and implementing business capabilities, driving sales and customer experience and improving existing programs to achieve the goals of the business. She has also contributed to the successful acquisition and integration of nearly 10 companies, most notably, the acquisition of Minnesota Rubber & Plastics, completed in October 2022.

“It’s a privilege to lead the Industrial Americas team. My primary goal is to deliver exceptional experiences for both our customers and our team members which will lead to further growth and innovation in the region,” says Castleman. “I want to thank Linda for her prior leadership and the foundational capabilities that she helped create.”

Castleman takes over from Linda Muroski, who was promoted to business area president of the newly created Trelleborg Medical Solutions earlier this year. Castleman was previously the vice president of the Industrial Americas business unit of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. She has been with the organization in various roles since 2004. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, and is a certified Institute of Leadership and Management mentor for accelerating performance and innovation.

Charles Ross & Son Co. announces the passing of former president

Richard Ross, former president of Charles Ross & Son Co. Source | Charles Ross & Son Co.

With great sadness, Charles Ross & Son Co. (Hauppage, N.Y., U.S.) announces the passing of Richard Ross, former president of Charles Ross & Son Co., on Sept. 14, 2024. Rich was a leader who played an instrumental role in shaping the company’s future and global success.

Taking the helm as president in 1961, Rich’s leadership, foresight and dedication drove Charles Ross & Son Co., also known as Ross Mixers, to new heights, establishing manufacturing facilities in New York, Georgia and Florida. His commitment to innovation and excellence expanded the company’s footprint far beyond its U.S. roots, leading to the establishment of major operations worldwide, including China and India.

In 1999, Ross established the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a decision that not only empowered employees as stakeholders, but laid the foundation for the company's continued growth and success in industrial mixing technology.

Outside of his professional achievements, Ross had a passion for animals, travel and a deep love of the water. An avid sport fisherman, he owned many sport fishing yachts, and spent much of his leisure time fishing and enjoying life on the sea.

He will be deeply missed by his loving family, colleagues and the countless people whose lives he touched through his work and example.

Lingrove appoints VP of marketing, furthers brand growth and awareness.

Lingrove (San Rafael, Calif., U.S.) has announced the appointment of Pam Pershan Hochman as VP of marketing for the company’s ekoa high-performance wall protection, eco-veneers and panels. Hochman joins a rapidly expanding team, which has more than doubled in the past year to accelerate the strong demand for ekoa products made from renewable materials like plant-based natural fibers.

Pam Pershan Hochman, Lingrove VP of marketing.

Prior to joining Lingrove, Hochman served as the director of marketing for AMP Robotics. She has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles in marketing and branding across sustainability, design and technology, helping brands and startups bring their products to market.

Lingrove says that she also brings a passion for design, branding and the
customer along with a personal commitment to renewable solutions.

“I met Lingrove and Joe Luttwak when working at Autodesk with impact-oriented startups,” says Hochman. “I was immediately impressed with their product and how ekoa could help architects and designers improve the health and circularity of the built environment while being beautiful at the same time. I’m proud to help further develop the brand and market for its next phase of growth.”

The high-performance attributes of plant-based ekoa make it an optimal choice for wall covering, wall protection, millwork, ceilings, lighting and more, Lingrove says. In addition to aesthetic looks, ekoa delivers durability, a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel and is well-suited for demanding projects.

“Lingrove is scaling and ready for more marketing initiatives to
help us address the interest for our renewably sourced products in the field,” adds Joe Luttwak, CEO of Lingrove. “We are thrilled that
Pam has joined. She brings expertise in branding, customer focus and green building that aligns perfectly with our company and mission.”

Space Walker forms advisory board, welcomes ex-NASA member

University startup Space Walker Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) announces the establishment of an advisory board, as well as the appointment of Michael Fletcher, a former NASA chief engineer, as an advisory board member, starting on Oct. 1, 2024.

Space Walker says the advisory board will further accelerate technology development and strengthen international business expansion. In an increasingly competitive global landscape, the deep knowledge, extensive insights and rich experience of professionals in the aerospace industry will support the company’s growth.

From left to right: CTO Dr. Koichi Yonemoto, newly appointed advisory board member Michael Fletcher, and CEO Akihide Manabe.

Fletcher is president of MJF Consulting, which provides management consultant services to U.S. and Japanese companies in the space sector. He spent more than 30 years at NASA as a researcher, systems engineer and project manager before retiring in 2020 as chief engineer for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (NASA headquarters), and technical advisor to partnerships at the Ames Research Center.

In his role as technical advisor to partnerships, Fletcher promoted the NASA Ames-JAXA relationship and fostered business-to-business (B2B) exchanges and events. He is a former Mansfield Fellow and spent a year in Tokyo from 2016-2017, working at Mext, Cao, MOD and Jaxa on topics of space and aeronautics policy.

Fletcher earned a BS degree in aerospace engineering from the California State Polytechnic University and a SM degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Space Walker’s advisory board and to be part of the Space Walker team as they push forward creating the next generation space systems and technology,” says Fletcher. “This is an exciting time for commercial space, and I look forward to adding my insight and expertise to assist the company with its growth and development.”

Space Walker co-founder and CEO Akihide Manabe states: “I am confident that Mike’s advice drawing on his broad experience and deep professional knowledge will help accelerate our technology development even further.”