Ryan Suszek transitions this month from Besser Co. vice president of Pipe and Precast to president, succeeding Kevin Curtis and becoming the sixth individual to hold the title in the manufacturer’s 115-year history. “The concrete products industry provides countless opportunities for collaboration and growth. I’m excited to lead the team at Besser in operational improvements and work closely with producers to create new and grow existing partnerships,” Suszek affirms.
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“Ryan has proven himself to be a very capable leader and we’re all excited to see his role expand,” notes Curtis, who remains chief executive officer. The Pipe and Precast tenure has provided valuable leadership experience and comprehensive knowledge of the concrete products industry, he adds.
Based at Alpena, Mich., headquarters, Suszek has grown within the company through a grassroots, hands-on approach. From the shop floor to global tradeshows, he has worked with nearly every department and function over a 14-year career with Besser, as well as customers throughout the world. He will head a management team whose members are committed to continuing what the company embraces as a “legacy of providing outstanding customer service and unmatched innovation and quality.”
Kevin Brown will succeed Columbia Machine Concrete Products Division President Richard Armstrong, who ahead of a planned, year-end retirement will shift to director of Business Development for Brazil, Bagging and East (North America) units.
Brown has served in a number of leadership positions and brings extensive product line, application, customer service, and market development experience to his new role. “These are exciting times for our Division,” he says. “Under Richard’s leadership, we have invested heavily in product and market development. We have seen the resulting growth over the last two years and see good potential the rest of this year and into the future.”
“While it is always challenging making a leadership change during times of growth and expansion, we are fortunate to have someone as experienced as Kevin Brown ready,” adds Columbia Machine CEO Rick Goode. “Richard Armstrong has lead two of our Business Units in the last 15 years. Since he announced his desire to retire almost a year ago, we have been working on the transition plan. I am very appreciative that Richard has agreed to stay on full time for the remainder of the year to support our transition and help with a number of business development projects we are currently integrating.”
Over the past few years, Miami-based admixture and chemicals specialist Mapei Americas has provided assistance to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence, Supporting Empowerment) program, which builds custom smart homes for wounded veterans. The company’s support was on display last month when representatives helped welcome retired United States Army Captain Jake Murphy (center) to his new home in Flower Mound, Texas. The West Point graduate was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, as a commissioned infantry officer; he served as the executive officer for his platoon. While on a July 2011 mission in the Regional Command South area, Murphy stepped on an improvised explosive device. The resulting blast cost Murphy both of his legs and caused a brain injury that put him in a month-long coma.
“It is an honor and a privilege to work with the Gary Sinise Foundation, and to help soldiers like Captain Murphy and his family who have sacrificed so much in order to protect us,” says Mapei Marketing Communications Manager Jennifer Kramer, who attended the welcome-home ceremony with colleagues Kyle Murphy, Central Area sales director, and Dale Penland, business development leader.
Concrete Pumping Holdings (CPH), Denver, has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Austin-based Capital Pumping LP, which serves central, south and west Texas contractors through 12 locations. The agreement was unanimously approved by CPH’s board of directors and is expected to close in the second quarter.
Capital Pumping joins the fastest growing brand in concrete placement. Through operating companies Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping Inc., Eco-Pan Inc. and Camfaud Concrete Pumps, CPH is a leading provider of concrete pumping and concrete waste management services in the United States and United Kingdom. The latest acquisition significantly extends the scale of CPH, now approaching 100 U.S. locations. Assisting the company in the Capital Pumping transaction is a team from the Denver office of counsel Ballard Spahr, led by Business and Finance Partners Michele Rowland and John Ruppert.
A 35-year trucking industry veteran, Jeff Lester has been appointed senior vice president, U.S. Dealer Sales for Volvo Trucks North America. He will lead the U.S. sales organization, working with the five regional vice presidents, their district managers and Volvo Trucks dealerships. He joined VTNA in 1999 and most recently served as Southeast regional vice president, following tours of duty in fleet, district sales and powertrain management roles, all Southeast.
Heavy-duty truck suspension specialist Link Manufacturing Ltd. has hired Anthony Ermitage as OEM account manager, responsible for developing sales relationships with crane and other commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers. With more than 13 years’ experience in Navistar Inc. credit card, marketing, and purchasing groups, Ermitage’s contact and business insights will serve to strengthen Link’s relationships with these key customer segments.
Separately, Link has entered into an agreement with John Adami from the manufacturing representative agency NW Heavy Duty to lead sales efforts with Paccar Inc. and Daimler Trucks North America. He brings more than 30 years of design, sales, and marketing experience within the heavy-duty vehicle industry, as well as strong Paccar and DTNA, to his new role.
TEREX ADVANCE TECHNICIAN TALKS
More than 100 technicians from across the country recently gathered at the Grand Wayne Center to hear Terex Advance production and engineering professionals, service providers, and vendors discuss new offerings, troubleshooting, and diagnostic repairs for their mixer trucks. Hosted near the manufacturer’s Fort Wayne, Ind., headquarters, the annual service school is formatted to continue training concrete fleet professionals in properly diagnosing and repairing mixer trucks in a timely and efficient manner.
The first day covered vendor product topics, including engine repair, troubleshooting, and upcoming changes by various engine vendors, plus new disc brake options, axles, and chassis information. Day two was headlined by Terex Advance’s own team of engineers, who took part in a panel discussion with a group of technicians to better understand what issues are being encountered in the field. Terex Services staff was also on site to discuss the merging of the Advance Service and Terex Utilities teams, and provide tips on troubleshooting and electrical system diagnostics.