PRODUCERS Walter (Jerry) Hoyle has been named president of CTS Cement Manufacturing Corp. in a promotion from his previous executive vice-president position.
PRODUCERS
Walter (Jerry) Hoyle has been named president of CTS Cement Manufacturing Corp. in a promotion from his previous executive vice-president position. His renown as a cement-industry expert derives from 30-plus years’ managerial and operational experience in the mining/manufacturing arena, encompassing mineralogy, quarrying, cement-plant operations, multiple kilns (wet to precalciner), finish grinding, product specifications, quality assurance programs, and product applications. He is a member of the American Management Association and a past board member of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association. Hoyle replaces Bill McCormick, who will assist on special projects and offer management advice as senior executive vice president.
Separately, CTS reports that portions of a U.S. District Court case involving alleged patent infringement claims by Ultimax Cement Manufacturing Co. are continuing as a result of a recent Appellate Court ruling. In June 2002, Ultimax sued CTS, claiming patent infringement and theft of trade secrets. In January 2009, after six years of litigation, the U.S. District Court found that all of the Ultimax patent claims in the case were invalid and there were no trade secrets. Ultimax then filed an appeal on the District Court’s unfavorable rulings in the U.S. Court of Appeals, Washington D.C.
In December 2009, it ruled that the trial court had erred in its findings on four of the 41 patent claims in the Ultimax/Kunbargi patents and sent the four claims back to the District trial court for further adjudication. The appellate court disallowed all of Ultimax’s trade secret claims as Ultimax could not prove the existence of a trade secret. The Appellate Court also ruled that CTS could proceed in the District Court with its claim of an exceptional patent case and payment by Ultimax to cover CTS’ $6 million-plus attorneys fees. We are confident the patent claims that remain will be held to be not infringed and invalid on grounds not involved in the appeal, said CTS Chairman Ed Rice.
MDU Resources Group, Inc. has named Doran Schwartz vice president and chief financial officer, replacing now retired CFO Vernon Raile. Schwartz served previously as vice president and chief accounting officer since joining MDU Resources in 2005, after stints as a finance director for American Express and audit manager for Deloitte & Touche.
Concurrently, Nicole Kivisto was named vice president, controller and chief accounting officer. Her appointment is the latest in an MDU Resources career beginning in 1995 and progressing through positions of increasing responsibility to her most recent title of controller, an office she has held since 2005. In addition, Douglass Mahowald was named treasurer and assistant secretary. He joined MDU Resources in 1982 and assumed his most recent role as assistant treasurer and assistant secretary in 1992.
The Spancrete Group, Inc., recently announced the appointment of John Wang, Ph.D., S.E., to the position of vice president, Engineering Services. He will oversee Spancrete’s engineering standards and strategies, directly impacting the design and engineering specifications of all precast projects. His 20-plus years of precast engineering experience span more than 250 parking structure, stadium, high-rise hotel and industrial facility contractors throughout Chicago and Milwaukee.
Skagit Readymix has named Scott Chambers assistant manager at its Skagit County, Wash., plant. He will oversee the dispatch process and assist in overall supervision at the site. He has been with the company for five years.
ORGANIZATIONS
National Concrete Masonry Association President Robert Thomas has been elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of ASTM International beginning this year. Thomas has actively participated in the development of ASTM standards related to concrete masonry and hardscape products and systems and was granted ASTM’s Award of Merit in 2004, earning the title of Fellow within the Society.
The Prestressed Concrete Association of Pennsylvania is now operating as Central Atlantic Bridge Associates. The group’s contact information will remain the same, except for the web site, now www.caba-bridges.org, and e-mail address, changed to [email protected].
MANUFACTURERS
Propex Operating Co., LLC has appointed Eugene Martineau to its Board of Managers, charged with continuing company growth and development along all product lines. Among numerous accomplishments throughout a career spanning 40-plus years in ready mixed, precast, aggregates, and building materials, Martineau was founder and charter president and CEO of Houston-based U.S. Concrete Inc. Additionally, his roles have included director and member of the Executive Committee of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association; RMC 2000 National Director from 1993-1997; and, member of the Board of Trustees for the RMC Research & Education Foundation since its creation, serving as chairman in 2004.
Martineau was a cofounder and chairman of the National Steering Committee for the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program Û now installed in six universities nationwide Û and currently serves as its executive director. Affirms Propex CEO Stan Brant, Gene brings a wealth of experience that reinforces our strong commitment to the concrete construction industry and supports our Geo-synthetics, Performance Technologies and Furnishing businesses as well.