Boral Usa Brings Kane Full Circle From Pioneer Concrete

Mike Kane, perhaps the past decade’s best-traveled North American construction materials executive, has been named president of Atlanta-based Boral USA,

Don Marsh

Mike Kane, perhaps the past decade’s best-traveled North American construction materials executive, has been named president of Atlanta-based Boral USA, responsible for Boral Bricks, clay masonry market leader; Boral Construction Materials, with Colorado and Oklahoma ready mixed, concrete block and aggregate operations; Boral Material Technologies, number two U.S. fly ash marketer; and, MonierLifetile, concrete and clay roof tile market leader, managed in a 50/50 joint venture with Lafarge Group.

The assets span raw material and building product categories perfectly aligned with profit centers Kane has overseen since 1998, when he was tapped to head Boral USA peer Pioneer Concrete of America Û likewise the domestic business of a major Australian construction materials player. Following the early-2000 takeover of Pioneer Ltd. by Hanson Plc, he held executive positions at Hanson Building Materials America and Holcim (US) Inc., separated by a Johns Manville Corp. appointment. The Boral USA post follows Kane’s brief term as chief executive officer of CalStar Products Inc., a Newark, Calif., operator that recently opened its first Fly Ash Brick/Paver plant in Wisconsin (note cover story, pages 10-11). Continuing as a CalStar director, he succeeds Australian Emery Severin, who is leaving Boral Ltd. at month’s end and had headed the U.S. business since August 2004.

Boral Chief Executive Mark Selway cites Kane’s deep U.S. building and construction materials industry knowledge and proven administrative and operational management record, adding: He is well placed to lead [our] U.S. businesses as they recover from the current economic downturn. While the recovery is likely to be slow, Boral USA has great market positions and will capitalize on the opportunities to grow our position and increase our competitiveness.