PRODUCERS – JANUARY 2016

The board of Colombia’s Cementos Argos has unanimously appointed Juan Esteban Calle as chief executive officer, effective April. His interpersonal skills and professional record of accomplishments, directors note, will help position Argos to continue its growth and expansion strategy, while strengthening organizational culture plus good environmental and social management practices.

Since January 2012, Calle has been the CEO of the Empresas Publicas de Medellin, a residential public utilities company with operations and subsidiaries across the Americas. Throughout his career, he has held such positions as JPMorgan Chase Bank senior associate and Bank of Montreal (BMO Financial Group) investment advisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from EAFIT University, Medellin, and a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance and economics from the University of Chicago.

Calle succeeds Jorge Mario Velasquez, who is replacing the retiring Jose Alberto Velez as CEO of Grupo Argos effective March 1. Since taking the helm in 2012, Velasquez developed Cementos Argos’ vision, consolidating an internationalization process and transforming the company into what board members contend is a world-class example in corporate governance and sustainability.


Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. has realigned its senior level organization around these appointments to or ratifications as president, effective this month: Ignacio Madridejos Fernández, Cemex USA; Juan Romero Torres, Cemex Mexico; Jaime Gerardo Elizondo Chapa, Cemex Europe, a new region to encompass the prior European operations plus Spain and Croatia businesses; Jaime Muguiro Domínguez, Cemex South, Central America and the Caribbean; Joaquín Miguel Estrada Suárez, Cemex Asia, newly encompassing Middle East and Africa businesses. Fernández succeeds Rinker Materials veteran Karl Watson Jr., who continues with the company in advisory capacity through June 2016.

All other executive vice presidents that head corporate staff functions reporting to Cemex CEO Fernando González remain unchanged. Senior management has a track record of operating diverse businesses throughout the value chain in emerging and developed economies, Cemex officials note; by rotating from one region to another, they add, managers can increase their diversity of experience and knowledge of global cement, concrete and aggregate operations.


LafargeHolcim Ltd. appointed Caroline Hempstead head of Communication, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development, reporting to CEO Eric Olsen. Since 2007, she has been responsible for the global Corporate Affairs team at pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, also chairing its Sustainability Council. Prior to that post, Hempstead spent 10 years at Royal Dutch Shell managing the reputation of Shell’s global downstream businesses in 100-plus countries. She has also held corporate affairs roles at the London Stock Exchange and retailer Harrods. A British national, Hempstead holds a degree in French Studies from Manchester University.


Located near the Gulf Coast, the Tindall Corp. Moss Point, Miss., plant recently received ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System certification for the design, manufacture and erection of precast/prestressed concrete structures. The five-plant producer previously attained such certification for its Atlas CTB precast concrete wind tower fabrication, and is eyeing additional ISO 9001-2008-level audits for processes at sister operations.

“Delivering high-performance precast solutions, safely and efficiently, is Tindall’s primary focus,” says Chairman William Lowndes III. “This certification will reinforce our track record of proven excellence for many years to come.”

ISO 9001:2008 certification is granted after successful completion of an audit performed by an independent, accredited third-party organization. The audit ensures the company’s a) products, quality control systems and operations meet or exceed customer expectations, as well as applicable statutory and regulatory requirements; and, b) processes promote and advance continuous improvement.

Separately, the Tindall Texas Division has added Chris Pruitt, sales engineer, and Shane Rawson, technical sales representative. Prior to Tindall, Pruitt was a sales manager for a North American industrial manufacturer and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project manager. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from Clemson University and North Carolina State University.

Rawson joins Tindall with more than 15 years’ experience in structural precast and construction, negotiating major contracts and pursuing design-build opportunities focused on precast concrete methods. He will represent Tindall in the Dallas market. The Texas team serves the Southwest region with custom-designed precast/prestressed architectural or structural concrete systems for commercial, industrial, power and institutional building applications. 


General Shale Brick received the 2015 Faith in the Future Award, Manufacturing Category, presented by CenturyLink. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of their commitment to the future of their business, employees, community and the Tri-City region encompassing General Shale’s Johnson City, Tenn., headquarters. In its nomination, General Shale was presented as an important part of the region since 1928. And even through tough economic times, the company has continued to donate materials for important projects such as the first brick Habitat for Humanity home built locally; Niswonger Children’s Hospital; Washington County/Johnson City Animal Shelter; The Tweetsie Trail; and, numerous East Tennessee State University buildings.

“General Shale is one of the top three largest brick manufacturers in North America, but Johnson City is the location of our corporate headquarters and we will always do what we can to invest in the future of this community,” says CEO Charles Smith. “We owe our success and ability to move forward in this way to our dedicated employees and loyal customers.”


Maryland’s Ernest Maier has expanded the offering of CarbonCure technology from its flagship concrete masonry business to a recently acquired division, Bay Ready Mix—becoming the first operator to deploy the proprietary carbon dioxide recycling in manufactured and ready mixed concrete. The technology involves injection of industrial-sourced CO2 gas into fresh concrete mixes, where it augments the curing phase and is permanently captured in the mineral state.


Nova Scotia-based CarbonCure Technologies announced the launch of its ready mixed concrete process in fall 2015 through Vulcan Materials, which will deploy CO2-dosing equipment at a Springfield, Va., plant serving northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. Bay Ready Mix will offer CarbonCure ready mixed in the Baltimore market and neighboring Maryland region.


40 Jeff 200

Jeff Winters

Wisconsin-based Spancrete has named Jeff Winters vice president of Business Development and Construction Services. He joins Spancrete with 20-plus years in precast concrete, counting among career highlights a Governor of Tennessee Excellence of Industrial Safety Award in 2008 on behalf of the plant he managed. Winters also served for 16 years as a captain in the U.S. Army National Guard.

Separately, Spancrete has announced two additions to its precast/prestressed concrete operations: Paul Heiman, project manager, a PCI Certified Field Auditor with nearly 30 years in management roles; and, Mark Buchko, project superintendent, with 14-plus years’ precast industry experience in various positions, including erector, foreman, inside sales/estimating and preconstruction services.