PRODUCERS – JUNE 2020

Wisconsin-based precast/prestressed concrete building solutions specialist Spancrete has promoted Scott Bertschinger to executive vice president, Kimberly Wacker to senior vice president, and Todd Backus to senior vice president and chief financial officer. All will be based at Waukesha headquarters, near Milwaukee; report to principal and CEO John Nagy; and, have responsibilities encompassing Valders, Wis., Crystal Lake, Ill., and Sebring, Fla. concrete operations, plus Waukesha hollow core machinery production.

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Scott Bertschinger
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Kimberly Wacker
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Todd Backus

“Spancrete has been a leader in the precast industry for more than 70 years. We have a solid business strategy and a strong team companywide,” says President Alan Antoniewicz. “With these leadership changes, we are setting up for further success in 2020 and beyond.”

Bertschinger has been with Spancrete for more than 20 years and previously served as the vice president of Human Resources & Risk Management. He will continue to oversee all operational management, design and engineering, construction services, human resources and safety. For nearly 15 years, Wacker has successfully developed and executed the marketing and communication strategy for Spancrete. In her new role, she will be responsible for all business development, preconstruction, estimating, marketing and virtual design functions. A Spancrete veteran of just over 25 years, Backus has been an integral part of all finance activities. He remains responsible for finance, payroll and benefits, legal and technology functions as well as taking on risk management.

Gate Precast Co. in Jacksonville, Fla., has announced key promotions to restructure and streamline its BIM Technology unit and Northern Division. Nate Brooks transferred to Monroeville, Ala., as project manager, reporting to Senior Project Manager Joey Langham. Brooks previously served as BIM managing director and CV coordinator in the Winchester, Ky., plant. Steve Brock, senior vice president in Ashland City, Tenn., now serves as facilitator for the Northern and Southern BIM coordinators, while continuing to support Tennessee Operations Manager Lee Baker. Ashland City Drafting Manager Chris Winfield is now Northern Division BIM coordinator; his Southern Division counterpart is Andre Jagnanan, senior precast designer in Kissimmee, Fla. In their new roles, Winfield and Jagnanan collaborate with Brock and their respective vice presidents of Operations to plan and implement new Engineering Department technology, standards, processes and procedures.

Sam Taylor, based in Gate Precast’s Oxford, N.C. plant, continues in his role as BIM developer and collaborates with the divisional BIM coordinators. The Northern Division restructuring has also seen the promotion of Lee Baker to Ashland City Operations manager; since joining the company in 2002, he has served as a plant quality control technician, scheduler and assistant plant manager, then as Winchester plant manager. Rob Ellifrits has transferred from Winchester to the Ashland City plant as quality control manager, bringing 30-plus years in precast production and PCI Level III certification. He succeeds 20-year veteran Chris Benson, who has transitioned to Ashland City safety supervisor.

At Gate Precast’s Winchester plant, Production Superintendent Sam Ballard has assumed sole responsibility for all plant activities; David Graham, a 24-year veteran previously serving as yard superintendent, is now leading finishing, patching, loading and delivery departments, as well as jobsite/subcontractor coordination; and, PCI Level III-certified Gwen Ballard, has shifted from the post of training director to quality control manager.

North Carolina’s Sunrock Group, a key independent ready mixed, aggregate and asphalt producer, has chartered a satellite entity with the acquisition of an Ontario quarry from Votorantim Cimentos’ North American flagship business, St Marys Cement/Canada Building Materials. The Burnt River site encompasses 1,400 acres of high quality aggregate reserves and will operate under Sunrock Canada Construction Materials.

“The Sunrock Group is looking forward to building a strong Canadian company in the Greater Toronto Area that is poised to supply high quality aggregates to construction projects throughout the market,” says Chairman Bryan Pfohl.