People in the News

Bradley Corp., announces the appointment of Mark Whittington to Vice President – Business Development for the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, restroom accessories and emergency equipment for 100 years.

Whittington will join Bradley’s leadership team and in his role be responsible for growing Bradley’s plumbing products business. He has held various sales, operations and supply chain leadership positions in the plumbing industry for 20-plus years, most notably with Elkay Manufacturing as Executive VP- Plumbing.

“Mark possesses extensive knowledge of the Plumbing Wholesale industry, knows many of our sales representative agencies and the leading wholesaler customers,” says Luis de Leon, Chief Operating Officer, Bradley Corp. “We are excited that he has joined Bradley’s leadership team and is already making a positive impact on our business.”

RLS LLC, US-based manufacturer of the RLS Rapid Locking System line of flame-free press fittings for the HVAC and refrigeration industries, is pleased to announce that Ian Robertson has joined the company as Director of Sales for the company’s new operation in Australia.

With an extensive background in the HVAC/R industry, Ian brings a wealth of experience to RLS, having served recently as Vice President Sales for Daikin Industries North America. Previously, Robertson was a senior consultant for global markets with Daikin, serving on the strategic planning and business development team that launched the company into the North American market. He started his HVAC career as an applications engineer in 1980.

“We’re very happy to have such an experienced industry veteran on our global team,” said Paul Schubert, President of RLS. “Ian is an excellent choice to serve our distributor partners in Australia and New Zealand and to continue to increase the adoption of RLS technology in the region.”

Originally launched in 2015 under the ZoomLock® brand, RLS flame-free press fittings have been widely adopted around the world as a faster, safer and more consistent method of connecting HVAC/R copper tube, replacing the time-consuming process of manually brazing joints. Installers know to look for the letters “RLS” that are stamped into every fitting when it is pressed, assuring a reliable connection has been made.

“During my time in the US, I was able to see the launch and growth of RLS fittings, and I became convinced that they offered significant time and cost savings over the traditional brazing process, while also offering more consistent results,” Robertson said.  “I saw many of my US customers adopt RLS technology then, and I now see outstanding opportunity for continued growth in Australia.”

RLS offers a wide range of fittings, including couplings, elbows, tees, reducers and more, as well as ancillary products that are compatible with RLS technology, including Y-joints, P-traps, valves, filter driers and sight glasses.

RLS is a subsidiary of Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit www.rapidlockingsystem.com

Board members approved, outstanding contributions recognized, and no dues increase for 2021

Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) announced the election of Todd Teter as president of the 2021 PMI Board of Directors during PMI’s 66^th Annual Meeting of the Membership yesterday. The senior vice president and general manager of the House of Rohl North America, a division of Moen Inc., Teter succeeds Joel Smith, the director of faucets product engineering at Kohler Co.

In his acceptance remarks, Teter outlined three goals for the coming year: accelerating PMI member value, increasing engagement and leveraging diversity, and exploring the art of the possible. He encouraged PMI members to be bold and courageous during these difficult times and thanked Smith for his contribution as the 2020 PMI board president. Relating the expectations of medical experts, Teter said a COVID-19 vaccine will make the 67^th Annual Meeting of the Membership an event members and guests will be able to attend in person, as part of the PMI21 Manufacturing Success Conference at Paradise Point in San Diego, Nov. 15-18, 2021.

Other members of the 2021 board will be Smith, immediate past president; Martin Knieps, Viega LLC, vice president; Sal Gattone, LIXIL, secretary/treasurer; and at-large directors Daniel Gleiberman, Sloan Valve Co.; Fernando Fernandez, TOTO USA; Bob Neff, Delta Faucet Company; and Chip Way, Lavelle Industries.

Other highlights of the virtual meeting:

• PMI members voted to approve the board’s recommendation to have no dues increase in 2021, in an acknowledgment of the difficult business environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Smith recognized Jerry Desmond, PMI’s California government affairs consultant, with the 2020 PMI President’s Award.
• Receiving 2020 PMI Ambassador Awards were Troy Benavidez, LIXIL, co-chair of the PMI Advocacy/Government Affairs Committee, and John Bertrand, formerly of Moen, Inc.

In remarks summing up 2020, Smith said his tenure as board president was more “exciting and complex than I ever imagined.” He called PMI a “healthy, dynamic and forward-looking organization” and thanked those who shared their time, despite having to deal with challenges posed by the pandemic.

In his state of the association address, PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole contrasted the highs of the bullish pre-COVID-19 economy with the lows of the pandemic. Still, he said, PMI and its members rose to the occasion by achieving essential business designations in the United States, Canada and Mexico; developing and participating in virtual professional development offerings; and contributing to pandemic relief by keeping water flowing and manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) and innovative products, such as touchless fixtures that aid infection control.

In alignment with its strategic focus on enhancing customer experiences and differentiating through innovation, Uponor North America (Uponor) is pleased to announce the appointment of Brett Boyum to the position of Vice President of Marketing & Offerings and a member of the company’s Senior Management Committee.

In this critical role, Boyum will focus on growing business by accelerating the innovation pipeline, managing the product portfolio, connecting the technical aspects of solutions to the needs of Uponor’s customers, and building stronger connections between company strategies and customer experiences.

“We believe Brett is a great fit for Uponor, as he will help move our company into the future,” said Bill Gray, President, Uponor North America. “Specifically, we were impressed with his range of expertise in creating differentiated solutions to solve customer challenges; a passion for developing strategic portfolio growth opportunities; and an ability to deliver award-winning digital and analog engagement marketing strategies.”

Boyum most recently served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Cambria, a leading quartz brand in the surfaces industry. Previously, he worked more than 17 years at Marvin Windows in marketing roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately serving as Vice President, Brand Strategy and User Experience. He also owned a marketing consultancy and worked early in his career at both Recovery Engineering, Inc. (PUR brand) and Northern Hydraulics, Inc.

He earned an MBA from Walden University in Minneapolis, an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, and completed marketing-focused executive development programs at both the University of Minnesota and Columbia Business School.