People in the News

Elkhart, Ind. — Steven Malm has been named chief executive officer by the Board of Directors of NIBCO INC. Malm continues to serve as president and a member of the board. Rex Martin remains as chairman of the board, a position he has held since 1995.

“Steve’s vast industry knowledge, extensive global sales and marketing experience, and astute business acumen, make him an excellent leader for NIBCO and fully qualified for the role,” said Rex Martin in announcing Malm’s appointment.

Malm’s career in the building construction industry spans more than 35 years. His experience includes leadership in international business, mergers and acquisitions, and general management.

Since joining NIBCO in 1996, Malm has advanced through several key positions, including president and chief operating officer; vice president followed by senior vice president in Supply Chain; senior vice president and general manager of TOLCO, a former subsidiary of NIBCO; and vice president of International and Business Development.

Malm received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla., and a master’s degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management, Glendale, Ariz.

Milwaukee, Wis.— Barbara L. VanderMolen, A. O. Smith vice president-finance for North America Water Heaters, will be recognized by The Manufacturing Institute with a Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award on April 10. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory-floor to the C suite.

President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Wheeler said, “We’re thrilled that Barb is getting the recognition that she deserves. She has been a great conduit between our North America, India, and Europe teams, encouraging more international collaboration. She’s also been instrumental in expanding the A. O. Smith Women’s Resource Network to other countries, such as India and Canada.”

VanderMolen has finance and accounting responsibility for the North America, India, Europe and Export areas of the business. This group represents a significant portion of the revenue and profit for A. O. Smith and operates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, India, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Turkey. Her role includes leading analytical and pricing teams that provide business and financial insight and ensures business decisions are based on solid financial criteria.

VanderMolen joined A. O. Smith in 2008 as director of financial planning and analysis for the former Water Products Company. She was recently appointed to the advisory committee of the A. O. Smith Women’s Resource Network, an initiative created to further develop women’s talents and leadership capabilities. In 2016, she was recognized in the Supply House Times Women in Industry Top 20, in addition to earning the Nashville CFO award by the Nashville Business Journal in 2015.

“I am honored and grateful to receive this STEP Award, but I know that business or personal success cannot be achieved alone. I am proud to work for a fantastic company that attracts and retains many talented people. And with our development initiatives at A. O. Smith, including the Women’s Resource Network, I am hopeful that more employees from our organization will be recognized in the future,” VanderMolen notes.

The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent. In five years, STEP Ahead Award winners have impacted more than 300,000 individuals — from peers in the industry to school-aged children.

Women constitute one of manufacturing’s largest pools of untapped talent. Women totaled about 47 percent of the U.S. labor force in 2016, but only 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce. Not only does the STEP Ahead initiative bolster manufacturing’s attractiveness to women, it also plays an important role in improving the perception of careers in the industry among younger generations.

“Companies across the U.S. agree there is a talent shortage in manufacturing. Through the STEP Ahead Awards, we hope to take another step toward closing this gap by highlighting the stories of successful women in manufacturing and giving them a platform to encourage other women to join the industry and be role models for the next generation,” said Carolyn Lee, executive director of The Manufacturing Institute. “The women being honored demonstrate what modern manufacturing careers are all about: making an impact in their communities with meaningful careers that offer significant opportunities for growth.”

The Manufacturing Institute will recognize VanderMolen and all other recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards at a reception in Washington, D.C., on April 10. The STEP Ahead Awards program will highlight each honoree’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.

VanderMolen is the second A. O. Smith employee to receive a STEP Ahead award. Carol Peters, director-operations at the company’s Johnson City, Tenn. plant, was recognized with a STEP Ahead award in 2013 in her previous role as production manager.

Randy Moore, Director of Sales – Agency Development and Industry Affairs for Tnemec Company Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-performance coatings and linings, has been elected a Vice President of the American Water Works Association Board of Directors (AWWA). His term will run through 2020.

Since joining AWWA in 1982, Moore has been a regular creator and moderator of technical webinars and a frequent contributor to the association’s magazine for operators, Opflow. As creator and current Co-Chair of the Innovation Initiative he is nationally recognized as an innovation industry thought leader in the water sector.

“My emphasis is on anything innovative,” according to Moore. “Whether discussing coating technology or asset management, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with industry professionals on countless innovative topics throughout the years.”

Among the topics Moore has covered are water quality management, pipeline maintenance and inspections, asset management programs for both steel and concrete water storage tanks, water treatment, distribution systems, strategic partnerships and protective coatings technology. His depth of knowledge on these topics has evolved from his involvement with AWWA.

“The AWWA is leading the effort to upgrade the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure,” Moore shared. “And the coatings industry has played an important role in developing technology that can extend the service life of infrastructure assets. We can help protect the infrastructure and lower lifecycle costs for both new construction, as well as the rehabilitation and repair of existing infrastructure.”

As a Vice President of the AWWA Board, Moore will be serving on the Executive Committee responsible for the overall management and direction of Association affairs, in addition to his ongoing work with standards committees, publications and webinars.

In addition to his involvement in the AWWA, Moore has served as a board member and past president of the St. Louis chapter of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) and is a member of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE International).

Moore earned degrees in Metallurgical Engineering and Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Uponor North has appointed product-management professional Chad Meyer to the newly created position of senior director, Intelligent Water. Meyer will lead the commercialization of the new Phyn Plus smart water assistant + shutoff, which made its debut in early January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. He reports to Dena Mayne, vice president of Marketing and Customer Experience, Uponor North America.

“Phyn Plus is the first of many anticipated launches into the intelligent water category for us,” says Mayne. “Beyond bringing Phyn Plus successfully to market this spring through our new Uponor Pro Squad, Chad will also create a long-term strategic roadmap focused on partnership, technologies and services that will help define Uponor as a leader in intelligent water solutions for consumers and our industry.”