National-Standard Company Announces Executive Appointments
28 January 2000
National-Standard Company Announces Executive Appointments
NILES, Mich., Jan. 28 -- National-Standard Company
announced today a number of executive appointments.
Ronald B. Kalich, President and Chief Executive Officer of National-
Standard Company, announced the appointment of three executive level officers
as the Company began its realignment of internal responsibilities.
Michael K. Conn was elected Vice-President, Finance and Administration and
Chief Financial Officer, succeeding William D. Grafer who has elected early
retirement. Mr. Conn has been with National-Standard for 13 years holding the
executive positions of Director of Tax and Financial Reporting and Director of
Administration and Tax. Prior to joining National-Standard, Mr. Conn, a CPA,
worked for Price Waterhouse. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting
from Tri-State University.
"Mike brings a unique blend of financial and administrative skills to his
position," said Kalich. "His depth of knowledge about the Company and its
operations will greatly assist the business units as they gradually take on
more responsibility for their own operations."
James C. Mozel was appointed to the newly created position of Vice
President and General Manager, Wire Products Division. Mr. Mozel joined
National-Standard in 1997 as Plant Manager of the Company's Stillwater,
Oklahoma facility, later becoming General Manager - Tire Industry. Mr.
Mozel's new assignment broadens his responsibilities from primarily tire bead
wire manufactured at the Stillwater plant to all of the Company's wire
products and markets. Before joining National-Standard, Mr. Mozel was Vice
President of Operations with Saddleman, Inc. He holds an undergraduate degree
in chemical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and received his
Master of Science-Process Control from the University of Alberta.
Kalich noted that, "The Company has started a transition to a more
decentralized method of operation. I believe that Jim's strong operational
experience will serve the Wire Products Division well as that business unit
moves toward full profit and loss responsibility," he said.
Robert J. Edgington was appointed Vice President, Engineering & Quality,
also a newly created position. Mr. Edgington began his career with National-
Standard in 1969 as Technical Manager for all facilities outside of North
America and later served as Manager of Research & Business Development in the
United Kingdom. In 1985, Mr. Edgington transferred to the U.S. where he has
served in a number of executive positions, including most recently, as the
Company's Director of Research, Development and Engineering. Mr. Edgington
graduated from the University of Aston in Birmingham, England with a Bachelor
of Science in Metallurgy. He is a professional member of the Institute of
Materials and a Fellow of the Institute of Quality Assurance in London.
"National-Standard's technology base remains critical for its continued
success in all of its markets. With the realignment of the former RD & E
group into our business units, it was critical for the Company to maintain
focus and coordination of its technology resources," said Kalich. "With
Robert's depth of knowledge and experience in the Company's technical and
quality affairs, he will keep our focus in this regard, while allowing the
business units to better utilize what had before been solely a corporate
resource."
Founded in 1907, National-Standard is a Niles, Michigan based firm with
annual sales of approximately $180 million. In ten operating facilities in
the United States and England, the Company manufactures and distributes a
broad range of wire and wire-related products, including tire bead wire and
welding wire, in addition to wire cloth, fabricated filters and inflator
housings for the automotive air bag industry.