Personnel notes

Machinex adds sales manager for Canada

Machinex Industries Inc., Plessisville, Quebec, has announced that Matt Risko has been appointed as the company’s Canadian sales manager. He has worked as a sales representative at Machinex Recycling Services (MRS), a service division of Machinex, in Pickering, Ontario, since 2009.

In his new role with Machinex, Risko will help to develop sorting system solutions for material recovery facilities (MRFs), Machinex says. He will cover the Canadian territory, except for the province of Quebec, which is supported by the internal sales team at Machinex headquarters.

When Risko joined MRS in 2009, he sold baling wire before moving up to sell balers and peripheral equipment, such as conveyors, optical sorters and compactors. He also worked on notable projects, such as a source-separated organics facility for the city of Toronto in 2011, a MRF upgrade with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) optical sorter for Northumberland County in 2015 and a PET optical sorter project for the city of Hamilton, Ontario, in 2016, the company says.

“I feel like I have got the call to the big leagues,” Risko says. “I am very excited for the opportunity and look forward to continuing to grow with Machinex.”

Machinex develops sorting, waste management and recycling technology. The company’s experts have designed and installed more than 350 turnkey facilities in partnership with leading MRFs in Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.

Arconic appoints new CEO

Arconic Inc., headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, has announced that its board of directors has appointed Charles “Chip” Blankenship as chief executive officer and a member of the Arconic board, effective Jan. 15, 2018. He is a 24-year veteran of General Electric (GE) who spent much of his career in its aviation and jet engine businesses, including running its commercial engine operations, Arconic says.

Blankenship brings 20 years of aerospace experience to Arconic, having worked across GE’s aviation businesses, including aero engines, industrial gas turbines and aerospace alloy development. He previously led GE Aviation’s Commercial Engines Operation, the world’s leading producer of large and small jet engines used in commercial aircraft.

A metallurgist by training, Blankenship began his career with GE in 1992 after earning a Bachelor of Science in materials engineering from Virginia Tech and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Virginia. Blankenship’s GE career culminated in his appointment as president and CEO of GE Appliances in December 2011, where he led a significant turnaround of the business and its subsequent 2016 sale to Haier Co., Arconic says.

Blankenship is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and serves on the board of the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM), where he also has led NAM’s Task Force on Competitiveness & the Workforce. He holds seven patents related to jet engine technology.

Blankenship says, “Arconic is a company with significant strengths and tremendous potential. I am eager to engage with customers, employees and the board to develop plans that capitalize on our strengths and deliver outstanding returns for our shareholders. I am excited to join the team and get started.”

Patricia F. Russo, interim chair of the Arconic board at the time of Blankenship’s hiring in the fall of 2017, says, “We are confident that Chip will lead Arconic to create sustainable and increasing value for customers and for shareholders.”

David Hess, who had served as Arconic’s interim CEO since April 2017, continues to serve on the company’s board.

John Plant, an Arconic director since 2016, was appointed chair of the board in late October of 2017. He succeeds Russo, who stepped into the role on an interim basis in April 2017. She continues her service on the company’s board of directors and as chair the Governance Committee.

Maren adds industry veteran to sales team

South Holland, Illinois-based Maren Engineering Inc. has announced Roger Williams has joined the company as its new western regional sales manager.

Williams is a 27-year veteran of the recycling equipment industry, having previously worked for Georgetown, South Carolina-based Coastal Wire and Bellevue, Ohio-based American Baler Co.

At Coastal Wire, Williams was Midwest regional sales manager. He worked in positions of increasing responsibility at American Baler, including as West Coast regional sales manager and as vice president of sales.

“Roger Williams is an exciting addition to our team,” says Todd Wondrow, president of Maren Engineering. “His technical knowledge of balers and systems couldn’t fit better with the ProPAK series of equipment Maren continues to develop. And no less important, Roger’s customer focus and reputation for integrity parallel what we at Maren promise to our customers.”

Williams can be reached at rwilliams@marenengineering.com.