Personnel notes

Padnos announces leadership team changes

Holland, Michigan-based Padnos, a full-service recycling company with 20 locations throughout Michigan and the U.S., has announced changes to its leadership as the company prepares to transition management to the next generation.

Matt Heitmeier has been named vice president of metals. He joined Padnos in 1991 and has been instrumental in leading the company’s nonferrous business. He will assume responsibility for the company’s ferrous and nonferrous sales and purchasing activities.

Ben Irwin has been named chief financial officer. He joined Padnos in 2004 and will continue to direct the company’s finance functions while broadening his companywide leadership responsibilities.

Leslie Lynch recently joined Padnos as its chief administrative officer. Her responsibilities will focus on leading the company’s administrative functions.

Scott O’Neil has been named vice president of ferrous sales. He joined the company in 1999 and has been instrumental in Padnos’ successful ferrous product purchase and distribution business. His new role will focus on the development of critical strategic partnerships with steel mill and foundry customers and with major industrial suppliers.

Jonathan Padnos joined the company in 2011 and was key to advancing its plastics business. He represents the fourth generation of the family to work in the company and will be responsible for overseeing Padnos’ successful execution of its strategy and annual business plans with his teams.

Rick Post has been named vice president of secondary fibers. He joined Padnos in 1993 and has played a critical role in buying and selling recyclable paper and will continue to work closely with paper mill customers and major regional suppliers.

Al Tomes has been named vice president of manufacturing. He joined Padnos in 1990 and has been a key player in the company’s manufacturing processes. Tomes will lead all aspects of the company’s manufacturing activities.

Additionally, Josh Padnos and Sam Padnos, also fourth-generation family members, joined the company in 2014. Both are actively engaged in client-facing, account executive roles.

CEO Jeff Padnos says, “One of the greatest challenges about family business success is maintaining it—especially over generations. We believe that the leaders we are announcing today will help achieve our transition to the company’s fourth generation.”

The third-generation of Padnos family members who lead the business today—Doug, Jeff, Mitch and Shelley Padnos—will guide and advise the new team through a planned transition.

SMS adds nonferrous operations director

Scrap Metal Services LLC (SMS), Burnham, Illinois, has hired Michael Nedvidek as the managing director of its nonferrous operations.

Nedvidek has more than 31 years in the metals industry, most recently having worked as nonferrous commercial operations manager for Schnitzer Steel’s Pacific Northwest division. He also served as that company’s export sales manager in New York. Prior to that, Nedvidek worked with OmniSource Corp. as marketing manager for its nonferrous heavy media and its ferrous trading divisions. He began his career at David J. Joseph Co.

“We’re excited to have Mike join our team,” says Jeff Gertler, CEO of SMS. “His solid reputation and immense knowledge and experience of nonferrous products will have an immediate impact on SMS’ strategic nonferrous expansion efforts.”

Nedvidek says, “I am excited to join SMS and look forward to developing and growing its already extensive line of nonferrous products and services.”

SMS operates scrap processing, steel mill services, ship dismantlement, intermodal/truck/railcar dismantling facilities and auto salvage operations throughout the United States. The company also offers brokerage and trading services to other scrap companies.

SMS currently has 23 operations in the U.S. and four operations in Mexico.

Aleris appoints senior management positions

Aleris, a Cleveland-based manufacturer of aluminum rolled products, has announced two appointments to its senior management team.

Mike Keown has been named senior vice president and general manager of Aleris North America, and Ronald Lane has been named senior vice president, global manufacturing. Effective immediately, both executives report directly to President and CEO Sean Stack.

“Mike and Ron are two seasoned leaders who have played a critical role in helping Aleris build considerable momentum over the past year as we drive our growth strategy and strengthen our operations and our position as a supplier to fast-growing industries like automotive, aerospace and building and construction,” says Stack.

Keown most recently served as vice president, marketing and supply chain, for Aleris. Prior to that role, he spent three years working for Aleris in Europe, where he served most recently as vice president and as general manager of the company’s extrusions business and vice president of supply chain. Keown has been with the company for 17 years, holding positions of increasing responsibility in finance, metal procurement, supply chain and business unit management, according to Aleris.

Lane served as vice president of operations in Aleris North America, where he has brought new energy and focus to Aleris’ drive for enhanced operational excellence across North America, the company says. Lane has a broad background with extensive global experience, including several leadership positions within the specialty chemicals/materials industries, according to Aleris.

“Mike is passionate about the products we make and the customers we serve, and he understands the complexity of our operations,” Stack says.

“Ron brings a similar passion for safety, an in-depth knowledge of operational reliability, and an excellent track record of operational improvement,” he continues. “Their addition to our senior leadership team will bring new energy to our focus on customers and operational excellence.”

Alcoa announces executive management teams for separated companies

Alcoa, with headquarters in New York and Pittsburgh, has announced executive management appointments for the future upstream and value-add companies, which the company says it expects to become effective upon completion of Alcoa’s previously announced separation in the second half of 2016.

Roy Harvey, executive vice president and president of global primary products, will serve as CEO of the new upstream company, which will retain the Alcoa name.

Ken Giacobbe will serve as chief financial officer of the value-add company, the name of which has yet to be announced. He is currently chief financial officer of Alcoa’s engineered products and solutions business.

Nucor’s DiMicco receives honor in North Carolina

Chairman emeritus and former president and CEO of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor Corp. Daniel R. DiMicco has been inducted into the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame by the Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas and the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

The induction, held Nov. 17, 2015, honored the accomplishments of outstanding business leaders from across the Tar Heel State.

DiMicco led Nucor from September of 2000 through the end of 2012, during which time the company saw unprecedented growth. DiMicco served as Nucor’s CEO longer than anyone since company founder, Ken Iverson. During this time, Nucor completed more than 50 acquisitions for a total investment of $6.5 billion. In addition to the company’s record of profitable growth, DiMicco championed domestic manufacturing and rules-based, rules-enforced free trade.

Nucor and its affiliates make steel products. Through the David J. Joseph Co., Nucor also brokers and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. The company also claims to be the largest recycler in North America.