Personnel Notes

Waste Management Appoints Former Oakleaf CEO

Waste Management Inc. (WM), Houston, has appointed Steven Preston to the position of executive vice president of finance, recycling and energy services, a newly created position. Preston previously was president and CEO of Oakleaf Global Holdings, which WM acquired in July.

According to WM, Preston will serve as the principal financial officer of the company and will assume all of the financial management responsibilities of the company's retiring CFO Robert Simpson. Preston also will have management oversight responsibility for the company's recycling, waste-to-energy and organic growth business lines.

"Steve has a wide range of experience that will immediately add value at Waste Management," says David Steiner, WM president and CEO. "As the CEO of Oakleaf, he gained valuable customer insights in our industry, and shares our view that WM has a unique opportunity to provide value-added solutions to our customers for the benefit of our people and our shareholders."

Preston previously served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2008 to 2009 and administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from 2006 to 2008.
 

Industry Veteran Joins Maren Sales Team

Maren Engineering, South Holland, Ill., has hired industry veteran Aaron Krueger as director of sales and marketing. Krueger has been serving customers in the recycling, waste management and process industries for nearly a decade.

"This is an exciting time to join Maren," says Krueger, "The company is debuting new products while continuing to offer the lines of balers and shredders that have earned the Maren brand such high regard. It's fun to introduce such a great product line to a new group of customers while maintaining our existing relationships that have been forged over five decades."

Krueger's responsibilities include working with Maren's sales staff to extend its reach into more industry segments. He will focus on expanding and enhancing the existing sales and service network to better serve Maren customers nationwide.

"As we continue the process to reinvigorate Maren Engineering, which we began a year ago when I joined the firm, Aaron adds a lot to our team," says company President Todd Wondrow. "Aaron's experience and application knowledge, his work ethic and consistent approach to working with customers will make important contributions to our continued growth."

Maren Engineering designs and builds balers, shredders and related equipment for the recycling, paper converting, boxboard, plastics and solid waste industries.
 

Machinex Expands Sales Force

Machinex Technologies, the U.S. subsidiary of Plessisville, Quebec-based Machinex Group, has added Rusty Angel as a territory sales manager in the United States.

Angel will work with the company's U.S. National Sales Manager Chris Hawn. He will help develop recycling systems solutions for Machinex customers and promote the company's line of recycling equipment, which includes balers, disc screens, optical sorters, magnetic separators and compactors.

Angel previously served as regional sales manager for equipment supplier Vecoplan LLC for the last 10 years.
 

Sonoco Makes Personnel Changes

Packaging company Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., has announced Jim Bowen, senior vice president, Primary Materials Group, North America, will retire from Sonoco following a 40-year career. His retirement will take effect March 31, 2012.

John Grups has been named division vice president and general manager, Primary Materials Group, North America, effective Oct. 1, 2011.

In this new position, Grups will be responsible for Sonoco's 12 uncoated recycled paperboard mills in the United States, Canada and Mexico; Sonoco Recycling Inc.; and the company's Adhesives and Forest Products divisions. He will continue to report to Jack Sanders, president and COO.

The company also has announced that its supply management organization, including purchasing, logistics and other support services, will report to Marty Pignone, vice president, global operating excellence.

Pignone will be responsible for driving standardization within the company's global manufacturing processes while also leveraging productivity, quality, supply management, supply chain, environmental services and safety and engineering functions for Sonoco.

Sonoco produces packaging for a variety of industries worldwide.
 

Columbus McKinnon Makes Appointments

Columbus McKinnon Corp. (CM), a Sarastota, Fla.-based manufacturer of material handling products, has announced the promotion and appointment of three corporate officers.

Eric Woon has been named vice president, Asia-Pacific; Ivo Celi has been named vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Alan Korman has been named vice president, corporate secretary and general counsel.

Timothy Tevens, Columbus McKinnon president and CEO, says, "The promotions of Ivo, Eric and Alan recognize their accomplishments and the vital role each plays in the profitable global growth of Columbus McKinnon. Together with the rest of our executive leadership team, they give us a firm foundation for continued growth as we move toward our long-term goal of annual sales of $1 billion."

Woon joined CM as managing director, Asia-Pacific, in 2009. Before joining the company, he was president of Volvo Construction Equipment China and president and CEO of Tesa Tape Asia Pacific.

Celi joined CM as managing director, EMEA, in 2010. Prior to CM, he worked with Hilti AG.

Korman joined CM as general counsel and assistant corporate secretary in January 2011 and played a key role in the company's corporate governance and business strategy.
 

East Manufacturing Appoints New President

East Manufacturing Corp., Randolph, Ohio, has announced David Tate, president and COO, is retiring Nov. 1, 2011, after 32 years with the company. Succeeding Tate will be David de Poincy, who joined the company Aug. 1, 2011, and is transitioning into the president and COO position.

Tate began his career with East Manufacturing in 1979 as director of marketing. He also served as vice president, sales and marketing, and as executive vice president prior to being promoted to the position of president and COO in 1999.

"I am very proud of the people of our company who have worked so hard to help East Manufacturing achieve a very strong brand name as a leader in the aluminum trailer industry," Tate says. "And I am pleased to announce my replacement, David de Poincy. He brings a wealth of business experience to East, having served as president of three companies over the last 17 years, including nine years with trailer manufacturer Transcraft Corp. I am most confident Dave will have a long and successful tenure at East."