People Jan. 6, 2006

Jan. 6, 2006
Kurt Suchar has been appointed director of industrial and OEM sales of Schaedler Yesco Distribution Inc., Harrisburg, Pa.

Schaedler Yesco Distribution Inc. (Harrisburg, Pa.): Kurt Suchar has been appointed director of industrial and OEM sales. Formerly industrial automation manager, in his new role Suchar will be responsible for the overall planning and direction of the industrial and OEM business as well as direct the outside sales teams in the Harrisburg, Lancaster and York, Pa., geographies. Doug Sheaffer, former outside sales manager, has been named director of construction and commercial sales. In addition to leading construction and commercial sales efforts, Sheaffer will manage the outside sales teams in the Williamsport and State College, Pa., geographies.

Bodine Electric Co. (Chicago): Wes Hawkins has been appointed vice president of manufacturing. Hawkins was previously employed by Schneider Electric/Square D, where he was in charge of manufacturing, logistics and project management. Bodine also recently appointed two new area sales managers. Dan Orr will be responsible for sales in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Orr has more than 20 years of experience in motor application and direct OEM sales. Johnny Persson joins Bodine as area sales manager for Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Persson has 28 years of experience with the Swedish distributor Nodisk Elektra and is a mechanical engineer.

Vari-Lite (Dallas): Vari-Lite, a Genlyte company, has appointed Ray Whitton as business development manager for the western region of the United States. Returning to Vari-Lite for a second time after a stint with the company from 1995 to 2000, Whitton will be based out of Simi Valley, Calif. Most recently, Whitton was the West Coast regional sales manager for Martin.

Shat-R-Shield (Salisbury, N.C.): Karen Ponce, a 16-year Shat-R-Shield veteran, has been appointed president. Most recently, Ponce was vice president. She succeeds Robert J. Nolan, who retains his post as Shat-R-Shield’s owner and CEO.

Anixter International Inc. (Glenview, Ill.): Anixter’s board of directors has been expanded with the appointment of Linda Walker Bynoe as a director. The addition of Bynoe increases the number of directors to 11. Bynoe has also been named to serve on Anixter’s compensation and nominating and governance committees. Bynoe is president and chief executive officer of Telemat Ltd., a project management and consulting firm based in Chicago.

Cooper Industries Ltd. (Houston): Gary A. Masse has been appointed group president, Cooper Tools & Hardware. Masse will be responsible for the Cooper Hand Tools business unit headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and the Cooper Power Tools organization headquartered in Lexington, S.C. He joins Cooper after nine years with Danaher Corp., where he most recently served as vice president and group executive of Gilbarco-Veeder Root.