January 2024 Vol. 79 No. 1
Business News
Business People
Fiber Broadband Association
The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) presented its 2023 Chairman’s Award to Gary Bolton, president and CEO of FBA, for his leadership in promoting, educating, or accelerating fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments across North America. His work is helping to close the digital equity gap so that every community can access the benefits of reliable, high-quality internet.
Among many FBA successes to date, Bolton’s leadership has expanded fiber broadband’s public policy influence, workforce development initiatives, FBA’s research library, and FBA membership – more than doubling it in less than three years.
Volvo
Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) strengthened its executive management team with three senior appointments.
Mats Sköldberg, head of Technology at Volvo CE, most recently was head of Technology for Volvo CE in China. He has also held other senior technology roles in recent years.
In his new role, he leads the development and delivery of Volvo CE’s global technology strategy and continues the company’s journey into electromobility, connectivity and automation.
Scott Young is now head of Sales Region-North America. Previously, he was head of the Volvo CE Uptime Center of Expertise and held various roles in strategy, technology and other functions within Volvo CE. He continues to oversee the strategic direction of one of the largest markets for construction equipment and will be responsible for meeting its customers’ diverse needs.
Jay Parker was appointed to the newly created role of head of Digital & IT, bringing the company’s digital transformation into renewed focus.
In addition, Joakim Arndorw was appointed to lead Volvo Construction Equipment Sales Region-International. Most recently managing director for Swecon Anläggningsmaskiner, the retail operations for Volvo CE in Sweden, he is now part of Sales Region Europe´s management team.
Yanmar
Linda Haensel joined Yanmar Compact Equipment North America in the newly created director of human resources role.
She draws from more than 20 years of human resources experience with large manufacturing companies to oversee employee relations strategy, drive organizational effectiveness, and champion talent acquisition and retention. She also brings seasoned knowledge of best practices and an ability to look at processes and improve them.
Brown and Caldwell
Ravi Chadha joined Brown and Caldwell, as senior vice president and chief strategy officer (CSO), replacing Jay Patil, who retired after more than three decades in the environmental consulting sector.
With over 25 years of experience leading corporate business strategies, organizational transformations, and product/service team management for several Fortune 500 companies, Chadha brings a wealth of knowledge in driving company performance.
As CSO, he is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing Brown and Caldwell’s strategic growth as a water and environmental market leader, and directing business transformation, change management, mergers and acquisitions, and communications initiatives.
Woolpert
Salman Rashid was hired as chief financial officer of Woolpert, the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG), and strategic consulting firm.
An accomplished financial leader, he has 25 years of experience helping global technology and tech-enabled professional services companies strategically expand and advance.
As CFO, based in Austin, Texas, he oversees and guides all aspects of Woolpert’s financial operations, including planning and analysis, controllership, legal, facilities, and administration, to help facilitate Woolpert’s next era of organic and acquisitive growth.
Justin Klinkenberg also joined the firm, as account executive, supporting electric utility and broadband community development programs, and projects for federal and commercial clients.
He brings 13 years of product development experience specific to geospatial business needs, most recently with Optimal GEO, which was acquired by Woolpert in 2021.
Oxford Plastics
Mike Riley joined Oxford Plastics, global leader in innovative construction and utility products, as its new business development manager, to grow its products in the USA.
Based in Richmond, Va., he concentrates on U.S. operations, spearheading efforts to grow the company's presence in the Northeastern United States. His role involves navigating the complex landscape of state and city-specific standards and regulations, with a focus on developing key markets, reducing lead times for product approvals, and establishing strong partnerships with major utilities and regional safety directors within the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Riley’s role will also involve collaborating with distribution partners to drive market demand and support Oxford Plastics' mission to deliver innovative products to the construction and utility sectors.
Riley's appointment marks a significant step in Oxford Plastics' commitment to strengthening its position in the U.S. construction and utility markets, offering products that enhance safety and efficiency while meeting rigorous industry standards.
He brings over 16 years of industry experience and extensive background in logistics sales, collaboration with leading construction companies, and work with major service providers.
With a focus on reducing the environmental impact, noise levels, and providing a safer, lightweight product to increase productivity, Oxford Plastics offers versatile and innovative solutions for the construction and utility industries. The company operates four warehouses strategically located in South Carolina, Texas, California, and Rhode Island, ensuring efficient and reliable stock availability across the country.
Bobcat
Cyril and Louis Keller, brothers who invented the world’s first compact loader (later named the Bobcat skid-steer loader), were inducted into, and posthumously recognized by, the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF).
NIHF annually recognizes inventors, promotes creativity and advances the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Bobcat representatives and members of the Keller family, representing Cyril and Louis, attended the Illumination Ceremony at the NIHF museum, to celebrate this achievement.
“The ingenuity of the Keller brothers spurred the compact equipment industry,” said Mike Ballweber, president, Doosan Bobcat North America. “Today, at Bobcat, their spirit of inventiveness lives on, as our organization continues to innovate for the job site of the future and empower our customers to accomplish more.”
In the 1950s, brothers Cyril (1922- 2020) and Louis (1923-2010) operated a small machinist-blacksmith shop in Minnesota, building and repairing machinery for local farmers. A farmer approached them with a need for a self-propelled loader light enough to be lifted to the second floor of a turkey barn and small enough to clean around the barn’s upright poles.
In 1957, the Kellers built a three-wheeled loader with two drive wheels in front and a caster wheel in the rear – the precursor to the modern skid-steer loader. To improve the design, a second set of drive wheels was added to the back of the loader in 1960.
With four-wheel drive, it became the world’s first true skid-steer loader. “Skid-steer” describes the unique steering system that enables the machine to turn within its own length. Later, the Bobcat brand name was established because of the machine’s toughness, quickness and agility.
In celebration of this recognition, Bobcat has its history on display in a new exhibit within the NIHF Museum. It features one of the Keller brothers’ original three-wheel loaders, along with a timeline of Bobcat’s history and a video display highlighting various aspects of Bobcat’s products, people and initiatives.
Joe Keller, son of Louis, said, “If Dad and Cyril were here to accept this award, they would accept it for all the early and current Bobcat employees that have all helped bring the little Keller loader to be the Bobcat machine it is today. There is no one that the Bobcat loader hasn’t affected or helped through life – even though they may not know it.”
PPI
Two Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) committees named new chairs.
Joshua Goldberg, business development manager of Asahi/America, Inc. (Lawrence, MA), was appointed chair of the Technical Committee, providing strong leadership in the organization’s ongoing and future technical endeavors.
“The PPI Technical Committee is a cornerstone of our organization, responsible for several critical functions,” said David M. Fink, president of PPI.
These functions include: “ensuring that all PPI technical documents are technically correct and validated through a rigorous balloting process; coordinating technical activities across divisions to minimize duplication of efforts and promote synergy when possible; reviewing reports and technical papers intended for publication, and forwarding recommendations to the Board; and finally, undertaking activities on technical matters as directed by the Board, which may include research and development initiatives.”
Goldberg brings a wealth of experience and expertise from his 25-year career, including polymer chemistry, product development, R&D, and process engineering, as well as marketing expertise and analytical skills.
Jason McKinnon, director of engineering services, Viega, LLC (Broomfield, CO), was named chair of PPI’s Education Committee. In this role, he assists in delivering courses at conferences with other organizations and via various platforms, including PPI’s own eLearn educational channel.
“Our Education Committee is counted on by the various industries we serve to provide viable, validated instruction on all aspects of plastic pipe,” said Fink. “This includes courses and curriculum in each of our five divisions plus the Hydrostatic Stress Board.”
McKinnon has more than 20 years of engineering and training experience developing new curriculum and modules. He has been a participating member of PPI for more than 10 years, mainly with the association’s Building & Construction Division, and was a founding member of the PPI Education Committee in 2013.
Brierley Associates
Dave Sackett was elected as Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Brierley Associates. In this role, he is responsible for advancing the company's valuable initiatives and overseeing its expansion into the Southeast Region in the areas of tunneling, trenchless technology, water, transportation, support of excavation, and renewable energy.
He has more than 40 years of leadership and operations experience, within the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast and California regions of the U.S., and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Most recently, he was managing director of several offices for a large international geotechnical contractor.
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