September 2024 Vol. 79 No. 9
Business
Business People
Aries Industries
Jim Kraschinsky, a prominent executive at Aries Industries who led significant growth in the company’s geographical footprint, brand recognition and product offerings, has retired, effective Aug. 31.
Kraschinsky served as vice president of Sales and Marketing at Aries Industries, since 2018. His strategic moves and relationship-building skills strengthened the brand on many fronts, whether at trade shows or in day-to-day interactions with dealers and customers.
Kraschinsky’s tenure was marked by tremendous expansion of the company’s reach into new regional markets. Since 2019, the Aries Industries dealer network has added more than 15 new representatives in North America. The growth extends coast to coast in the U.S., and into all Canadian provinces.
Kraschinsky also oversaw the successful launch of products representing leaps in mainline inspection and rehabilitation technology: the Wolverine 2.0 Self-Propelled Robotic Electric Cutting System, Voyager Mainline Inspection System, Trailblazer Mobile Enclosure, and the Laser Profiler camera attachment.
The strong market response to these products, partnered with the multitude of outstanding existing and new dealers offering them, has positioned Aries Industries for continued future success.
“Jim Kraschinsky has been a strong leader at Aries Industries,” said Larry Brown, president. “He demonstrated tremendous vision for how and where the company should expand, all the while ensuring that our customer service and existing dealer relationships remained top priorities.”
Tnemec
Katie Duda is the new director of Industrial Products at Tnemec Company Inc. She oversees the support and expansion of Tnemec’s industrial product portfolio, focusing on critical areas such as liner coatings for primary and secondary containment, CUI solutions, and other specialized offerings.
Duda brings over 24 years of expertise in the coatings industry, having held pivotal roles in industrial coatings research and development, technical sales, account management, sales management, and product management. Her career began in 2000 after obtaining a B.S. in Health Science from Clemson University and an MBA in Business Administration with a minor in International Business.
Active in industry organizations such as AMPP, STI, and API, Duda is recognized as an AMPP CIP Level 3 Senior Certified Coating Inspector, further enhancing her credibility and expertise.
Topcon Positioning Systems
Topcon Positioning Systems has announced that Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, is retiring after over three decades of exceptional leadership. He will transition to the role of chairman of the Board of Directors., providing guidance and support to the executive leadership team during this important year of transition.
Succeeding O’Connor as president and CEO is Ivan Di Federico, who has two decades with the company and currently serves as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Topcon Positioning Systems.
Under O’Connor’s leadership, Topcon Positioning Systems has experienced dramatic organic growth and expansion into new markets and product lines. During his tenure, he was responsible for numerous key acquisitions, as well as the expansion into GNSS, radios, machine automation, and global positioning software and workflow solutions for the construction and precision agriculture industries.
In addition to the leadership transition, Philip Thach was promoted to executive vice president (EVP) COO, and EVP CFO. Joining Topcon in 2018, as CFO, he has been instrumental in developing financial controls, strategic planning, and operational efficiencies.
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