Business Shorts - October 2015
LMK Technologies
On August 24, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) ruled in favor of LMK Technologies, declining institution of inter parts reviews on two petitions filed by BLD Services. The decisions were issued in IPR2015-00723 (Paper 7) and IPR2015-00721 (Paper 9).
The LMK patents at issue pertain to LMK’s T-Liner main-to-lateral cured-in-place connection lining with Insignia gasket sealing technology and are the subject of pending district court litigation against BLD. BLD previously unsuccessfully challenged the same claims with earlier IPR petitions. The original complaint, filed in February 2014 by LMK Technologies in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that BLD has and continues to infringe on U.S. Patents 7,975,726 and 8,667,991.
“This is a great victory for LMK and the industry,” said Larry Kiest, Jr., president of LMK. “We are pleased that the PTAB properly shut down BLD’s duplicativeattempts to challenge claims of LMK patents.” 815.433.1275, www.lmktechnologies.com
Tulsa Rig Iron
Tulsa Rig Iron recently announced promotions within its sales department at their global headquarters in Kiefer, OK. President Trevor Young appointed Mike Sadler as vice president of sales. Sadler, a 12-year veteran of the company, will head up their outside sales efforts in North America. Terry Flynn is appointed as director of sales and marketing. Flynn will oversee the inside sales and parts sales efforts, along with all marketing functions of the company.
Young states that these adjustments were necessary to accommodate growth in business due to the recent expansion of their manufacturing facility, and the roll out of new product offerings. Since 1987, Tulsa Rig Iron has manufactured industry-leading products for the HDD, oilfield and water well-drilling industries. Their specialties are mud mixing and recycling systems, triplex mud pumps and hydrostatic testing units. 918-321-3330, www.tulsarigiron.com
PFERD
Janet Schweitzer was recently appointed as customer service manager for PFERD Inc. in Milwaukee, WI. A native of Milwaukee, she joins PFERD from the Wm. K. Walthers Company, also of
Milwaukee. Schweitzer has over nine years’ experience in customer sales and service plus nine years of training and development work in both business to business and consumer environments.
Additionally, she has also served as sales and service training manager at C&H Distributors, which carries over 50,000 industrial and commercial products.
She earned her Bachelors of Business Administration degree at The University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. 800.215.2725, www.pferdusa.com
WHC
WHC Energy Services’ (WHC) board of directors announces new job roles for two officers. Fred Roberts, previously WHC’s chief financial officer, has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), and Rick Mills, previously WHC’s vice president of project services and controls, has been named senior vice president. Both Roberts and Mills have been with WHC since 2013.
In addition to Roberts’ responsibilities of the CFO, his new responsibilities as president will include human resources management, corporate communications management, insurance management, contracts and legal management, mergers and acquisitions management and various other executive duties as directed by the president.
As senior vice president, Mills will continue to manage and direct all project services in addition to directing all procurement, subcontracting, equipment management and maintenance, and facilities management and maintenance activities. Mills will also continue his other executive duties as directed by the president.
WHC Energy Services is a privately held general contractor that provides construction services for pipeline and related facilities to the oil and gas market. The company also offers its customers pipeline right of way and facilities maintenance services. 337.837.8765, www.whcenergyservices.com.
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