The results of the annual election of officers and directors of the Aluminum Extruders Council were announced at the 64th Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference on March 14, 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
Richard A. Merluzzi, President and CEO of Pennex Aluminum Company in Wellsville, Pennsylvania, was elected to serve a one-year term as Chairman of the Aluminum Extruders Council. Duncan Crowdis, President of Bonnell Aluminum Company in Newnan, Georgia was elected as Immediate Past Chairman. During the Annual Meeting in Orlando, the ceremonial gavel was officially passed from Duncan Crowdis to Rick Merluzzi. In summing up his tenure as Chairman, Merluzzi said of Crowdis, “Duncan kept us together, created a vision. It’s extraordinary what we came through; he’s an extraordinary leader,” referring to the challenges faced by the Council over the past two years, including directing the development and implementation of a revised Council Committee structure, helping AEC weather the “great recession” that hit manufacturers hard and guiding the U.S. aluminum extrusion industry to a successful decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce for redress from alleged unfair trade practices involving aluminum extrusions imported from China.
Martin Bidwell, President and COO of Magnode Corporation in Trenton, Ohio, a former AEC Chairman and Distinguished Service Award winner, was elected to a new three-year term as an Extruder Director and to act as an at-large member of the Executive Committee. Rand Baldwin was re-elected to the non-voting position as President of the Council.
One new member of the Board of Directors was added. Matt McMahon, President of Pries Enterprises, Inc. in Independence, Iowa, was elected to a three-year term as Independent Extruder Director. The remaining four Extruder Directors hold their positions as their terms continue, including Jeff Henderson of Sapa Extrusions North America headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; Herb Schuler, Jr. of General Extrusions, Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio; and Scott Kelly of Service Center Metals in Prince George, Virginia.
In addition, three Supplier/Producer Directors were re-elected. Jim Dickson of Rio Tinto Alcan in in Mayfield Heights, Ohio was re-elected to a final two-year term as an At-large Director. Neil Chrisman of Spectrum Metal Finishing in Youngstown, Ohio and Carl Eppolito of Alcoa Primary Metals in Knoxville, Tennessee each were re-elected to their final two-year terms as Supplier Director and Producer Director, respectively.
