Powell Valves longtime executives Jim Hengehold and Frank Parker retired at the end of 2016. Hengehold, senior vice president — Powell Engineering, joined the company in 1980 as a project engineer. He was mentored by Bob Koester and was promoted to assistant chief engineer and later succeeded Koester as chief engineer. He continued to rise with the Powell engineering department to the senior VP position he held at the time of his retirement.

“I always have thought Jim is the best valve engineer in our industry,” The Wm. Powell Co. President, CEO and Chairman Randy Cowart said. “I thank Jim for being an important executive in the success of Powell Valves.”

Parker, senior vice president Manning Mfg., started at Powell in 1960 in the company’s brass foundry and was promoted through supervisory positions in the plant and foundry. Parker was a member of the Powell family for more than 50 years. In 1975, Parker was named superintendent of Powell’s new steel commodity plant. He spearheaded the construction of the manufacturing plant in Manning, S.C., which began in 1981 and was later promoted to vice president of manufacturing in 1997, overseeing the plants in Manning and Orangeburg, S.C.

“Frank’s leadership in our South Carolina plants has allowed Powell to become one of the top importer-exporters in the area,” Cowart said.