PEOPLE NEWS

Fortune Brands Global Plumbing Group, a division of Fortune Brands Home & Security, announced the additions of Nicole Decker and Coty Franklin to its leadership team.

In her new role as senior vice president, global growth and development, Decker will have responsibility for developing, prioritizing and driving strategic initiatives critical to GPG’s performance and growth, including leading corporate development strategy and exploring innovative opportunities to support the business’s continued success. Prior to joining GPG, Decker spent 20 years at Tupperware Brands Corp. 

Franklin comes to GPG to serve as senior vice president, global human resources and internal communications, where he will have responsibility for all aspects of human resources, including HR strategy and organizational design, culture initiatives, employee communications, leadership development and day-to-day HR operations. Before taking on his new role at GPG, Franklin worked as global HR director, aerospace-fuel and motion controls at the Eaton Corp.

IAPMO announced the promotion of Region 4 Manager Brian Rogers to vice president of field services. A 26-year veteran of the trades, Rogers joined IAPMO in 2015 as the manager responsible for IAPMO’s interests in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Prior to joining IAPMO, Rogers wore many hats including stints as a superintendent, inspector, contractor and instructor. He holds a master license in plumbing, hydronics, refrigeration and HVAC, and is a certified medical gas installer and backflow technician.

Bradford White Corp. named Rich Simons senior vice president and general manager of Laars Heating Systems Co.

“I’ve often said that Rich is the epitome of a general manager, because he can bring insight and ideas to every facet of the Laars Heating System’s business,” said Bruce Carnevale, president and CEO of Bradford White Corp. “His broad knowledge base, tireless work ethic and industry experience have made him an invaluable part of our corporate leadership team.”

Simons, a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business, joined Laars in 2016 as vice president and general manager. His responsibilities encompass the overall operation of the business, as well as its strategic direction and financial results. Simons has more than 30 years of experience in the boiler industry.

Danfoss, a manufacturer of high-efficiency electronic and mechanical components and controls for air-conditioning, heating, refrigeration, industrial and water systems, appointed Robert Gillis as key account manager for its hydronic heating business in North America. Specifically, he will focus on supporting the growth of hydronic heating applications within the northeast United States and eastern Canada through Danfoss’ line of hydronic comfort controls, including valves, actuators, sensors and controllers, and AB-QM pressure independent control valves.  

Ranger Design, a manufacturer and service provider for fleet upfit solutions and commercial van equipment, providing state-of-the-art commercial van storage for fleets and tradespersons, announced Joey Trombino has joined the company as its new chief financial officer. He replaces Eric Pesenti, who remains with the company in other capacities. Ranger also named Catalin Caracas vice president of operations and human resources.

COMPANY NEWS

Lenexa, Kansas-based O’Connor Co. was named the winner of the American Standard 2020 Pinnacle Award. The designation recognizes performance vs. plan in the business-critical areas of residential, commercial, parts and supply, new dealer business, residential new construction, multi-family and non-owner occupied. Awards are based on market share, sales, growth and customer satisfaction, and are the result of a successful relationship between distributor and dealer. 

Winsupply recently opened Winsupply of Rio Grande Valley in Mission, Texas. The new company serves HVAC  contractors in the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas. Ernesto "Ernie" Pena is president of Winsupply of Rio Grande Valley and has been in the HVAC industry for more than 10 years. He previous worked in a sales capacity for Carrier. Pena is joined by an equity partner at Winsupply of Rio Grande Valley, Joseph Midkiff, who was also previously at Carrier and leads non-sales-related operations at the new company. 

Thrive Technologies announced Houston-based Century A/C Supply is the latest company to seek its supply chain planning software to help wholesale-distributors maintain high standards of customer service. Century A/C Supply is a privately-owned wholesale-distributor of HVAC equipment and supplies, serving residential and commercial air-conditioning contractors, apartment complexes, schools, government entities and industrial companies throughout Texas. With 26 branches statewide, the company operates three strategic distribution centers that hold an expansive inventory of air-conditioning and heating parts — providing its customers with efficient one-stop shopping and access to a substantial selection of in-stock products.

Oatey Co. presented awards to its top-performing manufacturers representative agencies of 2020, E.A. Langenfeld, Jones Sales & Marketing Group and RKR, recognizing their exceptional partnerships, accomplishments and  throughout the business. 

Each year, the company awards high-achieving sales partners to highlight individual successes and show appreciation for their outstanding support of Oatey’s retail and wholesale business units.

In 2020, E.A. Langenfeld and Jones Sales & Marketing Group both received the “Retail Representative of the Year” Award.

E.A. Langenfeld, whose partnership with Oatey spans 33 years, was recognized for not only achieving multiple sales goals throughout last year, but also for the team’s superior breadth of knowledge and professionalism. The agency’s hands-on approach to customer service continues to garner praise across markets, Oatey noted. Jones Sales and Marketing Group has represented Keeney, a part of the Oatey family of brands, for the past 10 years.

Autodesk announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Portland, Oregon-based Innovyze, a global provider in water infrastructure software, for $1 billion net of cash, subject to working capital and tax closing adjustments. The acquisition positions Autodesk as a technology leader in end-to-end water infrastructure solutions from design to operations, accelerates Autodesk’s digital twin strategy, and creates a clearer path to a more sustainable and digitized water industry, the company stated.