For more information contact:
Mike Shover
Director of Human Resources
(440) 965-4422
michaelshover@bettcher.com
. . For immediate release . . .
Birmingham, Oh., February 24, 2009 — Bettcher Industries, Inc. announces several significant organizational changes in the long-planned executive management succession for the company. Don Esch has been appointed to the position of president and chief operating officer of Bettcher Industries. Esch, who had served as executive vice president, succeeds Larry Bettcher in this role. Mr. Bettcher remains chairman and chief executive officer of the company.
“I am pleased that Don is assuming the primary leadership role for the company’s strategic direction and operations worldwide, reporting directly to me,” Bettcher commented. The executive team consisting of the vice presidents of business development, engineering and quality, human resources, manufacturing, sales and marketing, as well as the chief financial officer, now report to Esch.
During his eight year tenure at Bettcher Industries, Esch has spearheaded the company’s significant sales growth and its expansion into overseas markets – particularly Brazil and China where new subsidiary companies have now been established. He has also played a key role in several strategic acquisitions made by the company in recent years.
Prior to joining Bettcher Industries, Esch held executive leadership positions at ImagePoint, APV Baker (a division of Invensys), and Leggett & Platt, Inc. He holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Albion College and an MBA degree from the University of Oklahoma’s Price School of Business. In addition to his new duties at Bettcher Industries, Esch will retain his position as president and chief operating officer of Gainco, Inc, a wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary of Bettcher Industries located in Gainesville, Ga.
Succeeding Esch in the sales and marketing portion of his former role is David Quebbemann. Quebbemann joins Bettcher Industries from OMRON Corporation, a worldwide leader in the manufacture of sophisticated electronic sensing and control technology with annual sales in excess of $8.3 billion.
Commenting on Quebbemann’s appointment, Esch stated, “David has a demonstrated record of increasing responsibility throughout his career, from early experience as a sales engineer and national sales manager to his later roles as director of marketing for OMRON’s Industrial Automation Division and, most recently, general manager of OMRON’s service and manufacturing businesses within the Industrial Automation Division. This combination of strategic and operational experience makes David a good fit to support our continuing plans for significant growth.”
Quebbemann holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and an MBA degree from DePaul University’s Charles H. Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Reporting to Quebbemann at Bettcher Industries are the director of international sales; the director of sales for North and South America; the director of sales for the company’s Food Service Group; the director of new product development; the manager of marketing communications, plus the product manager. Quebbemann and his family will relocate to Northeast Ohio.
Established in 1944, Bettcher Industries, Inc. brings more than six decades of successful innovation to the food processing and foodservice industries. The company is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative precision cutting equipment and food preparation machines. Bettcher Industries is an ISO 9001-certified company, with direct distribution and service in more than 50 countries throughout the world. It is also the parent company of Gainco, Inc., a Georgia-based manufacturer of weighing, sizing, sorting and distribution systems for improving product yields in food processing plants. Phone: 440-965-4422. Web site address: www.bettcher.com
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Don Esch, President & Chief Operating Officer, Bettcher Industries, Inc.
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David Quebbemann, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Bettcher Industries, Inc.
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