The Interwire trade exposition held in Atlanta from May 8-11, 2023, provided the perfect backdrop for two remarkable Chapter Board meetings which demonstrated commitment to growth, collaboration, and fostering the next generation of leaders.

Western Chapter. After an eight-year hiatus, the Western Chapter emerged from its slumber with a renewed sense of purpose. Committed volunteers from the region, including California and Texas, took the reins to form the new Western Chapter Board. Their primary objective: to revitalize the chapter, forge connections and promote the benefits of joining the vibrant wire industry.

The board used this in-person meeting opportunity to begin discussing the groundwork and layout. Essentially, a roadmap of what is needed to set their plans in motion. The first order of business is to build a strong member base, actively reaching out to professionals and organizations throughout the Western region. Emphasizing the power of networking, the board aims to create a dynamic platform where industry experts can exchange knowledge, establish meaningful connections, and foster collaborations.

Again, this is still the early stage, but it is an exciting one that will take time to develop, and the leadership roles in the Western Chapter will be defined as more progress is made.
As part of their revitalization efforts, the Western Chapter Board discussed hosting a small golf tournament in 2024. Stay tuned as details develop over the coming months. If you are interested in becoming involved with the Association’s Western Chapter at this time, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

It felt like old (better) times for the WAI’s New England Chapter, which held its annual meeting at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Montville, Connecticut, where 120 members and guests were able to mingle, recognize their new leaders, network, listen to an inspiring keynote speaker, get a keepsake photo, raise money for a good cause and just interact as the wire and cable industry does so well, given a chance.
The new officers for 2023 are President Jessica Foss, Electric Cable Compounds; Vice President Ryan Carbray, Alphagary; and Secretary Mike Roussel, Celanese Corp. The Past President is Mike Sarni, Insulated Wire, Inc.
Maxing out the capacity of the Mohegan’s Cabaret Theater, the gathering was akin to those held in pre-Covid times, enough that the Annual Dinner Committee will discuss other venue options within Mohegan for the 2024 meeting.
Speaking later, Jessica Foss, market development manager for Electric Cable Compounds, was pleased with the solid attendance, and observed that the chapter’s role continues to serve an important need. “Since I joined the industry, the Chapter has exemplified the tight knit community that is wire and cable. We certainly want the chapter to grow and have an even greater presence in the industry. To achieve this, we will continue to host events and programs that foster fraternity through networking and educational opportunities that offer an opportunity to expand one’s knowledge in a specific area. That includes getting to see other companies’ operations. I think it is also important that our annual events have a fresh feel each year.”
Keynote speaker Michelle Dray, creator of the “Getting Unstuck & Leading Fearlessly” program, presenting a different focus on personnel. Her 11-week program is designed for women, but she told attendees that it also applied to men. She explained the different signs of “career stuck-ness, and how they were different for industry newcomers (0-five years) or those who have been around longer, but also face plateau issues. Her message worked, and she had very good reviews.
The dinner itself was again well done. There was a review of chapter activity in 2022. As the society continues to adjust to life with Covid, the chapter’s annual golf tournament on Sept. 10 was a strong step forward to “normalcy,” with a maxed out field of 148 golfers at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut. The Oct. 25 tour of the RFS plant in Meriden saw some 50 members take part, touring the operations, followed by a dinner at a well-chosen restaurant steps away from the Connecticut River. As of Feb. 10, the chapter numbers 266 members, by far the largest WAI chapter.
The raffle continues to support the chapter’s scholarship program. For hockey fans in attendance, the grand raffle prize, sponsored by Lloyd & Bouvier, was a pair of golden ducats: two tickets to a Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game. Gem Gravure Co., Inc., continued its legacy of generosity, providing tickets to Boston Red Sox games. The Mohegan Sun also donated two tickets to an Air Supply concert.
You didn’t have to win to walk away with a good memory as award winning photographer Ashley Abel worked a photobooth where attendees could get a free headshot or take a fun group photo with industry colleagues. Abel took the photos on this page.
Finally, a new concept suggested by golf committee chair Jim Evans, approved by the Chapter’s board, was introduced: a trophy for the winning team. It was presented to Proterial Cable America (formerly Hitachi America).
The ante may just have been upped some for bragging rights for the Sept. 11, 2023, golf
Tourney.

Service Wire reported multiple personnel news. Matt Shumway has been promoted to national sales manager for the utility market, responsible for driving specification approvals and increasing market share nationwide. He joined the company as a regional sales manager, utility. He attended the University of Texas at San Antonio. Shane Berry has been promoted to vice president, manufacturing and distribution. He joined the company as director, human resources, in 2018, and in 2021 became director, manufacturing and distribution. Prior to that, he served for about two years as general manager/project manager for ArcelorMittal USA. He holds an MBA from Virginia Tech, and an M.S. degree in industrial and organizational psychology and a B.S. degree in psychology from Radford University. Tanner Beckett will serve the wire and cable electrical distribution markets of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and the Provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. He has more than six years of industry experience and holds a B.A. degree in geography from Marshall University. Hillary Rowe now represents accounts in the greater Houston metropolitan area. She has more than five years of sales experience in a variety of industrial markets. Based in Culloden, West Virginia, Service Wire is a family-owned wire and cable manufacturer.

Claes Westerlind was named CEO of NKT. He became part of the company in 2017 when NKT acquired ABB HV Cables in Sweden. Since 2019, he had served as executive vice president, Solutions Karlskrona, and was a member of the global leadership team. He was instrumental in the company’s achieving record orders for high-voltage cable as well as leading the investment and expansion programs in Karlskrona that were launched in 2020. He previously worked in various technical, sales and managerial roles at ABB (now Hitachi Energy) from 2006-2017. He replaces Alexander Kara who left the company for personal reasons. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, NKT manufactures power cables and power cable accessories for the on- and offshore energy sector. n

LaserLinc has two recent hires. Danielle Van Auken is the company’s newest buyer. She has more than 20 years of professional and managerial experience. Col Mogdlin has joined LaserLinc’s engineering department as a mechanical draftsman, where he will assist with technical documentation and fixture building. Based in Fairborn, Ohio, LaserLinc supplies testing and measuring equipment.

Obituary
Larry Dean Fitzgerald, a long-time extrusion industry veteran, died May 9, 2023, after a short illness at age 78. The Connecticut resident passed on the first full day of Interwire 2023, a fitting departure as he had long been a fixture at industry trade shows. Known as “the godfather of wire & cable,” he had a gruff exterior that was paired with a willingness to share his expertise. He held decades of key sales and marketing posts prior to his retirement from Graham Engineering late last year. Past employers included Ramco Inc. (1970-76); Xaloy, Inc., (1976-80); Maillefer Co., (1980-85); Nokia, Inc., (1985-88); Bristol Corp/Electrical Systems Division, (1988-90); Davis Electric Co./Merritt Davis Corp., (1990-2000); Entwistle Co. (2000-02); Merritt Extruder Corp., (2002-05); Davis-Standard LLC, (2005-12); then American Kuhne/Graham Engineering, where he retired but kept active until early in January, when medical issues forced the end of his lengthy career. A WAI Life Member, he was a member of its New England Chapter since 2006. He held a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University. He served with distinction in the military, including two tours in Vietnam. Survivors include a daughter, Alena Fitzgerald, and a son, Phillip Fitzgerald.