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Manufacturing 2025: WERGE, ROB
In 2022, Werge became president and CEO of Cadence, a contract manufacturer of medical and drug delivery devices founded in 1985. He previously held leadership positions at Nypro (now Jabil Healthcare), where he led its consumer and electronics business for the Americas region and oversaw operations in India. He also was vice president and general […]
Manufacturing 2025: MINKKINEN, MARCUS
In September 2024, Minkkinen succeeded Koen Knippenberg, who managed the plant for more than two years before being promoted to senior vice president of group truck operations for Volvo’s North America branch. A native of Sweden whose father and grandfather worked for Volvo, Minkkinen joined the company in 2004 as a trainee after receiving a […]
Manufacturing 2025: SMITH, ASHLEY B.
Smith, the third generation of his family to lead the precast concrete company, became CEO in 2018 and board chairman in 2022. His grandfather, David G. Smith, founded the company in 1960 as Smith-Cattleguard, a nod to the company’s concrete cattleguard innovation. The publicly traded company now has manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina. […]
Manufacturing 2025: BEAUCHAMP, BRADFORD ‘BRAD’
In 1950, E. Rhodes Carpenter launched his namesake company as a distributor of Goodyear latex products. A few years later, Carpenter pivoted to pouring flexible polyurethane foam. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Carpenter now has a product portfolio that includes bonded, molded and technical foams, chemicals and chemical systems, expanded polystyrene systems, consumer products, [&helli[...]
Manufacturing 2025: HOFF, JEREMY R.
Hoff joined Hooker in 2017, serving as president of the upholstery, case goods and legacy brands divisions before being named its first nonfamily CEO in 2021. The 101-year-old company employs more than 1,000 people and has corporate offices and upholstery manufacturing facilities in Virginia, North Carolina and California, with showrooms in High Point, North Carolina; […]
Manufacturing 2025: GREENE, JASON
Greene has led Delta Star, a manufacturer of power transformers and mobile substations, since 2016. In June, Greene welcomed state and local officials, including Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the company’s Delta Iron Works, an 80,000-square-foot facility that will serve as a hub for steel fabrication, allowing the company to boost […]
Manufacturing 2025: CULBRETH, M. SCOTT
Culbreth joined American Woodmark in 2014 as its senior vice president and chief financial officer. He was promoted to president and CEO and joined its board of directors in 2020. American Woodmark’s cabinet brands include its namesake, as well as Shenandoah Cabinetry, Timberlake Cabinetry and Waypoint Living Spaces. It has more than 7,800 employees and […]
Manufacturing 2025: KEOGH, SCOTT
Keogh leads German parent company Volkswagen’s electric truck and sport utility vehicle division, a job he took in 2022 after serving as president and CEO for Volkswagen of America for four years. Scout is a revamp of the iconic Scout all-terrain vehicle brand produced by International Harvester from 1961 to 1980. In 2021, Volkswagen acquired […]
Manufacturing 2025: TIDEY, R. SCOTT
Following Gregory H. Trepp’s September 2024 retirement, Tidey became the appliance manufacturer’s new CEO and a board member. He was named president earlier last year as part of Hamilton Beach’s succession plan. Previously, Tidey was senior vice president of global sales at subsidiary Hamilton Beach Brands, and he started with the company in 2010 as […]
Manufacturing 2025: HÖGBERG, FREDRIK
A native of Sweden, Högberg became president of Volvo Penta North America in 2022. He joined Volvo Group in 1994 and has held a variety of positions, including in digital services, retail development and aftermarket sales. He previously was senior vice president for services, solutions, digital and IT for Mack and Volvo Trucks North America. […]
Manufacturing 2025: IBAÑEZ, JESUS
Ibañez joined Lego Manufacturing Virginia in January to oversee hiring and construction of the Danish toymaker’s $1 billion Chesterfield County facility, bringing two decades of executive leadership in multiple countries. He previously served as vice president of operations at Lego’s plant in Monterrey, Mexico, and was executive operations director for tire company Bridgestone. Before[...]
Manufacturing 2025: WILKIN JR., NEIL D.
Wilkin was named Optical Cable’s chairman and CEO in 2003, two years after joining the company as its chief financial officer. Optical Cable, which manufactures fiber optic and copper communication cables and connectivity products, reported a profit of $18.2 million for fiscal 2024, down 18.3% from the previous year. In July, Optical Cable announced it […]
