New Senior VPs at Schneider Electric Lead Latest List of People Moves

Schneider Electric (Palatine, Ill.): The company announced several changes to its North America leadership team. Emmanuel Lagarrigue has been named senior V.P., partner business. The newly formed Partner Business brings together the company’s low-voltage Power and Lifespace businesses.  In this role, Lagarrigue will lead the company’s key relationships with its electrical distributor network and contractors in the U.S., and its sales efficiency and digital sales strategy across North America. Lagarrigue has been with Schneider Electric for 19 years, and previously was responsible for corporate strategy, based out of Hong Kong.

Andy Bennett joined the leadership team as senior V.P., Infrastructure Business. In this new role, Bennett will develop the company’s medium-voltage activities along with ensuring the growth of the Telvent business in North America to provide customers with complete solutions in key market segments including electric utility and oil & gas along with responsibility for grid automation solutions. He was V.P. of Telvent’s Utility Group, where he was responsible for SCADA, RTU and Smart Grid initiatives.

Marc Sherman has been appointed senior V.P., marketing, responsible for the company’s branding, marketing communications leadership and demand creation initiatives in North America. Sherman has been with the company for 17 years, most recently as V.P., marketing and sales enablement for the IT Business in North America.

Aurelie Richard has been appointed senior V.P., strategy and business development. Richard joined Schneider Electric in 2003 and has held leadership positions in finance and business. Most recently, she was senior V.P., strategy and business development for the company’s global Buildings business.

Hanan Darwish has been appointed senior V.P., human resources. Darwish joined Schneider Electric in 2000 as HR Director of the Gulf Countries and has since held many leadership roles, most recently as senior vice president, Human Resources, for France; and Karen Miranda has been appointed for North America operations, responsible for the company’s finance and control activities. Miranda has been with Schneider Electric for more than 10 years and was previously CFO for the company’s global IT business.

Vulcan Electric Co. (Porter, Maine): Fred Conroy has joined this manufacturer of industrial heating equipment and thermal and flexible interconnect technologies as V.P. of sales. He has more than 20 years of sales and business development experience in North America, Europe and Asia.

National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) (St. Louis): Kelly Vliet, the vice president and sales manager for Medler Electric Co., Alma, Mich., is the incoming vice president-elect of the South Central Region. Vliet has been in the industry more than 30 years and has served on the NAED’s South Central Region Council.

Rockwell Automation (Milwaukee): Tom O’Reilly is appointed president of Rockwell Automation’s Asia-Pacific Region and Joseph Sousa is appointed president of Rockwell Automation’s Latin America Region. O’Reilly, most recently managing director, Greater China, will report to John McDermott, senior vice president, Global Sales and Marketing. Sousa, most recently vice president sales, Latin America, will also report to McDermott.

Datalliance (Cincinnati): This provider of vendor-managed inventory (VMI) platform services has hired Ray Heyob as solutions director-Industrial Products. He will direct on-going Datalliance VMI solution enhancement investments to support the needs of companies in industrial product markets such as electrical, plumbing, power transmission, truck parts and similar industries that typically sell through either wholesale distributors or dealer networks.

Madison Electric Co. (Warren, Mich.): As part of its succession plan and following the death of Joe Schneider, the company announced several promotions. Brett Schneider, the eldest of Joe’s four sons and a 22-year veteran of the company, has been appointed president by the company’s board. He has been a company officer and vice president for 10 years. The evolution of Madison’s executive team also includes the move of Benjamin Rosenthal from secretary/treasurer to CFO. He will continue to serve as the company’s secretary. Rosenthal is a 30-year veteran of Madison Electric. Jordan Glass will succeed  Rosenthal  as treasurer. Glass, who has served Madison for over two years, has gone through the company’s executive training process in preparation for the role. Brad Schneider, also one of Joe’s sons, has been promoted from warehouse manager to vice president of operations. He is a 15-year veteran of Madison Electric and implemented the company’s warehouse management system. His primary areas of focus are warehouse operations, logistics and branch operations. Joe’s youngest son, Brandon Schneider, is an associate of Madison and has served the company for 11 years. He is currently participating in the company sales and operations training program.

Ideal Industries (Sycamore, Ill.): Vicki Slomka is now senior V.P. of global human resources. Slomka will lead the company’s worldwide human resources organization across all Ideal business units and its 1,200 employees.

Since 2008, Slomka has been chief human resources officer for Elkay Manufacturing, a worldwide manufacturer of cabinets, sinks, faucets, water coolers and bottle filling stations. Prior to joining Elkay, from 1999 to 2008, she served as group V.P. of human resources at Newell Rubbermaid. Earlier, she was human resources manager for Moen Incorporated and Waldorf Corporation. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Remke Industries (Wheeling, Ill.): Tom O’Gara is now CEO and will manage strategic initiatives of the company and continue to direct the finance, IT and human resources functions. He had been president of Remke since 1985 and joined the company as sales manager in 1978. Mark Sweeney is the company’s president/COO.

Sonepar SA (Paris): For the second year in a row, Sonepar’s Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, chairwoman and CEO, has been included in the Top 50 family business leaders in the world listing published by CampdenFB (formerly Families in Business) magazine.