People On the Move - July 26, 2024

Emerson (Rosemont, IL)

The company announced a key executive change at its Appleton Group division with the promotion of 35-year electrical industry veteran Andy Schwegel (photo above) to the newly created position of VP of Global Sales, effective immediately. He will oversee domestic and international sales organizations and  report directly to Anthony Hartman, president of Appleton Group.

Previously VP of International Operations & Industrial and Commercial Sales, Schwegel will be responsible for continuing to drive growth and top-line revenue expansion for Appleton Group brands — Appleton, O-Z/Gedney, EasyHeat and Nelson across a global sales network that encompasses more than 2,500 distributor partners.

In his 22-year tenure with Emerson, Schwegel worked in a number of different departments, primarily in marketing, business development and sales management. Before joining Emerson, Schwegel gained industry experience working for Eaton and Grainger.

Graybar (St. Louis)

Jason Casey has been named vice president - Distribution Operations. He has 27 years of experience with Graybar and currently serves as director, Business Technology. Prior to his current role, he was director, Corporate Real Estate Development. He has also worked in the company’s Richmond and St. Louis districts in a variety of operations, finance and accounting roles.

JM Eagle (Los Angeles, CA)

Gregory Smith was appointed Electrical Channel Manager. He joins JM Eagle with more than 30 years of senior leadership in the electrical channel management sector.

In his new role at JM Eagle, Smith will oversee all aspects of the electrical channel, focusing on fostering strategic partnerships, expanding the company’s market footprint and driving innovation. His leadership and vision are expected to play a pivotal role in JM Eagle’s continued growth and success in the electrical sector.

OmniCable (WestChester, PA)

Jeremy Crosby was appointed national account manager. Crosby has more than eight years of experience in the electrical industry, including his previous role at nVent Hoffman, where he was the regional sales manager. He previously ran several CED locations in the Southeast.

Atkore (Harvey, IL)

David Johnson has submitted his resignation as VP, CFO and chief accounting officer, effective Aug. 9, 2024, to pursue a career opportunity outside of the electrical industry. The company has appointed John Deitzer as its VP and CFO and James Alvey as its chief accounting officer upon Johnson’s departure.

Deitzer has more than 19 years’ experience in investor relations, treasury and corporate strategy. Most recently he was VP- Finance for the company’s Electrical business unit. Deitzer received a MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business, and a bachelor’s of science from Case Western Reserve University.

Alvey has been with the company for four years, most recently as corporate controller. Prior to joining Atkore, he spent more than 10 years at Ernst & Young. He was also a staff sergeant in the United States Army, where he was honorably discharged with a Bronze Star Medal. Alvey earned both a master’s of science in accounting and a bachelor’s of science in business administration from Oklahoma State University.

Agilix Solutions (Memphis, TN)

Al Tripp joined the company as VP of the South Region. Based in the Memphis branch, Tripp succeeds Dave Armstrong, who was recently promoted to senior VP of Sales. He will lead the company’s efforts to grow across its south region encompassing seven branches in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

  With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Tripp has held leadership positions in various product and service areas offered by Agilix, including electrical distribution, alternative energy and industrial automation. He has worked across multiple markets, including construction, manufacturing, marine and government. Before joining Agilix Solutions, Tripp served as regional VP of sales for Electrical Equipment Co. (EECO) in Richmond, VA.