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Cleveland-based Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., announced that its board of directors has elected John M. Stropki chairman of the board. President and CEO since June 2004, Stropski began his Lincoln career 35 years ago, working in the Cleveland office while he was an engineering student. Lincoln Electric designs, develops, and manufactures are welding products, robotic arc-welding systems, and plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment.

Ralph J. Pontillo has become executive director of NACE International. He has 17 years of association experience at the Manufacturer's Association of northwestern Pennsylvania, including 14 years as president. NACE International is a professional technical society dedicated to advancing the knowledge of corrosion engineering and science.

Emerson Network Power has announced that Bharat S. Shah has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing for Astee Power's DC-DC business. Shah was most recently co-founder, president, and CEO of BIAS Power Technology. Astec Power is an Emerson Network Power Co., headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., that produces power conversion supplies.

New officers were elected during the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society's annual business meeting Oct. 1, held in Calgary, Alberta. They included International President Robert E. Smith, who has worked for more than 30 years in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration industries and currently works as manager of HVAC/R for Schnuck's Supermarkets. New officers will serve until the 2005 annual business meeting.

At Volland Electric, in Buffalo, Tom Costanza has taken on the role of crane and hoist sales engineer. Formerly with Progressive Crane, Costanza has over 20 years of experience in the material handling field. Volland Electric is an electrical apparatus repair and distribution company specializing in a-c and d-c electric motors, controls, variable-frequency drives, cranes, and hoists.

Randall Wingfield will chair the American Society of Safety Engineers' Z359 Accredited Standards Committee on Fall Protection and Related Systems, which is currently revising the American National Standards Institute Z359.1 standard Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems. The Z359.1 standard provides workplace safety guidelines to prevent injuries and fatalities from falls. Wingfield is president of Gravitec Systems, Inc., which provides engineering and equipment needs for fall protection and rescue training.

Detlef Braun has become a managing director at Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the global exhibition corporation based in Frankfurt, Germany. With international marketing and management experience, Braun has worked in New York, Paris, and Tokyo. Messe Frankfurt operates the world's third-largest trade fair and exhibition venue and organizes more than 100 trade fairs.

Baldor Electric Co. has announced three promotions effective the beginnig of this year. John A. McFarland, CEO since 2000, will become chairman of the board, the company's fourth chairman since its 1920 founding. Ronald E. Tucker, currently secretary and CFO, will be president, broadening his oversight to include operational responsibilities in international and generator business. R. Wayne Thurman will assume the position of vice president of engineering, having held engineering and manufacturing management positions since joining the Fort Smith, Ark.-based company in 1988.

Iris Power Engineering has announced that Blake Lloyd has been named general manager of sales. An electrical engineer with experience in instrumentation and product development, Lloyd worked in the electrical research department at Ontario Hydro and holds two U.S. patents. Since co-founding Iris in 1990, he has been the principle designer of the company's line of partial discharge-related instrumentation and analysis software. . . . Also at Iris Power Engineering, Paul Magder will be moving from the sales department to direct the activities of the product development group. Magder has been with Iris for 10 years, spending the last two years as vice president of sales, and prior to that, serving as manager of production.

Replacing the retiring Norman Cook, Daniel T. Bertovich has been named plant manager of Brooks Meter Devices' Canton, Ohio, manufacturing plant. Having worked 18 years in plant management and manufacturing technology, Bartovich will make decisions about whether to add automation equipment and manufacturing technologies.

In Toledo, Ohio, Romanoff Industries has promoted Mark Misejka to the position of vice president. With the company since 1991, Misejka will oversee all production activities. Romanoff Industries is a distributor of products that include transformers, electric motor controls, and used, reconditioned, and new surplus electric motors.

At Cooper Wiring Devices, in Peachtree City, Ga., some recent changes have been made. Heather Robinson, who has thirteen years of experience with Emerson Electric Co., has been named vice president of finance. Jeff Koontz, with 14 years of experience in manufacturing finance, will oversee domestic accounting in the role of controller. Originally joining the company through CWD's acquisition of Regent Lighting Co., Arthur Porrello is now the company's credit manager.

The Electric Power Research Institute has announced the following promotions as part of its reorganization: Kevin Evans is senior vice president and chief business officer, Ted Marston is senior vice president and chief technology officer, and Nancy Mason is senior vice president of human resources and administration. Mike Howard is president and CEO of the new affiliate EPRIsolutions, and Wade Malcolm is vice president of power delivery and markets. Finally, Terry Surles is vice president of environment, Clark Gellings vice president af innovation, and Bill Clark vice president of finance and information technology, as well as chief financial officer.

Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff