ATS Strengthens Executive Leadership
CAMBRIDGE, ON, May 23 / - ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. today
announced the appointments of two experienced senior executives to the
newly-created roles of Vice President, Strategy and Human Resources, and Chief
Information Officer, as well as the creation of a new Chief Operating Officer
role.
Ron Jutras, ATS President and CEO said: "ATS has successfully implemented
a new regional business model within our core Automation Systems Group over
the past few months and we are now seeing early benefits from this work.
Today's announcement demonstrates that our organizational improvements have
now progressed from the regions to the corporate level. These improvements
enable us to strengthen and realign our corporate level organization to
provide additional leadership, management depth and improved support to our
regional executive teams in Asia, Europe and North America. Today's management
changes help to accomplish our objective of building our global strength by
infusing our corporate team with new skills and capabilities in areas that are
absolutely critical to our continued progress - including strategic employee
skills development and information technology. I am delighted with the two
individuals we have appointed. They will make strong contributions to our
future."
"We also plan to further strengthen and add additional depth to our
executive team in the near term through the creation of a Chief Operating
Officer role. In April, I initiated a search to permanently fill this
important new role, which will help to accelerate our improvement and global
brand agenda. Filling this key role is a top priority for me."
On an interim basis, Bruce Seeley, Vice President of Precision
Components, has assumed the COO role.
Effective immediately, ATS has appointed Lynne Brenegan as Vice
President, Strategy and Human Resources. Ms. Brenegan brings 15 years of
consulting experience to executive teams in areas such as talent management,
leadership development, and organizational redesign in a wide variety of
sectors including high technology engineering. She joined ATS in 2006 to bring
focus to organization design and strategic talent development. Previously, she
served as Director of Leadership and Organizational Design for Barrick Gold
Corporation's global operations.
Also effective immediately, Ron Keyser has been appointed Chief
Information Officer. Mr. Keyser was most recently Vice President, Information
Technology Operations for Magna Services, the shared services unit of
automotive components manufacturer Magna International. During his more than
10 year career with Magna, he was involved in all aspects of the
organization's ERP systems, and played a key role in program life cycle
management and engineering collaboration of systems on a global basis. Prior
to Magna, his experience with other automotive parts manufacturers included an
assignment managing a manufacturing plant in Mexico. His mandate with ATS is
to develop a global information technology infrastructure.
"Lynne and Ron bring demonstrated leadership skills to ATS," said Mr.
Jutras. "We welcome them. We also offer our sincere thanks to two long-time
ATS managers who have announced their retirements: Marilyn Wolfe who has been
with ATS since 1992, and last served as VP of HR and John Scott, who has been
with ATS since 1995, and most recently served as Vice President, Quality and
Strategic Processes."
The Company also announced that Tom Beatty, who served as VP of Supply
Chain management for the past 16 months, has left ATS. This corporate role is
no longer required, reflecting the fact that supply chain management
responsibilities and capabilities have now developed to the level where they
have been regionalized for improved effectiveness.
ATS also announced that Jim Sheldon, President, ASG North America, left
the Company effective May 23. An executive search for a new President ASG
North America has already been initiated to replace Mr. Sheldon. In the
interim Eric Kiisel, VP of Project Management has assumed the leadership role
for the Cambridge ASG facility and will report to Bruce Seeley.
About ATS
ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. provides innovative, custom designed,
built and installed manufacturing solutions to many of the world's most
successful companies. Founded in 1978, ATS uses its industry-leading knowledge
and global capabilities to serve the sophisticated automation systems' needs
of multinational customers in healthcare, computer/electronics, automotive and
consumer products. Through its solar business, ATS participates in the growing
solar energy industry. It also leverages its many years of repetitive
manufacturing experience and skills to produce, in high volume, precision
components and subassemblies and to answer the specialized repetitive
equipment manufacturing requirements of customers. ATS employs approximately
3,500 people at 25 manufacturing facilities in Canada, the United States,
Europe, southeast Asia and China. The Company's shares are traded on the
Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ATA.
For further information:Carl Galloway, Vice President and Treasurer, Gerry
Beard, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, (519) 653-6500
