PITTSBURGH, Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of
Directors of global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety (NYSE:
MSA) has elected Nishan J. Vartanian
a director of the company. Mr. Vartanian, 57, currently
serves as MSA's President and Chief Operating Officer. His
election is part of a planned management succession, and coincides
with an announcement MSA Chairman and CEO William M. Lambert made last night that he
intends to retire as CEO in May of 2018. Mr. Lambert
announced his retirement plans at the company's annual management
dinner held in Cranberry Township,
Pa.
"The Board of Directors and I are very pleased to welcome Nish
to the MSA Board at what is truly a dynamic time for our
organization," said Mr. Lambert. "Nish's election as a director and
his appointment to President and Chief Operating Officer earlier
this year are expressions of the Board's and my confidence in his
abilities to lead MSA, and they are important elements of
our management succession plan that will help ensure strong
and experienced leadership of the company moving forward."
Mr. Vartanian joined MSA in 1985 as a sales representative, and
over his 32-year career with the company has served in a variety of
capacities. These include U.S. National Sales Manager;
Director of North America Commercial Sales and Distribution; Vice
President and Global Business Leader for MSA's Fixed Gas and Flame
Detection business; Vice President of MSA North America; and Senior
Vice President and President, MSA
Americas.
"Nish is a proven leader who is ideally suited to lead MSA into
its second century of business," Mr. Lambert said. "In
addition to having the acumen and experience necessary for this
role, Nish possesses great strategic vision, a growth-focused
mindset, and the communication and leadership skills that I know
will inspire and motivate our associates to achieve great
things."
On his retirement plans, Mr. Lambert commented that he intends
to stay involved with MSA. "I have been committed to the mission of
MSA for more than 36 years, and I am extremely proud to be
associated with an organization whose one and only focus is to help
protect people at work so they can return home, safe and sound, at
the end of each day. Moreover, I'm grateful to the 5,000-plus
MSA associates around the world who demonstrate such a tremendous
commitment to the safety of our customers every day. I feel
extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to lead this great
organization for nearly a decade," he said. "I will always keep a
deep interest in the company and plan to remain active as a
director and shareholder going forward. Nish and I will be
working closely to assure a smooth and seamless transition in
2018."
Mr. Lambert, who turns 60 in April, joined MSA in 1981 as a
design engineer. Over his 36-year career with the company,
Mr. Lambert served as Project Engineer; Product Line Manager;
Director of Marketing; Vice President/General Manager of the
company's former Safety Products Division; President of MSA North
America; and President and Chief Operating Officer. He was
elected a director in 2007, and assumed the role of CEO in
2008. Mr. Lambert was subsequently elected Chairman in
2015.
Robert A. Bruggeworth, lead
independent director for MSA's Board of Directors, commented, "Bill
has done an outstanding job in guiding the company as CEO.
Under his tenure, MSA has grown to be a company with record sales
and profitability. Bill also directed a number of strategic
acquisitions that have increased MSA's shareholder value and the
company's industry-leading positions in key markets," he said. "He
leaves the executive management of MSA well prepared for the future
and, in Nish, who we expect to elect as CEO next May, we have an
experienced and dynamic leader in whom I and our entire Board have
full confidence."
Additional Background on Nishan J.
Vartanian
Mr. Vartanian received a bachelor's
degree in management from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst in 1983. In addition to his MSA
responsibilities, he serves on the governing board of The Butler
County Community Development Corporation, which proactively creates
an environment for private industry to create and retain jobs. Mr.
Vartanian also is on the Board of Directors for the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the JDRF, a
charitable organization dedicated to funding Type-1 diabetes
research, and he is an active volunteer for the Woodlands
Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the
lives of children and adults with disability and chronic
illness.
Note to Local Editors: Mr. Vartanian and his
wife Pam reside in Seven Fields,
Pa.
About MSA
Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global
leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety
products that protect people and facility infrastructures.
Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics,
mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against
hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's
comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a
broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical
industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and
the military. MSA's core products include self-contained
breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems,
portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection
products, firefighter helmets and protective apparel, and fall
protection devices. With 2016 revenues of $1.15 billion, MSA employs approximately 4,600
people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of
Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing
operations in the United States,
Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than
40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its
revenue from outside North America. For more information
visit MSA's web site at www.MSAsafety.com.
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SOURCE MSA Safety