Executive Officers
Ronald J. Kramer
Ronald J. Kramer has been our Chief Executive Officer since April 2008, a director since 1993 and Vice Chairman of the Board since November 2003. From 2002 through March 2008, he was President and a director of Wynn Resorts, Ltd., a developer, owner and operator of destination casino resorts. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Kramer was a Managing Director at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, an investment banking firm, and its predecessor Wasserstein Perella & Co. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP), a wireless communications company, and is also a member of the JPMorgan Chase Regional Advisory Board.
Robert F. Mehmel
Robert F. Mehmel has been our President and Chief Operating Officer since December 2012. From August 2008 until October 2012, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of DRS Technologies (formerly NYSE:DRS), a leading supplier of defense electronic products, systems and military support services (“DRS”). Mr. Mehmel was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of DRS from May 2006 to July 2008, and Executive Vice President, Business Operations and Strategy at DRS from January 2001 to April 2006. Before joining DRS, he held various positions in corporate and divisional management at Jabil Circuit, Inc. (NYSE:JBL), L-3 Communications Corporation (NYSE:LLL), Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), Loral Corporation (NASDAQ:LORL) and Lear Siegler, Inc. (NYSE:LEA).
Douglas J. Wetmore
Mr. Wetmore has been the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Griffon Corporation since September 2009. From April 1998 to July 2008, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (“IFF”), a creator of flavors and fragrances used in a variety of consumer products (NYSE: IFF). From October 2007 to July 2008, Mr. Wetmore was also the Treasurer of IFF. From 1991 to 1998, he was the Corporate Controller of IFF. Prior to IFF, Mr. Wetmore worked at Price Waterhouse for 12 years. He formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the Audit Committee of Arch Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE: ARJ), a global biocides company.
Seth Kaplan
Mr. Kaplan has been the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Griffon Corporation since May 2010. From July 2008 to May 2010, he was the Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Hexcel Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced composite materials for space and defense, commercial aerospace and wind energy applications. From 2000 to July 2008, Mr. Kaplan was the Senior Corporate Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Hexcel. From 1994 to 2000, he was an associate at the law firm Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP).
Segment Leadership
Joseph J. Battaglia
Mr. Battaglia has served as President and CEO of Telephonics Corporation since 1995. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities, he was President of the Corporations’ Command Systems Division which specialized in radar, IFF interrogators, ATM systems, Landing systems, and other aerospace electronic systems and sub-systems.
Prior to joining Telephonics in 1990, Mr. Battaglia held the position of Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin’s Defense Systems Division. From 1978 until 1990 Mr. Battaglia was the Director of Advanced Systems for Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems Division in Orlando, Florida. He was also Vice President of Business Development and Program Management for Litton’s Laser Systems Division.
Eugene C. (Gene) Colleran
Mr. Colleran is the Chief Executive Officer of Griffon’s Home & Building Products division, a position he has held since May 2011. From January 2009 until this time, he was President of Clopay Corporation, the parent of Clopay Plastic Products Company and Clopay Building Products Company. From August of 2000 through December of 2008, Mr. Colleran was President of Clopay Building Products Company.
Prior to joining Clopay Corporation, Mr. Colleran spent nine years with Newell Company (NYSE: NWL) most recently as President of BernzOmatic, the world’s largest manufacturer of gas powered hand torches. Prior to Newell, he spent nine years in various sales and marketing management roles with Chicago based United States Gypsum (NYSE: USG).
Alan H. Koblin
Mr. Koblin became President of Clopay Plastics Products in January 2012.
Prior to joining Clopay, Mr. Koblin spent nineteen years with Silgan Plastics, a leading North American supplier of plastic packaging for personal care, healthcare, household and industrial chemical and food markets and a subsidiary of Silgan Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SLGN). At Silgan Plastics, Mr. Koblin held a variety of leadership roles in sales and marketing, operations and general management before being named President in 2007.
Prior to joining Silgan Plastics, Mr. Koblin held various positions of increasing responsibility with Churchill Industries, Occidental Chemical Corporation, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY), and Gulf Oil Corporation.
Les H. Ireland
Mr. Ireland became President of Ames True Temper in November 2012.
Mr. Ireland was previously with The Black and Decker Corporation, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products. Mr. Ireland joined Black and Decker in 1986 and held a variety of management and leadership roles, most recently as President, North America – Power Tool & Accessory Group, a position he held from 2008 to 2010. Since 2011, Mr. Ireland has been on the advisory board of Graham Partners, a home and building products private equity firm.
Steve Lynch
Mr. Lynch has been the President of Clopay Building Products Company since January of 2009. From January of 2001 through December of 2008, Mr. Lynch was Vice President of Marketing for Clopay Building Products Company.
Prior to joining Clopay, Mr. Lynch spent nine years with Newell Company (NYSE: NWL) in various sales and marketing assignments. Before Newell, he spent eight years with Chicago based United States Gypsum (NYSE: USG).