WAUPACA FOUNDRY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Maintenance Team Member at Plant 1

Damon Simmons, a melt maintenance team member at Plant 1, a gray iron foundry in Waupaca, Wis. embodies the values of service and dedication in both his military and professional life.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Leadership Team
• Vice President of Engineering

As the Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering, Jarrod Osborn oversees engineering and technology across all Waupaca Foundry machining and metal casting plants. Over two decades, he's been instrumental in designing and implementing automation to improve worker safety, ergonomics and increase productivity. The impact of high tech for customers has been higher quality due to repeatable consistency; for employees jobs have morphed into more skilled positions. Jarrod began his career with Waupaca Foundry in 1998 holding a variety of engineering and management roles and has been active in the American Foundry Society. He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville and a M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh in 2013.

Job Titles:

• Chief Executive Officer
• Member of the Leadership Team

Mike Hawthorne is the Chief Executive Officer of Waupaca Foundry. He guides the company with experience and a track record of success in executive leadership roles. Throughout his distinguished career, Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive strategic growth and operational excellence. Before joining Waupaca Foundry, Mike held executive positions with JB Poindexter & Co., Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, and New York Air Brake, where he was pivotal in leading business transformations. His expertise encompasses the defense, freight rail, and commercial vehicle sectors, with a notable focus on technology, finance, and strategic management. Mike holds an MBA from Syracuse University, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University. His leadership style emphasizes innovation, transparency, customer focus, teamwork, and results-driven strategies. Beyond his professional achievements, Mike is committed to giving back to the community through various philanthropic endeavors. He is an avid mentor to young professionals and actively participates in industry forums and panels. Mike enjoys hiking, strength training, woodworking, reading, and spoiling his granddaughter. Waupaca Foundry announced Michael Hawthorne as its new chief executive officer. Hawthorne succeeds Mike Nikolai, who left the company after more than three decades of service at Waupaca Foundry - including nine years as CEO.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Leadership Team
• Executive Vice President Administration, CFO, and Treasurer

Rob Johnson is a second generation foundryman who worked his way from summer help in Waupaca Foundry's mill room to a member of the executive team, responsible for a number of key functional areas of the company. Since 2015, Rob has led finance and accounting and, in recent years, has also assumed responsibility for Information Technology (IT), Legal, Human Resources (HR) and Purchasing. Before working at Waupaca Foundry, Rob spent three years on active duty with the United States Air Force, then earned a degree in business administration and accounting from Oklahoma State University. He worked in public accounting before returning home to join Waupaca Foundry in 2002. Rob earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in the spring of 2022. Rob is passionate about giving back to the community and has held board positions for a variety of organizations. He remains active in the community and supports youth sports and recreation activities. Rob has served on the American Foundry Society Board of Directors since 2020.

Job Titles:

• Vice President of Operations
• Member of the American Foundry Society

Todd Pagel brings more than three decades of manufacturing experience to his role as Vice President of Operations. Since joining the company in 1993, he has led in roles as diverse as a molding operation and supervision, plant manager, and most recently as director of operations. He has championed business plan deployment throughout Waupaca Foundry, reinforced a continuous improvement culture, and leveraged best practices throughout the foundry and machining plants. He started his career as an operator in the molding department at Plant 2/3 located in Waupaca, WI. By 2015, Todd was appointed Plant Manager for Plant 2/3, leading operational management for the Waupaca, WI based gray iron foundry. In 2021 while working as plant manager at Plant 2/3, he also had responsibility for leading melt and molding operations at Plant 6 located in Etowah, Tennessee. Pagel is a member of the American Foundry Society and Wisconsin Manufacturers Commerce.