JOHNSTOWN, Ohio (Nov. 6, 2001)—Tech International has finalized its family and management succession plans following the traffic-related death in September of the company's president and CEO, Pauline Chambers Yost.
Cheryl Poulton, Mrs. Yost's daughter, has become president and secretary of the Johnstown-based manufacturer of tire repair materials. She had been acting in that capacity since the death of her mother and step-father, Walter Yost, in a traffic accident near Johnstown over Labor Day weekend.
Michael R. Chambers, a son, was elected chairman of the board and executive vice president.
Gary Chambers Jr., another son, will continue serving as president and CEO of the company's Cham-Cor Industries subsidiary, which specializes in silk-screen and commercial printing. In addition, he was named Tech's vice president of planning and development, assistant secretary, and a member of the board.
In related appointments, Jerry Besanceney was named senior vice president of the Tech Group of Companies and Dan Layne, director of operations for North America. Mr. Besanceney previously was vice president of global operations, Mr. Layne manager of North American operations.
Ms. Poulton, in a prepared statement, said it was her mother's expressed wish that Tech remain privately held and operated by the Chambers family.
“With Mike Chambers becoming chairman of the board and executive vice president and myself assuming the role as president, Tech employees, our global network of distributors and customers can be assured that my mother's vision and desires that Tech remain a family owned business will be achieved,” she said.
“My mother had clearly defined goals, including growing Tech to be the global leader in tire repairs, producing only quality products, employing Johnstown and Licking County people, and having an exclusive distributor network to sell our products throughout the world. Our family will not deviate from these goals and we are committed to ensuring that her goals, her dreams and her vision are achieved,” Ms. Poulton said.
Michael Chambers said he looks forward to working with his sister and brother as well as the company's global management team. “Under the direction of the next generation of our family, we are undertaking an even more aggressive approach to captur(ing) global market share,” Mr. Chambers said.
Founded in 1939, Tech International claims to be North America's largest producer of tire repairs and related materials, marketing more than 5,000 products in 100 countries.