Kennametal taps Wessner to lead J&L

<%=company1%> (Latrobe, PA) has appointed Michael P. Wessner as chief operating officer of J&L Industrial Supply.

Wessner will oversee all operations of Kennametal's industrial distribution unit with sales exceeding $360 million, including catalog and showroom operations, sales and distribution. He will report to Kennametal President and CEO Markos I. Tambakeras.

Most recently, Wessner was CEO of Emco/ESS Holdings (North Bergen, NJ), a large distributor of information technology consumables, office supplies, and business furniture. He has also served as VP, Midwest Region for Office Depot, where he was responsible for annual sales of $600 million. Wessner earned a bachelor's degree at Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA.

Kennametal also appointed Michael R. Gallagher responsibility for global marketing and sales, Metalworking Solutions and Services Group, with annual sales of $1 billion. Gallagher will report to Derwin R. Gilbreath, the Groups's VP and COO.

Gallagher most recently served as president, Industrial Division, Thomas & Betts Corporation (Memphis, TN). He was responsible for development and execution of strategies for product sales, marketing and distribution for the division's $483 million in annual sales. Prior to joining Thomas & Betts, he held various sales and marketing positions with Square D Company, Palatine, IL, and abrasives supplier Norton Co., Worcester, MA. He has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in business administration from Plymouth State College of the University of New Hampshire.

<%=company1%>, 1600 Technology Way, PO Box 231, Latrobe, PA 15650 USA. Tel: 800-446-7738. Fax: 412-539-5022.

With contribution from Jim Destefani
Managing Editor, Tooling Online
Source: Kennametal, Inc.