The Valspar Corp. announced that President and Chief Operating Officer John M. Ballbach will leave the company for undisclosed personal reasons. The company said Ballbach will work on special projects through March. His responsibilities will be assumed by Chairman and CEO Richard M. Rompala.

Tom Ferrari has joined BYK-Gardner USA as National Sales manager for Retail Color Systems. Ferrari has more than 20 years of experience in the paint and coatings industry.

Eckart America L.P. has promoted Frank Jischke to general manager, Louisville Operations, with responsibility for aluminum-pigment production, technical-service, product-development, and sales and marketing functions for the coatings and plastics market segments. Jischke was formerly director of Sales & Marketing, Coatings & Plastics, and also had previously headed sales and marketing for Latin America.

William Kirn has joined National Coatings Corp., Camarillo, CA, as Technical director and Key Account manager. The company said Kirn is recognized as a pioneer in the construction-chemicals and building-materials industry, with more than 20 years of research, development and management experience. He holds four U.S. patents and has developed fire-retardant roof coatings and acrylic roof-coating formulas for conventional roofing. Kirn was formerly a chemist and market manager for Rohm and Haas Co. National Coatings is a manufacturer of elastomeric roof-coating materials for commercial and industrial buildings.

Hoover Materials Handling Group Inc. named Jim Pry Business Development manager, Dry Materials Handling Division, with responsibility for sales growth of the company's line of dry material handling equipment. He will work with Hoover's manufacturer's-representative network in executing sales and technical-service functions and will directly service national accounts. Pry has held sales positions with Tote Systems, Fabricated Metals and Clawson Container Co.

Hercules Inc.'s board of directors elected Craig A. Rogerson president and CEO, effective immediately. Rogerson has been acting president and chief operating officer since October. John K. Wulff will continue as non-executive chairman of the board.

Ira S. Miller has joined CHEMARK Consulting Group as vice president of Strategic Consulting. Miller has held senior executive positions with companies involved in diagnostic-imaging manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services and other industries. CHEMARK also announced that Robert J. Seidewand, formerly vice president of Strategic Development & Latin America for Avecia NeoResins, will lead the firm's Technology Management consulting services initiative. Seidewand has held a variety of management positions during a 27-year career in the coatings and related industries, including vice president, Technology & Strategic Development, for Zeneca and ICI Resins, and manager, Polymer Research, ICI/Glidden Paints. Chemark Consulting also announced that Nelson Auge, formerly vice president of Manufacturing & Operations for The Sherwin-Williams Co.'s Chemical Coatings Division, will collaborate with Chemark in the area of manufacturing and operations management consulting.