This month's movers and shakers

Deeks & Co. Inc., a Southeast distributor of chemicals and containers, has named Randy Cobb as its general manager. Cobb will remain in the corporate headquarters in Stone Mountain, Ga.; however, his responsibilities will encompass operational and planning issues at all of Deeks’ locations.

Bob Connolly, national sales manager for United Gilsonite Laboratories (UGL), Dunmore, Pa., announced the appointment of Paul Lawatsch, Victor, N.Y., as national accounts manager. In his new position, Lawatsch will act as the liaison between UGL and the company’s large retail chain accounts.

Atlas Material Testing Technology LLC, Chicago, has introduced Dr. David Dumbleton as a senior technical consultant for the newly created Atlas Consulting Group. Dumbleton will lend his expertise in environmental durability and performance to a number of Atlas customers, as well as focus on growing the North American consulting services group.

Dr. Herbert Exner is the new business director for Diols and Derivatives in BASF’s Intermediates Regional Business Unit in North America, based in Florham Park, N.J. Most recently, Exner was business manager for BASF’s Performance Chemicals business covering Eastern Europe, Africa and West Asia.

ACCESSA Coatings Solutions has hired Bill Goughenour as Wood Coatings Business Unit manager. Goughenour will be working out of the Indianapolis corporate facility and offers over 30 years of experience working in the wood coatings industry, including specialization in technical support and color design. Goughenour previously worked for Gemini Coatings in the Midwest.

Air Products, Lehigh Valley, Pa., announced that John P. Jones, chairman and chief executive officer, will retire as CEO on October 1, 2007, after 35 years with Air Products. The board of directors has appointed John E. McGlade, currently president and chief operating officer, to succeed Jones as CEO. McGlade also has been elected a director of the company effective immediately. Jones will continue as chairman of the board until March 31, 2008, to provide for an orderly transition of responsibilities.

SI Group, Inc., Schenectady, N.Y., has appointed Stephen J. Large as its new president and chief operating officer (COO). Large was formerly with H.B. Fuller Company, St. Paul, Minn.

Tikkurila, Vantaa, Finland, will strengthen its marketing efforts by establishing a Group-level unit for marketing development. Anna Mäkinen, M.A. and eMBA, has been appointed to lead the new unit. She has previously worked for Nokia Corporation in the position of senior marketing manager.

The Mahoning Paint Corp., Youngstown, Ohio, has appointed Raymond Morain vice president of technology. His responsibility will include research and development of innovative coatings with a specialized focus in waterborne, ultraviolet and urethane systems.

NexCen Brands, Inc., New York, has named Richard L. Platt Jr. president of the Waverly brand and NexCen’s Home Division. NexCen Brands also announced that Pamela Maffei Toolan would remain vice president of design for the Waverly Lifestyle Group. NexCen completed its acquisition of Waverly on May 2, 2007.

Drew Van Norman, chief engineer at SPX Process Equipment, Delavan (Wisconsin) Operations, will take on an additional leadership role in SPX PE’s New Product Development (NPD) program by facilitating progress for all active NPD projects at the Delavan Operation. Van Norman will also retain his existing engineering responsibilities for the Waukesha Cherry-Burrell line of PD Pumps and Votator Scrape Surface Heat Exchangers.

Marcel de Wolf, vice president of the Cook Composites and Polymers Coatings Resins Group, Kansas City, Mo., has announced that Dennis Ryer has assumed the new position of product manager for Liquid and Powder Resins. Ryer has been with CCP for 35 years, most recently in Research and Development as technical director for Polymer Coatings. In addition, Dr. Jeff Lackey has joined CCP as director of Research and Development for Coatings. Lackey brings to this new position 23 years of R&D management experience in a range of businesses, primarily with Dow Chemical.