Ash Grove Cement Announces Promotions

The Ash Grove Cement Co. announced promotions in its sales leadership teams. The promotions are effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Ernie Peterson is promoted to vice president of sales - Midwest and will report to Charlie Sunderland. Peterson has been with Ash Grove 15 years, including the last five years as regional sales manager in Ash Grove’s Omaha, Neb., sales office where he led a team of four salesmen, a technical service manager and two administrative professionals. His career in the cement manufacturing industry spans two decades. His direct reports include three sales offices covering six states in the Midwest. 

Mike Wood is promoted to vice president of sales – west and also will report to Sunderland. Wood has been with Ash Grove 10 years serving as regional sales manager in Ash Grove’s Boise, Idaho, sales office where he led a three-state team of salesmen. His career in the cement manufacturing industry dates back to his youth. His parents owned a ready mix operation, and he was exposed to all aspects of the industry. His direct reports include four sales offices in nine states in the West as well British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Wood also has an extensive financial background having worked in management capacities for commercial lenders for more than a decade. 

Retiring Ash Grove sales executives include:

Dewey Fore has led Ash Grove’s Midwestern sales region for five years and is an officer of Ash Grove Cement Company, CONCO, Ash Grove Resources, Lyman Richey and Permanent Paving. He will have completed 26 years at Ash Grove when he retires in December 2012. Fore is a member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, was a board member of the Aggregate division of the National Ready Mix Concrete Association, has led the Oklahoma Ready Mix Association, was a founding member of the Oklahoma/Arkansas American Concrete & Paving Association and served on its board, president of the Arkansas Ready Mix Concrete Association, was active in the Iowa Ready Mix Association and served as an Iowa Concrete Paving Association board member; was chairman of the Nebraska Concrete Council and served on boards of both the South Central and North Central Cement Promotion Associations.

Dave Baker has led Ash Grove’s West sales region for 16 years and is an officer of Ash Grove Cement Company. He will have completed 23 years at Ash Grove when he retires in December 2012. Baker’s career in the cement industry spans four decades. He led the Northwest Cement Shippers three times as its chairman, he served as chairman of the Northwest American Concrete & Paving Association, including service on its board since 1989 and he served on numerous Portland Cement Association committees during his career.

Ash Grove Cement Plant Wins Top Maintenance Award

The Ash Grove Cement Co.’s Durkee, Ore., plant won top honors in the company’s annual Maintenance Excellence Program (MEP) competition for 2011. The Durkee plant also received the 2011 Ash Grove Energy Management (AGem) award.

Since 2008, eight Ash Grove cement manufacturing plants and two grinding facilities have competed to earn the award. Each facility is evaluated on several Key Performance Indicators in conjunction with MEP posting requirements, and the actual maintenance cost per equivalent ton of cement. The MEP key performance indicators show both financial and functional performance as to how well plants are mastering the MEP concept and improving their overall maintenance performance.

The Durkee plant employs 109 people and began operations in 1979. The plant expanded in 1998 and is certified as ISO 14001 compliant, which is an international standard for excellence in environmental management. The Durkee plant has earned awards, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Award in 2010, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of Air and Waste Management Environmental Achievement Award in 2010, and several safety awards from the Portland Cement Association as well as Ash Grove’s President’s Safety awards.

Ash Grove Cement Wins Top Maintenance Award

The Ash Grove Cement Company’s Durkee, Ore., plant won top honors in the company’s annual Maintenance Excellence Program (MEP) competition for 2011. According to Ash Grove Assistant Vice President of Manufacturing Bruce Newell, “Our Durkee, Ore., plant was the MEP award recipient in 2010 and continued in its quest to keep the trophy there by maintaining a high standard of performance in executing MEP strategies in 2011.”

Durkee Plant Manager Terry Kerby said, “Winning another Ash Grove award for how we manage costs reflects well on our entire team. Our plant remains competitive in the marketplace, and we ensure Ash Grove customers receive a quality product at a reasonable price by effectively implementing MEP strategies.” The Durkee plant also received the 2011 Ash Grove Energy Management (AGem) award.

Since 2008, eight Ash Grove cement manufacturing plants and two grinding facilities have competed to earn the award. Each facility is evaluated on several “Key Performance Indicators” (KPI) in conjunction with MEP posting requirements and the actual maintenance cost per equivalent ton of cement. The MEP key performance indicators show both financial and functional performance as to how well plants are mastering the MEP concept and improving their overall maintenance performance.

The Durkee, Ore., Ash Grove cement manufacturing plant employs 109 and began operations in 1979. The plant expanded in 1998 and is certified as ISO 14001 compliant, which is an international standard for excellence in environmental management. The Durkee plant has earned awards including: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Award in 2010, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of Air and Waste Management Environmental Achievement Award in 2010 and several safety awards from the Portland Cement Association as well as Ash Grove’s President’s Safety awards.