Red Dot Corporation announced several major leadership changes as an effort to strengthen the company’s core business and streamline its operations. The company appointed Rick McNamee as permanent chief executive officer. McNamee first joined Red Dot in May 2016 as interim CEO and also holds a seat on the company’s board of directors.
In addition, the company named Steve Lach as chief operating officer and Artak Arakelian as vice president of operations.
“Rick has brought both spirit and skill to Red Dot, making his impact felt at every level of the company,” said Steve Mance, chair of Red Dot’s board of directors. “With Rick’s deep experience and bold vision at the helm, I am confident that Red Dot will maintain its growth trajectory and continue producing excellent product for our customers. I know Rick is the right man for the job.”
McNamee brings to Red Dot experience steering both public and private companies that demanded significant operations management, the company noted. As CEO, president and chairman of the board at Continental Circuits Corporation, he brought cost and cycle time improvements to the company’s operations, significantly improving their financial performance.
Afterward, McNamee transitioned to ad-hoc roles consulting for a variety of companies, including as executive coach and leadership trainer, angel investor, board member, and interim CEO. McNamee has also spent 14 years at IBM, serving in a variety of manufacturing and engineering roles.
“I’m delighted that the board has offered me the opportunity to be a permanent member of the Red Dot family. I have loved my time here and am humbled to have been welcomed with such warmth and generosity,” said McNamee. “Going forward, we have set ambitious goals for 2017; with support from such a dedicated staff and robust executive team, I am confident we will hit the ground running.”
Red Dot also noted it is creating a new COO position. As the company’s inaugural COO, Lach will oversee the operations department and report directly to the CEO. Lach previously served as Red Dot’s temporary vice president of operations and led operations within companies including AT&T, Sanmina and Viasystems.
According to the company, Arakelian joins Red Dot as vice president of operations from Precision Castparts Corporation. Arakelian will report to the COO.
