RAY SHOOK NAMED AWS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MIAMI - December 2, 2002

The American Welding Society (AWS) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Ray Shook has assumed the position of Executive Director for the Society, which counts more than 48,000 manufacturing and construction professionals as members.  Mr. Shook is former Vice President of Sales & Marketing with Stillwater Technologies in Troy, Ohio. He replaces William Rice (Interim Executive Director) as the Executive Director of AWS.

“My entire career has been in the welding industry and I appreciate the opportunity to serve in this capacity. It is my objective to support the staff to ensure that the Society provides the best customer service to the welding manufacturers, distributors, users, educational institutions, and the members,” stated Ray Shook, when asked about his goals as Executive Director of AWS.

As a 30-year veteran of the welding industry, Mr. Shook has accumulated extensive experience within the welding sales and marketing arena. As a long-standing staff member of Hobart Brothers Company, he spent more than twenty years within the organization, in a variety of positions, including Director of the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.

He is currently Chairman of the Troy Area Chamber of Commerce Board, as well as participating in several other local and national committees. He has been a member of the American Welding Society since 1981.

The American Welding Society is the largest organization in the world dedicated to advancing the science, technology, and application of materials joining. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, AWS serves more than 48,500 members in the United States and around the world. In 2003, the AWS Welding Show, the premier trade show for the welding industry, will be held April 8-10 in Detroit, Michigan.