DALIAN, China, July 16 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Fushi Copperweld,
Inc., (the 'Company') (Nasdaq: FSIN), the leading global manufacturer and
innovator of copper-clad bimetallic wire used in a variety of
telecommunication, utility, transportation and other electrical applications,
today announced the hiring of Joseph J. Longever to the newly created position
of Chief Commercial Officer, effective as of July 13, 2009. In this role, Mr.
Longever will be responsible for developing the global commercial strategy for
bimetallic products, with a specific focus on managing and progressing the
increasing level of commercial interest in Fushi Copperweld's bimetallic
products from customers in the electrical utility and transportation markets.
Mr. Longever has more than 25 years of bimetallic products experience and
over 29 years of experience in sales and manufacturing management. Prior to
joining the Company, Mr. Longever ran an independent consulting service which
he founded in 2007. The consulting service, in collaboration with its clients'
strategic initiatives, directed all global activity including sales, marketing,
supply chain development and management for a very diverse group of clients.
From 1999 to 2007 Mr. Longever held various Senior Management, Sales,
Marketing and Operation positions within Copperweld Bimetallics ('Copperweld'),
the Company's U.S. subsidiary, including Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer. In his tenure with Copperweld, Mr. Longever played a central role in
managing the operations and strategy of the Company with specific focus on
global sales and corporate strategy. Among the key initiatives he led were
the reorganization and redeployment of global sales assets during the 2001
telecommunications meltdown when Copperweld saw 85% of its revenues and
profits derived from this market. As a result, Copperweld began to produce a
product that served an alternative market segment, including new product
applications, which generated new sales volume recovering approximately 30% of
lost revenue while improving margins by 10%.
Mr. Longever has also served as Executive Vice President and General
Manager at Crest Manufacturing Company; and held sales management roles at
Texas Instruments. Mr. Longever, 56, holds a Bachelor's degree in Business
Administration from the Nathaniel Hawthorne College in New Hampshire.
'We are extremely pleased to add an individual of Joe's caliber to our
management team,' said Fu Li, Chairman and CEO at Fushi Copperweld. 'Joe is
very familiar with our operations and has a proven track record of developing
markets for bimetallic products in a wide range of applications throughout the
world.
