Marry promoted to Charter Manufacturing president and COO

MEQUON - Charter Steel President Tom Marry has been promoted to president and COO for Charter Manufacturing.

Joel Casterton, who most recently served as vice president for vehicular thermal Solutions and heavy-duty equipment at Modine Manufacturing, will succeed Marry as president of Charter Steel, effective immediately, according to a press release sent last week.

Marry joined Charter Steel last July after having spent the preceding 20 years in manufacturing, including six as COO of Modine Manufacturing Co., a $2 billion Wisconsin-based company that provides heat transfer technology solutions to a wide range of global end-markets, according to the press release.

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Earlier in his career, Marry held positions of increasing responsibility with Milwaukee Electric Tool, Bosch and General Motors.

Marry replaces Bob Venable, who departed Charter last year. In the role of COO, Marry will serve as a member of Charter Manufacturing's executive leadership team and is responsible for the strategy and overall operations of Charter Manufacturing's four businesses: Charter Aarrowcast, Charter Dura-Bar, Charter Steel and Charter Wire, according to the press release.

"During his tenure, Tom has quickly demonstrated strong alignment to Charter's culture and values, deep business expertise and has developed the trust and confidence of Charter leadership and employees," Charter Manufacturing CEO John W. Mellowes said.

Marry earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He has served on the board of directors of the United Way of Racine County and is active in the Racine and Kenosha County food banks.

With Marry's promotion, Joel Casterton has been named president of Charter Steel, an integrated U.S. steel producer with operations in Wisconsin and Ohio. In the role, Casterton is responsible for facilitating and guiding company operations to help ensure Charter Steel's growth, performance and people strategies are achieved.

Casterton most recently served as vice president - Vehicular Thermal Solutions and Heavy-Duty Equipment at Modine Manufacturing. During his 16-year-tenure, he held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility within Global Program Management, Commercial and Engineering functions. Prior to Modine, Casterton was with Ford Motor Company and a Ford spinoff, Visteon Corporation and served as an instructor/squad leader for the U.S. Army Reserve and Minnesota Army National Guard, according to the press release.

"Joel brings a wealth of leadership, knowledge and experience in manufacturing, engineering and commercial disciplines to this position," Mellowes said. "He also brings years of experience within the automotive, commercial vehicle, off highway and industrial markets - all of which are critical end markets for Charter Steel."

Casterton earned his industrial and manufacturing engineering degree from Iowa State University. He is a board member of the North Cape Lutheran Church and is involved with the Boy Scouts of America, Team Rubicon Disaster Relief, Veterans Outreach and Habitat for Humanity.

"We’re excited about adding Tom to the executive leadership team and bringing in a strong leader in Joel to lead our largest business," Mellowes said. "Both are strategic leaders with strong operational backgrounds who will drive growth while contributing to the Charter culture."

Charter Manufacturing is a family-owned group of differentiated metals manufacturing businesses founded in 1936. Headquartered in Mequon, the company employs more than 2,300 employees across its corporate location and four businesses - Charter Aarrowcast, Charter Dura-Bar, Charter Steel and Charter Wire.

Part of the Charter Manufacturing family of businesses, Charter Steel is a fully integrated U.S. steel producer, employing more than 1,300 employees in Saukville; Cleveland, Ohio; and Fostoria, Ohio.

A leading supplier of carbon and alloy steel bar, and rod and wire products, the company's capabilities include steel melting, bar and rod rolling, coil processing and wire drawing.