Waukesha-based MetalTek International today announced that its chief operating officer, E.J. Kubick, has been promoted to replace Bob Smickley as chief executive officer.
This is part of the multiyear succession plan that began with Kubick’s appointment to the COO role in January of 2017, the company said. Smickley is retiring from MetalTek after 35 years, including the last 26 years as CEO.
Kubick and Smickley will both continue to serve on MetalTek’s board of directors. The company also announced that Robert T. Johnston will serve as chairman of the board and chief financial officer Rick Danning will serve as vice chairman. Danning has been CFO of MetalTek since 2000.
Kubick joined MetalTek in 2003 and has served in a series of operational and leadership roles of increasing responsibility. Under his leadership MetalTek expanded its capabilities in centrifugal, sand, and investment casting while strengthening its focus on operational excellence, the company said in a news release.
“It is my privilege to lead our employees as we support our customers with custom metal product solutions for the most demanding heat, wear, and corrosion-resistant applications they face,” Kubick said in the news release. “MetalTek is a company with a strong history and an even stronger future, and I am grateful to Bob and the board of directors for the faith they have placed in me in this role.”
Under Smickley’s his leadership MetalTek increased its operational capabilities and global reach, and now serves thousands of customers in more than 35 countries, the company said.
“It is impossible to imagine MetalTek today without Bob’s vision and leadership,” Kubick said. “He has been a mentor, and I look forward to continuing to work with him and the rest of the board to make MetalTek a special place for our customers and employees.”
