Racine-based Twin Disc Inc. chairman Michael Batten died in his sleep Wednesday morning, the company announced Thursday. Batten worked at Twin Disc since 1970.
“(Batten) was fully devoted to the company and his family,” the company said. “His positive impression on the countless coworkers he worked with in his over four decades of service at Twin Disc, as well as the greater community of his lifelong home of Racine, Wis., will not be forgotten. Mr. Batten will always be remembered for his hard work, dedication, intelligence, honesty and fairness. He will be forever missed.”
The board of directors met on Thursday and appointed David Rayburn as chairman. Rayburn has been a director of Twin Disc for more than 15 years and was a former president and chief executive officer of a global NYSE company.
Rayburn relinquished his position as chairman of Twin Disc’s nominating and governance committee, and the board of directors appointed Michael Smiley, who has been a Twin Disc director since 2010, as the new chairman of that committee.
Twin Disc designs, manufactures and sells marine and heavy-duty off-highway power transmission equipment.
