Apogee Enterprises Names Don Pyatt President of Viracon Unit
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, May 12, 2000 -- Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOG) today announced that Viracon, a leading global fabricator of high-performance architectural glass and the largest business in Apogee’s Glass Technologies segment, has named Don Pyatt its new President, effective June 5. Pyatt, 55, will report to Larry Stordahl, Executive Vice President, who served as Viracon’s interim President. In his new role, Pyatt will be responsible for Viracon’s operations in Owatonna, Minnesota and Statesboro, Georgia.
Most recently, Pyatt was Group Vice President of Intermet Corporation, a manufacturer of large ductile iron and aluminum die casting, where he was responsible for three plants within Intermet’s Light Metals Group, a $350 million operation. Previously, Pyatt was President of Tool Products, an aluminum die casting business with plants in Minnesota, Tennessee, Thailand and Singapore. He has also held leadership positions with the Henry Valve Company, Dana Corporation and Gresen Manufacturing. Pyatt received a BS degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and a MBA degree from Syracuse University. He lives with his wife and children in the Minneapolis area.
“Don Pyatt will be a great leader for Viracon,” said Russell Huffer, Apogee’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “He is a superb manufacturing guy, with excellent leadership skills and the technical expertise to bring Viracon to the next level. Don is coming in at a good time to make an impact: Viracon’s Owatonna plant is doing very well, and the Statesboro ramp-up continues to progress on track, with expectations that production volumes will double in fiscal 2001.”
Apogee Enterprises, Inc. is a world leader in technologies involving the design and development of value-added glass products, services and systems. Organized in two business segments, the Glass Technologies businesses are leaders primarily in architectural glass and high-end glass coatings for the electronics markets, while the Glass Services businesses are leaders in replacement auto glass and building glass services. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol APOG.