U.S. Overhead crane staff news for fall

Felix Nyberg has started a new position as The Crosby Group, moving in the summer from global product manager – a role he had held for close t o four years – to senior global product director, lifting and securement chain and fittings. Before joining The Crosby Group in 2019, Nyberg worked as director of sales at lifting and materials handling business Gunnebo Industries.

Also during the summer, Bill Woodworth, the marketing manager at Memphis-based Barnhart Crane & Rigging, presented a cheque to Shaunta McDowell, founder of Finding Your Way Out of Poverty, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing mentorship and community service events to high school students and young adults. Woodworth said he was “honoured to work for a company that encourages generosity”.

If you’re in the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, region, you may well have had a visit from York Hoist sales team over the summer, which conducted its second “sales blitz” of 2023, visiting client and prospect facilities, and in their words, “having a blast”. In other news, York Hoist reports that Shane Hart has joined the sales team. He will assist new and existing clients throughout Maryland with their material handing and safety needs.

The NCCCO Foundation has announced the appointment of seven members to its board of directors. The organisation is a National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) charity that promotes industry safety by conducting research, educating about and advocating for personnel safety and certification, and facilitating access by youth, military personnel and underserved communities to education, training and certification through scholarships and grants.

The following were reappointed to serve additional terms: Garry Higdem, CEO of Mario Sinacola & Sons; Kerry Hulse, retired vice president of operations, Deep South Crane & Rigging; Tim Watters, president, Hoffman Equipment; Chris Ryan, retired vice president of equipment, Boh Bros. Construction; and Ingo Schiller, partner, Path Finder Consulting Group.

Two new individuals, Alexander Alonso, chief knowledge officer, Society for Human Resource Management, and Adrian Lacey, apprenticeship director, Florida West Coast Operating Engineers Apprenticeship Local 487, were also appointed to fill recently added board positions.

Thomas Sicklesteel, CEO, NCCCO, continues as an ex officio member of the board.

Subsequently, Higdem, Hulse and Watters were re-elected to serve as president, vice president and secretary/treasurer respectively for a one-year term.

“The NCCCO Foundation is honoured and grateful to have such depth of skills, talent and experience leading the organisation into the future,” said T.J. Cantwell, NCCCO Foundation executive director. “As the foundation begins several projects to help the load handling industry through research, workforce development and education, it is more important than ever to have leaders like these who can see a bright future for the industry and foundation ahead and have a vision to help us get there.”

According to reports, a company from Biggar, Saskatchewan, has pleaded guilty and been fined following a workplace incident nearly three years ago.

According to the Canadian Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, AGI Envirotank, a fabricator and erector of steel storage tanks, pleaded guilty to violating the occupational health and safety rules and was fined $1,500 with a $600 surcharge. Two other charges were withdrawn.

According to the ministry, the company failed to give notice as soon as reasonably possible after a workplace accident that required a worker to be admitted to hospital for 72 hours or more.

The charges stemmed from an incident in 2020 in Biggar, when a worker was injured while dealing with a seized pin in an overhead travelling crane.

The summer's AIST (Association for Iron & Steel Technology) Crane Symposium celebrated the achievements of Richard Warriner, who has worked in the overhead crane industry for more than half a century. Nate Kelly of Virginia Crane called him ‘The Godfather of Cranes’ in a LinkedIn post and said his journey in the crane industry “has been nothing short of remarkable”.

Kelly continued: “With over three decades of service on the AIST Crane Technology Committee, his expertise and insights have played a pivotal role in shaping the industry's standards and advancements. Rich's passion for crane technology is contagious, and his unwavering commitment to excellence has made a lasting impact on countless professionals, including myself.

“As a mentor, Rich possesses a unique ability to inspire and guide individuals towards achieving their fullest potential. His extensive knowledge, coupled with his genuine care and patience, has empowered many aspiring crane professionals to grow and succeed. Whether it's through sharing industry insights, providing technical guidance, or simply lending an ear, Rich has been a steadfast source of wisdom and support.”

Chris Hyatte of LGH North America earned a promotion to product manager earlier in the year. Hyatte’s main function in this new role is to act as a liaison between the LGH Sales and Operations teams in marketing and promotion of the company’s rental fleet throughout North America. He will be responsible for managing and growing supplier relationships, including LGH’s exclusive Beta Max hoists sales distribution programme. He will also manage internal product training programmes. With 22 years of experience at LGH, 18 of which were as a regional sales manager, the company stated that Hyatte “is well-positioned to excel in this new role”.

We end with the sad news that Anne Lutin Renfroe passed away during the summer. Speaking of her death in a LinkedIn Post, The Caldwell Group said that the lifting industry has “lost one of its true pioneers”. The post continued: “Under her leadership, the J.C. Renfroe brand experienced great success and her appointment as the first female president of the Association of Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) was truly history-making. Our deepest sympathies to her family and all those who loved her. We honour her legacy by ensuring the brand she helped build remains synonymous with safe lifting throughout the world.”