Jeff Somple, president of Mack Molding Inc.'s Northern division, has been promoted to president of all of Mack Molding Inc.
Somple's promotion was announced by Don Kendall, chairman and CEO of Mack Group Inc., the molder's privately held parent company.
“Jeff took over the helm of our northern division in 2002 and has delivered sustainable, profitable growth ever since,” Kendall said in a news release. “That has been particularly challenging in the face of the Great Recession, financial market chaos, massive job loss throughout the country, and a tepid economic recovery.”
Kendall said the past 12 years have been particularly challenging for Mack, with a significant loss of sales from the computer and business equipment manufacturers, a major thrust into medical device manufacturing, development of a full-service machining center and the acquisition of an engineering services company.
“Jeff has demonstrated strong, confident leadership throughout each of these challenges. I am extremely pleased he has chosen to accept this one as well,” Kendall said.
Mack ranked No. 23 in Plastics News' most recent survey of North American injection molders. The company has $287 million in annual sales, 1,840 injection molding employees, 10 molding plants and 133 presses.
Other changes
Ray Burns, who had been president of the company's Southern division, retired on Sept. 1, after 33 years with the company. Burns had led the unit, which includes injection molding facilities in Inman, S.C., and Statesville, S.C., for 17 years.
Bryan Campbell, who had been plant manager at Mack North's headquarters plant in Arlington, Vt., now is president of Mack's Southern division. He reports to Somple.
As president of Mack Molding, Somple will be responsible for both its Northern and Southern divisions, including five manufacturing facilities in Vermont, North Carolina and South Carolina; Mack Prototype, a prototyping and low-volume manufacturing facility in Massachusetts; and Synectic, an engineering services group in Connecticut.
Kendall remains as CEO and chairman of Mack Group, which includes Mack Molding and Mack Technologies.
Somple has been with Mack since 1988. Prior to joining Mack, he was northeast regional sales manager for Continental Extrusion Corp., a packaging extruder and converter in Garden City, N.Y. He also owned and operated a restaurant in Black Rock, Conn.
Somple has a bachelor's degree from Middlebury College.
