Hypertherm Realigns Management Team

Hypertherm Inc. (Hanover, NH), a U.S-based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, announced realigned responsibilities in its management team. With the planned year-end departure of Carey Chen (the current vice president and general manager of Light Industrial Businesses and the chief information officer) to become the president and the chief executive officer of Cincinnati Incorporated, his responsibilities will be transitioned to two current Hypertherm management team members.

Jim Miller, the current vice president of operations, will assume the added responsibilities of the vice president and general manager of Light Industrial Businesses, which includes the company’s air plasma systems, torch and consumables businesses. Mary Bihrle, the current chief financial officer, will assume management team responsibility for the Information Services function. These transitions will be completed by year-end.

Miller has been with the company since 2005, first as the director of operations for the consumable business before joining the management team in 2008 as the vice president of operations. Bihrle joined Hypertherm in 2008 as the director of Internal Controls, then moved to director of Global Finance before being named the chief financial officer in 2013.

“Jim will bring a lot to his added role, not just operational skills important to the new business development focus areas in our Light Industrial businesses, but also a keen sense for industrial customer applications and business drivers,” said Evan Smith, the president of Hypertherm. “And Mary Bihrle is an experienced hand at IS management and will bring strong strategic integration to this new role. We’re fortunate to have such a deep talent pool, not only to ensure a seamless transition, but also to bring new capabilities and potential to these strategic parts of the business.”

Hypertherm designs and manufactures advanced cutting products for use in a variety of industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing, and automotive repair. Its product line includes plasma, laser and waterjet cutting systems, in addition to CNC motion and height controls, CAM nesting software, and consumables. These systems are trusted for performance and reliability that result in increased productivity and profitability for hundreds of thousands of businesses.

The New Hampshire-based company’s reputation for cutting innovation dates back nearly 50 years to 1968, with Hypertherm’s invention of water injection plasma cutting. The 100 percent associate owned company, consistently named one of the best places to work in America, has more than 1,300 associates along with operations and partner representation worldwide.

www.hypertherm.com