Robert L. Ayers was elected as a member of our Board of Directors in October 2006. Mr. Ayers was Senior Vice President of ITT Industries and President of ITT Industries’ Fluid Technology from October 1999 until September 2005. Mr. Ayers continued to be actively employed by ITT Industries from September 2005 until September 2006, during which time he focused on special projects for the company. ITT Industries’ Fluid Technology is engaged in the design, development, production, sale, and after-sale support of a broad range of pumps, mixers, controls and treatment systems for municipal, industrial, residential, agricultural and commercial applications. Mr. Ayers originally joined ITT Industries in 1998 as President of ITT Industries’ Industrial Pump Group. Before joining ITT Industries, Mr. Ayers was President of Sulzer Industrial USA and Chief Executive Officer of Sulzer Bingham, a pump manufacturer in Portland, Oregon. Prior to that, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. subsidiaries of Lanzagorta International and director of marketing and new business development at FMC Corporation’s Petroleum Equipment Group. From 1979 to 1985, Mr. Ayers was General Manager, Products, Sales and Engineering for National Supply (Drilling Equipment Division). From 1973 to 1979, Mr. Ayers held several management positions with Armco Inc. in Venezuela and Mexico, including Area Manager, Latin America. Mr. Ayers served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, including service in Vietnam. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Ayers served as Chairman of The Hydraulic Institute, North America’s leading fluid industry association. Mr. Ayers is a member of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce and holds chair 114 in the International Water Academy. Mr. Ayers holds an M.B.A. from Old Dominion University and a B.S.E.E. from The Virginia Military Institute. |