CAMP HILL, Pa., July 31, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harsco Corporation (NYSE:HSC) announced today the completion of its previously announced executive leadership plans with the appointment of F. Nicholas Grasberger as the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
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Mr. Grasberger succeeds David Everitt, who has been serving as Interim Chief Executive Officer since February 28, 2014. Mr. Everitt will continue as a member of the Board of Directors and has been elected to succeed Henry W. Knueppel as Non-Executive Chairman, effective immediately. Mr. Knueppel will continue to serve on the Board as an independent director.
"Since Nick's appointment to the role of Chief Operating Officer in April, he and Dave have been working closely to ensure a seamless leadership transition, which has allowed us to complete our CEO succession as planned," said Mr. Knueppel. "The Board has been very pleased with Nick's rapid assumption of his new responsibilities and his success in driving Harsco's transformation, of which he has been a principal architect. At the same time, Dave's first-hand perspectives and insights from his tenure as interim CEO will be highly valuable to the Board and we are grateful that he has agreed to assume the Chairman role."
Mr. Grasberger, 50, joined Harsco in April 2013 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer on April 8, 2014. The Company is continuing its search for a permanent CFO and Mr. Grasberger will continue to be designated as the Company's principal financial officer pending the successful conclusion of this process.
Prior to joining Harsco, Mr. Grasberger served as the Managing Director of the multinational Precision Polymers Division of Fenner Plc, one of the world's leading producers of heavyweight belting for industrial and commercial markets. He previously held senior executive positions at Armstrong Holdings, Inc., the then-parent company of Armstrong World Industries, first as Chief Financial Officer and subsequently as the CEO of the company's Building Products division. Mr. Grasberger has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for Kennametal, Inc. and the Corporate Treasurer and director of corporate planning at H. J. Heinz Company. He began his career in 1985 with USX Corporation. He holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Everitt has served as a member of the Harsco Board since 2010. He completed a distinguished 37-year career with Deere & Company in 2012, where he served as co-leader of Deere's largest operating group, the Agriculture and Turf Division. Mr. Everitt is also a member of the Board of Directors of Brunswick Corporation and Agrium Inc., where he serves on the Audit Committee, and is a member of the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of the National Business Aviation Association.
About Harsco
Harsco Corporation provides a range of engineered products and services to industries that are fundamental to worldwide economic development, including steel and metals production, railways and energy. Harsco's common stock is a component of the S&P MidCap 400 Index and the Russell 2000 Index. Additional information can be found at www.harsco.com.
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