CRSI appoints new chairman and board members

SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) has announced a new chairman and the addition of eight new members to its board of directors.

John P. Simmet, president and CEO of Simcote Inc., was elected as the new chairman of CRSI. Simmet’s background includes a long history with the industry, starting Simcote with his father in 1977. Being a family-owned, start-up business gave him the unique opportunity to learn the reinforcing bar business from the ground up — ultimately gaining firsthand knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work, the organization said.

Simcote is one of the original companies formed specifically to epoxy-coat and fabricate reinforcing steel, or rebar. Simmet has been active in the industry and a member of CRSI for over 32 years.

“Since its founding, CRSI has changed and evolved to adapt to the marketplace. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to make CRSI an organization that provides a great service to the industry,” said Simmet. “CRSI is what it is today, because of all the time and effort people have put into it over the years. My goal is to continue that momentum and keep CRSI as THE resource for the concrete reinforcing steel industry.”

In addition to a new chairman, several new members were voted onto the board of directors by CRSI. All new board of director members will serve a three-year term.

New regional representative directors include:
• Michael Doucet, Rebar Fabrication, CMC Americas
• Robert Shuhert, Ambassador Steel
New at-large directors include:
• Louis Colarusso, ERICO
• Jon Kinnischtzke, Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel
• Keith LePage, Whitacre Engineering
• Roger Struble, Davis/J.D. Steel, Bellevue, Neb.
• Timothy Thomas, American Steel Fab
• Dale Wolf, Far West Steel

“We look forward to the new board coming in and representing the industry in a variety of ways,” said Robert J. Risser, president of CRSI. "By keeping diverse representation on the board, CRSI will be an informed and up-to-date resource for its members. With our new board, and their new insights, we have a great opportunity to build upon the valued resources we provide our members and the specifying community."

For more information about CRSI or Simcote, please visit www.crsi.org, or www.simcote.com, respectively.