Diversified Search Group Places Board Member for Atkore
December 21, 2022 – Diversified Search Group (DSG), a leading search firm backed by private equity firm ShoreView Industries, has placed Joanne Edwards onto the board of directors of Atkore, a $3 billion electrical products manufacturer. Diversified managing director Lauren Smith led the assignment.
“Joanne brings great value to the board,” said Ms. Smith. “She ran a $1 billion division for Eaton Corp., which enables her to bring deep industry experience to the board, a key focus of the search. Additionally, as an active and past director of multiple public company boards and an involved member of NACD (the National Association of Corporate Directors), Joanne brings strong corporate governance expertise. To top it off, Joanne’s winning personality and ability to engage deeply with everyone she meets was a strong cultural fit for Atkore.”
“Joanne brings significant strategic, financial and operational experience from within the electrical industry,” said Mike Schrock, chairman of the board for Atkore. “Her knowledge and insights into the segments currently served by the company will be of tremendous value in supporting Atkore’s profit and growth strategies.”
The appointment is in preparation for Atkore’s anticipated first director mandatory retirement scheduled to occur at the January 2024 annual meeting of stockholders. The board recently approved the temporary expansion of the board, effective Feb. 1, 2023, and Ms. Edwards will fill this vacancy on that date. With the appointment of Ms. Edwards, Atkore’s board will consist of 10 members, nine of whom are independent.
Strong Experience
Ms. Edwards worked for 10 years for Eaton Corp., where she served as senior vice president and general manager, residential and wiring device business, prior to her retirement in 2017. During her tenure, Ms. Edwards achieved 10 percent residential products CAGR over five years through the electrical distribution and retail channels; successful acquisition and integration of the copper wiring device business; silver operating award for exceeding safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory goals; and the development of internet of things (IoT) partnership and new products. Ms. Edwards also won Eaton’s highest award, the Eaton Business System.
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Before her work with Eaton, she served in various capacities with increasingly responsible roles with global diversified manufacturing companies, including Schneider Electric and Square D Company. Over the last two decades, Ms. Edwards has also served on various for-profit and non-profit boards, notably foundations and councils that aim to help the underserved and underprivileged segments of the population. Currently, she serves on the boards of Standex International Corp. and Amsted Industries. Ms. Edwards holds a bachelor of business administration degree in business management from Kent State University.
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Founded in 2010, Atkore is a leading manufacturer and distributor of electrical, mechanical, and safety infrastructure solutions. With approximately 4,000 employees and 74 manufacturing and distribution facilities worldwide, we manufacture electrical conduit, cable management systems, armored cable, metal framing, and security products and solutions. Atkore is based in Harvey, IL.
Diversity Experts
Diversified Search Group is a family of recruiting firms serving specialized sectors. The firm was founded almost five decades ago by Judith M. von Seldeneck for the express purpose of placing diverse candidates in client organizations. It is today the largest U.S. female-owned and founded firm in the executive recruitment industry. It is comprised of a combination of specialty practices with deep industry expertise under industry recognized brands, including Alta Associates, BioQuest, Koya Partners, Grant Cooper, and Storbeck Search.
Ms. Smith, who works from the firm’s Miami office, conducts senior-level executive search assignments for clients ranging from high-growth early-stage organizations to multinational corporations, specializing in working with companies that are growing and/or transforming into new markets and businesses.
She has placed executives and/or board members at clients such as Apple, Citrix, Comfort Systems, DHL, Kaplan Inc., Novell, Office Depot, Polyconcept, Ryder, Sheridan Healthcare, Tupperware and Winn-Dixie. In addition, Ms. Smith recently co-led board searches for a number of Fortune 500 boards, including Jacobs Engineering Corp. Fifth Third Bank, and Navient Corp.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
