Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (Lincoln Electric) has chosen Christopher L. Mapes as their new Chief Operating Officer, effective 1 September 2011. Currently a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, Mapes will retain his seat on the Board in addition to becoming a member of the Company’s executive management team. In his new role, he will be responsible for all of Lincoln Electric’s businesses, including the North American segment, the International segments and the Harris Products Group segment, with Presidents for those units reporting to him. He will also be responsible for the Company’s global product development initiatives. Mapes brings 25 years of experience and over 15 years of profit and loss leadership experience for worldwide industrial manufacturing and distribution companies. His most recent position was as Executive Vice President of the A.O. Smith Corporation and President of its Electrical Products unit. He has been President of the Electrical Products business since 2004, a global manufacturer of fractional horsepower, hermetic and integral horsepower electric motors for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Mapes earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University, his law degree from the University of Toledo (Ohio) and his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
