Dur-A-Flex, Inc., a leading manufacturer of commercial, industrial and institutional seamless, resinous floor and wall systems, has appointed new leaders to Marketing and Operations.
In a strategic move to support their continued growth, Dur-A-Flex, Inc. has added two key hires to its leadership team. Ken Barnum joined Dur-A-Flex as the new Vice President of Marketing, and Patrick O’Connell is the new Director of Operations, Quality & Continuous Improvement.
Ken Barnum is an experienced global business leader with proven success in product development, new product launches, lead generation, marketing, sales, strategic planning, and acquisitions. His leadership experience spans multiple industries in both privately held companies as well as publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. The majority of Barnum’s career has been spent in the floor covering industry focused on a variety of hard surfaces including wood, tile and laminate as well as cementitious underlayments and adhesives.
Prior to joining Dur-A-Flex, Barnum was with Veeder-Root in Simsbury, Conn. where he was Senior Director of Global Marketing in their Fuel Management business. Prior to Veeder-Root he was with Laticrete International, Inc. in roles of increasing responsibility ranging from marketing to business development. Barnum has also worked for Shaw Industries, Inc., as a Territory Manager for Hard Surfaces. He received his MBA from the John F. Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart University and his undergraduate degree from Western Connecticut State University.
“Having worked at family-owned companies as well as large multinational organizations, Ken brings the right blend of organizational experiences to Dur-A-Flex,” says Peter Ferris, President and Chief Operating Officer. “His lean management mindset and commercial expertise will provide an immediate impact to our business,” added Ferris.
Patrick O’Connell is a hands-on manufacturing operations leader with a proven track record for developing a culture of employee alignment and engagement, leading to higher efficiency and increased productivity. As a member of several senior leadership teams, he has successfully implemented Lean Management Systems across a diverse range of processes and international markets.
Prior to joining Dur-A-Flex, O’Connell was with Rollease Acmeda Inc. in Stamford, Conn. where he was VP of Global Quality & Continuous Improvement and Operations. Prior to Rollease, he was with Boston-based AccuRounds Inc. where O’Connell was a member of the senior leadership team responsible for Manufacturing Operations. O’Connell has extensive multi-site manufacturing and international experience. His education includes Industrial Engineering at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Dublin, Ireland.
Regarding O’Connell’s arrival, Ferris stated, “Each member of the production, shipping, quality, sample, engineering, facilities, and continuous improvement teams has contributed to the meaningful progress we have made over the course of the past decade. Patrick’s arrival signals our continued commitment to our culture of safety and Lean Six Sigma as we enter a new decade of growth.”
Dur-A-Flex, Inc. has seen significant growth in the last decade and continues on this positive trajectory. The company is committed to investing in innovation and people to ensure customer needs remain the primary focus. The addition of O’Connell and Barnum is an investment to secure the company’s valuation and strategies for future growth.
To learn more about Dur-A-Flex, Inc. please visit www.dur-a-flex.com.