Oct. 20, 2006 — Carpenter Technology Corp. announced the appointment of Anne Stevens as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, effective November 1, 2006.
Ms. Stevens succeeds Robert J. Torcolini, who previously announced his retirement from the company. Torcolini will be a special advisor to Ms. Stevens and the Board until January 1, 2007.
Ms. Stevens, 57, held management positions of increasing responsibility at Ford Motor Co. during the past 16 years. She most recently served as Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Co. and Chief Operating Officer of Ford in The Americas, with responsibility for Ford's North and South American product development, vehicle launch, manufacturing and material purchasing activities.
Mr. Torcolini commented, "Anne is a proven leader who brings extensive experience in the management of global operations, manufacturing facilities and new product development. Today Carpenter is in the best business and financial health in its 117-year history. Through the collective efforts of our employees, we have just completed another year of record sales and net income in fiscal 2006. Anne has the right combination of skills and experience to build on Carpenter's strengths to deliver profitable growth and long-term shareholder value."
Ms. Stevens joined Ford in 1990 as a marketing specialist in the Plastics Products division in Dearborn, Mich. She served as Group Vice President for business operations in Canada, Mexico and South America, where she grew market share while improving profitability. Later, as Vice President of North American Vehicle Operations, she was responsible for nearly thirty plants in Canada, Mexico and the United States, where she delivered record improvements in quality and productivity. She is a nationally recognized expert in operational excellence and lean manufacturing.
Before joining Ford, Ms. Stevens held engineering, manufacturing and marketing positions for over ten years at Exxon Corp. She earned a B.S. in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from Drexel University and did post-graduate work at Rutgers University. She also received an honorary Ph.D. in Communication Sciences from Central Michigan University.
Ms. Stevens has been a member of the Lockheed Martin Board of Directors since 2002. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and received a distinguished service citation from the Automotive Hall of Fame. She has been named four times to Fortune magazine's list of "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" and was named by Automotive News as a 2005 "Leading Woman in the North American Automotive Industry."
Based in Wyomissing, Pa., Carpenter Technology produces and distributes specialty alloys, including stainless steels, titanium alloys and superalloys, and various engineered products.