ADS appoints new CEO

The Board of Directors has named Scott Barbour to serve as president and CEO, succeeding Joe Chlapaty, who has served in that capacity since 2004. The Board also named C. Robert Kidder, its current lead independent director, as chairman of the board, and Barbour as a director. He will be replacing Chlapaty who will become chairman emeritus of the board.

Kidder said, “This announcement comes at the right time as we enter the next chapter of the Company’s evolution. Over the years, ADS has proven its ability to thrive on change and we are excited to have Scott lead the team and our Company forward. Scott is a well-rounded executive whose leadership style and skill set aligns well with ADS’ culture and its objectives to drive growth and operational excellence. I am confident that his expertise and experience honed while leading Emerson Electric’s USD 4.5bn global Network Power business will position ADS well for future success.”

“I am very excited to join the ADS team and to continue the Company’s legacy of revolutionizing the water management industry,” said Barbour. “ADS is a great business with outstanding prospects for the future. I look forward to building upon the Company’s industry leadership, commitment to innovation and recent initiatives that drive operating performance improvements by leveraging its talented team and strong financial position.”

Kidder continued, “On behalf of the Board and management, we thank Joe for his countless contributions and dedication to the Company. Under his leadership, ADS has grown from a private organization with USD 50M in sales to an industry leader, with an exceptionally strong brand and more than US 1.2bn in sales across multiple end markets and geographies. Over the past 37 years, Joe’s passion for the business and his leadership helped position ADS at the forefront of the markets we serve today.”

Barbour has more than 25 years of experience in the industrials sector. Most recently, he worked for Emerson Electric, a global technology and engineering company that provides solutions for customers in industrial, residential and commercial markets as president and CEO of its USD 4.5bn Network Power business. Barbour was responsible for managing major multi-million dollar contract negotiations, leading and implementing a global profitability optimization program, expanding Emerson’s geographic footprint, introducing new product lines, and managing the spin-off and subsequent sale of the Network Power business, now Vertiv.

During his tenure at Emerson, Barbour also held several leadership positions including group vice president of Emerson Client Technologies Group, president, Emerson Client Technologies Asia Pacific Division, and president, Emerson Client Technologies Air Conditioning Division. In these roles, Barbour drove significant technology initiatives, increased profitability and led new product development. Barbour began his career at Colt Industries, where he worked as a product engineer. Barbour received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University and his Master of Business Administration from the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University.