Aluminum Association Announces Additions to the Board of Directors

Matt Aboud, Tony Farraj & Tom Walpole Will Join the Association's Board of Directors

NAPA, Calif. and ARLINGTON, Va., April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aluminum Association elected three new members to its Board of Directors.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120208/MM50117LOGO)

Matt Aboud, Vice-President and Managing Director of Hydro Aluminum's Metal Markets in North America, Anthony Farraj, Commercial Vice-President of Global Packaging for Alcoa Global Rolled Products and Tom Walpole, Senior Vice-President of Novelis and President of Novelis North America will join the Association's Board of Directors.

"Matt, Tony and Tom have diverse experience and expertise in critical areas of the U.S., North American and global aluminum industry," said Tom Brackmann, President of Nichols Aluminum and Chairman of the Aluminum Association's Board of Directors.  "They will be a vital part of leading the Association over the next several years as the Association continues its long-term commitment to researching and communicating the sustainability benefits of aluminum."

Matt Aboud currently serves as Vice-President and Managing Director of Hydro Aluminum's Metal Markets in North America.  He joined Hydro in 2003 after several years in the financial services industry. With Hydro, he has served in several roles including Strategy, Sales and Risk Management.  He is currently the Chairman of the Aluminum Association's Statistical and Market Research Committee; he is also a former member of SECAT's Board of Directors and a CFA charterholder.  He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Virginia.

Tony Farraj is Commercial Vice-President, Global Packaging of Alcoa Global Rolled Products.  Farraj joined Alcoa's Rigid Packaging Division in 1999 as Vice-President for Human Resources.  Other roles with Alcoa Rigid Packaging include: Vice-President for Human Resources and Environment Health and Safety (2001-2003), and Commercial Vice-President (2003-2007). Most recently, he was Commercial Vice-President Alcoa Russia (2008-2012). Before joining Alcoa, he spent thirteen years with Cargill Inc. He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a bachelor's from the University of Iowa.

Tom Walpole has thirty years of experience in the aluminum industry and currently serves as Senior Vice-President of Novelis and President of Novelis North America. Previously, he was Senior Vice-President of Global Manufacturing Excellence and President of Novelis Asia (2007- February 2012,) and Vice-President and general manager of Novelis's Can Products business unit (2005-2007).  Prior to the spin-off of Novelis from Alcan Inc, he held numerous international positions with Alcan including Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Rolled Products Operations in Korea and President of Lithographic, Can and Painted Products Business in Europe.  He holds as M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Oswego.

"The Aluminum Association reaches out to member companies to provided guidance and leadership on the Association's Board of Directors," said Heidi Brock, President of the Aluminum Association. "I'm certain that Matt, Tony and Tom will successfully represent the interests of the member companies they represent and held provide greater strategic direction for the Association."

The Aluminum Association's Board of Directors, assisted by the Chairman's Advisory Council is responsible for all policy decisions for the Association. The Board represents the total industry by engaging the interests of the product divisions and overseeing the management of core member services.

The Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia, works globally to aggressively promote aluminum as the most sustainable and recyclable automotive, packaging and construction material in today's market. The Association represents U.S. and foreign-based primary producers of aluminum, aluminum recyclers and producers of fabricated products, as well as industry suppliers. Member companies operate more than 200 plants in the United States, with many conducting business worldwide.   

Contact:
James Lewis
703.358.2966
[email protected]

SOURCE The Aluminum Association