Unifrax announces John C. Dandolph will become President and CEO effective January 1, 2017. David E. Brooks, the current CEO, will retire from the company

TONAWANDA, N.Y., Oct. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Unifrax I LLC ("Unifrax"), the Tonawanda, New York based manufacturer of specialty fiber products is pleased to announce the succession plan for current CEO David Brooks, who will retire after 36 years of service. David will remain on the boards of Unifrax and Luyang Energy Saving Materials Company.

David Brooks has led Unifrax since 2006 through a period of significant growth.  Unifrax has benefited greatly from Dave's leadership, passion, and friendship.

David Brooks said: "I want to take the opportunity to thank the Unifrax team and our customers for your friendship, your commitment, and your hard work in support of Unifrax.  It makes Unifrax successful.  I have unwavering confidence in the future of the company. I know this team is capable of sustaining the terrific growth and innovation which are the hallmark of Unifrax. I'm proud that John was chosen for this role. I have every confidence in him." 

On January 1, John Dandolph will become President and CEO. John currently serves as Executive Vice President, CFO, and Chief Strategy Officer. John is a proven leader with a record of driving profitable growth in complex global companies through customer focus, innovation, and global expansion. Prior to joining Unifrax in 2013, John held Senior General Management roles for 6 years including serving as the President of the Silicone and Quartz Division of Momentive Performance Materials and President of Momentive Asia Pacific. He was also the CFO of Momentive Asia Pacific and spent 9 years with General Electric in financial leadership roles. In addition, John has significant Asia experience having lived and worked in the region for 11 years. John graduated with a BS in Business Administration from Boston University.

John was selected following an internal and external search. John and Dave will transition over the next few months.

John Dandolph said: "I'm excited and honored to have the opportunity to lead Unifrax into the future. We have a great business with outstanding people and a history of creating value for our customers. I am proud to be part of our leadership team and I'm confident that together we'll build upon Unifrax's legacy of growth and innovation."

Marc Saiontz, Chairman of the Board, said: "We congratulate Dave on his forthcoming retirement and thank him for his many years of dedicated service. Unifrax's success is in large part the result of Dave's leadership. We are excited that John has been selected for the role. He's added significant value to Unifrax over the last 3 years and he has real experience in growing global businesses. We are confident that John and the leadership team will lead the company to new heights and are very pleased with the growth prospects for the firm."

About Unifrax
Unifrax I LLC is a leading global supplier of specialty fiber products that are used in many high-temperature industrial, automotive and fire protection applications where they save energy, reduce pollution, and improve fire safety.

The Company has 27 manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Asia, South Africa and Latin America and employs approximately 2,200 people worldwide. Additional information about Unifrax can be found at www.unifrax.com.

SOURCE Unifrax I LLC